Who Are the Kuna?
The Kuna (Guna, the people's preferred spelling) are an indigenous people of Panama and Colombia, numbering approximately 80,000. The majority live in the Guna Yala (formerly San Blas) comarca on Panama's Caribbean coast—a semi-autonomous region comprising a narrow mainland strip and some 365 islands. They speak Guna (Dulegaya), a Chibchan language. The Guna are internationally known for mola, the intricate reverse-appliqué textile art that forms part of women's traditional dress. They are also notable for achieving substantial autonomy within Panama following the 1925 Guna Revolution, making them one of the most successfully self-governing indigenous peoples in Latin America.
Mola Art
Mola are textile panels created using reverse appliqué—layers of different colored cloth are sewn together, then cut away to reveal the colors beneath in intricate patterns. Originally abstract geometric designs, molas now incorporate figurative elements including animals, plants, and scenes from daily life or popular culture. Women wear molas as front and back panels of their blouses. Mola-making is a defining Guna cultural practice, with skilled women producing elaborate works that can take months to complete. Molas have become internationally collected art objects while remaining central to Guna identity and women's creative expression. The geometric patterns may derive from traditional body painting that was replaced by cloth after European contact.
The Guna Revolution
In 1925, the Guna rose against Panamanian authorities who were suppressing their culture—banning traditional dress, forcing children into schools that prohibited Guna language, and imposing outside control. The Guna Revolution, supported briefly by the United States, resulted in negotiations that granted the Guna significant autonomy. The Guna Yala comarca, established formally in 1938, gives the Guna control over their territory, with their own congress (Guna General Congress), chiefs (sailas), and laws. This autonomy has allowed maintenance of traditional governance, land protection (non-Guna cannot own land), and cultural preservation. The Guna Revolution is celebrated as a successful indigenous resistance movement.
Contemporary Guna
Modern Guna navigate between traditional island life and engagement with Panama's national economy. Many Guna now live in Panama City while maintaining connections to home villages. Tourism to the beautiful San Blas Islands provides income but is carefully controlled to limit outside influence. Climate change poses existential threats—low-lying islands are flooding, and some communities are relocating to the mainland. The Guna language remains strong, spoken across generations. Traditional governance through village and regional congresses continues alongside Panamanian citizenship. Mola production continues as both cultural practice and income source. The Guna demonstrate how indigenous autonomy can be achieved and maintained within modern nation-states while facing new challenges from climate change.
References
- Howe, J. (1998). A People Who Would Not Kneel: Panama, the United States, and the San Blas Kuna
- Salvador, M. L. (1997). The Art of Being Kuna: Layers of Meaning Among the Kuna of Panama
- Tice, K. E. (1995). Kuna Crafts, Gender, and the Global Economy