Collection of the Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami

Bracelet (Wini)

Artist/Maker Guna people (Guna Yala, Panama)

Dateca. 2013

CultureGuna

Mediumglass beads and cotton string

DimensionsOverall: 112 1/2 in. (285.8 cm)

ClassificationsCostumes and Accessories

Credit LineMuseum purchase

Terms

Object number2013.4.2

On View

Not on view

Collections

Art of the Native Americas

DescriptionThe vibrant colors and rich designs of Guna dress have always made the traditional outfit of women highly distinctive. Beyond the rich, deep colors of the fabric lies great attention to design in the pieces that make up a traditional Guna woman’s outfit: a blouse (mola), skirt (saburete), headscarf (muswe), and beaded bands (winis) on arms and legs. In total, a traditionally made blouse is comprised of eleven pieces of fabric. A yoke of cotton or synthetic fabric is attached via a strip of fabric to two “incised” mola panels. These panels are then stitched up the sides and sleeves are attached to the yoke. A band of fabric is sewn to the bottom part of the blouse so that the design of the panels is still visible when the blouse is tucked into the skirt. A length of imported cotton fabric wrapped around the hips functions as a knee-length skirt. Fabric patterns vary from geometric shapes to images of various fauna. This wraparound skirt features the typical dark background with bright contrasting geometric design. The muswe is a square piece of cotton with yellow patterns on a red base, usually featuring animals and geometric shapes. Winis are made of a single string of small, colored glass beads wrapped around the limbs in such a manner that geometric designs form as it is wound around the wrist or ankle. The final touch to complete the look is a gold septum ring.