Kuna , the most autonomous native tribe in Central Americas

Kuna Album 


I  first leaned  about Kuna people at the Museum inn Gainseville, Flordia Museum ( Link to be added)



 One of the most fascinating  people . They are more  like  role-mode to other Indiann Tribes  who  are very  rapidly losing their cultural  identity.

The Guna, also known as Kuna or Cuna, are an indigenous people of Panama and Colombia. The current preferred and legally recognized spelling is Guna.  The remarkable Guna people  live in San Blas Islands off the northern coast of Panama.  Guna women hold much of the power  enjoyed  by Men in other societies.  They select their  husbands. Man moves to wife's place. Woman pass on their properties to their children


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The Kuna live in three politically autonomous  reservations in Panama. The most Kunas live on small islands off the coast of the comarca of Kuna Yala known as the San Blas Islands.In Kuna Yala, each community has its own political organization, led by a Saila (pronounced "sai-lah").
Traditionally, Kuna families are matrilinear, with the groom moving to become part of the bride's family. The groom takes the last name of the bride as well.Today there are 49 communities in Kuna Yala.

The Kuna are famous for their bright molas, a colorful textile art form made with the techniques of appliqué and reverse appliqué. Mola panels are used to make the blouses of the Kuna women's national dress, which is worn daily by many Kuna women. Mola means "clothing" in the Kuna language. The Kuna word for a mola blouse is Tulemola, (or "dulemola") "Kuna people's clothing."
The Kuna have been successfully resistant to Hispanic assimilation, largely retaining their dress and language in migrant communities throughout Panama.


The Gunas are governed by   three  caciques or chieftans. Governmnet of Panama recognized them.
Each island has their own leaders.  The flag they adopted has  Swastika. Hammock  has big symbolism in the Guna culture. From the wedding cermeony by priest, 1st night of the newlywed to  bury of the dead all happens in Hamock.

1st day, we  visited one village of Kunas, Second day the cemetary where Kunas  bury their dead  high on  hills.

( More to  be  added)