Kuna – The Gold of the Andes

Llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas are "the Gold of the Andes". In former times, the South-American camelids were a gift from nature for the inhabitants of the Andean inhabitants. They represented a vital source of food and clothing. Without them the survival in the inhospitable, harsh environments of the Andes would not have been possible. The Andes is the longest continental mountain range in the world on the western coast of South America. This range is about 7,000 km long, about 200 km to 700 km wide, and with an average height of approximately 4,000 m. The Andes mountains form a north-south axis of cultural influences. A long series of cultural development culminated in the expansion of the Inca civilization and Inca Empire in the central Andes during the 15th century. For thousands of years cotton and wool from llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas have been woven into elaborate textiles in the Andes. Kuna tribal members of Panama and Colombia are famous for their molas, cotton panels with elaborate geometric designs created by a reverse applique technique...read more