Photo Gallery

A girl from the Cuna tribe settled on the archipelago of the San Blas Islands, in Panama

A Cuna woman on one of the San Blas Islands (Panama) manufacturing a mola, a traditional blouse adorned with geometric or mythological motifs, just like the one she is wearing.

The charming little island of Cauwualla belongs to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. This archipelago extends over a length of 350 kilo meters at a short distance from the Atlantic coastline. It is made up of three hundred and sixty-five islands and islets of varying sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. It must be said that the tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, is covered with rich vegetation. In the shade of the palm and coconut trees there are a few houses where the Cuna Indians live. These natives originate from the nearby continent. They migrated to the islands of the archipelago and gradually occupied them. In the course of time, the Cuna became skilled fishermen, but they continued to practice agriculture, as they have fields of crops on the mainland. As in the past, they also hunt the wild animals that live in the depths of the tropical jungle. - 1977

The charming little island of Cauwualla belongs to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. This archipelago extends over a length of 350 kilo meters at a short distance from the Atlantic coastline. It is made up of three hundred and sixty-five islands and islets of varying sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. It must be said that the tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, is covered with rich vegetation. In the shade of the palm and coconut trees there are a few houses where the Cuna Indians live. These natives originate from the nearby continent. They migrated to the islands of the archipelago and gradually occupied them. In the course of time, the Cuna became skilled fishermen, but they continued to practice agriculture, as they have fields of crops on the mainland. As in the past, they also hunt the wild animals that live in the depths of the tropical jungle. - 1977

On the beach of a small island that belongs to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. The archipelago stretches over a length of 350 kilometres not far from the Atlantic coast. It consists of 365 islands and islets of various sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. 48 islands are inhabited. They have curious names like Nalunega, Kortbiski or Cauwualla. The tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, has rich vegetation. - 1977

On the beach of a small island that belongs to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. The archipelago stretches over a length of 350 kilometres not far from the Atlantic coast. It consists of 365 islands and islets of various sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. 48 islands are inhabited. They have curious names like Nalunega, Kortbiski or Cauwualla. The tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, has rich vegetation. - 1977

On the beach of a small island that belongs to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. The archipelago stretches over a length of 350 kilometres not far from the Atlantic coast. It consists of 365 islands and islets of various sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. 48 islands are inhabited. They have curious names like Nalunega, Kortbiski or Cauwualla. The tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, has rich vegetation. - 1977

On the beach of a small island that belongs to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. The archipelago stretches over a length of 350 kilometres not far from the Atlantic coast. It consists of 365 islands and islets of various sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. 48 islands are inhabited. They have curious names like Nalunega, Kortbiski or Cauwualla. The tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, has rich vegetation. - 1977

On a small island belonging to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas, a Cuna boy plays with his dog. - 1977

These Cuna women chat at the entrance to their house, where they are protected from the sun's rays. The Indian women love jewellery. Apart from the small gold-plated nose ring, they also wear tight-fitting bands of coral beads on their arms and ankles. On the wall of the house hang various coloured and richly decorated molas, the main product of the Cuna women's handicrafts. In the society of their matriarchal group, women play a considerable role. The onset of puberty of the daughters, for example, is an important event and the occasion for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate. The puberty of the boys, on the other hand, takes place without any fuss. The young husband lives in his wife's house and has to help his parents-in-law. - 1977

Young Cuna Indian girl from the San Blas archipelago wearing a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form an ethnic group of about twenty-five thousand people. They are a very homogeneous group whose representatives are extremely proud of their culture, whether it be language, customs or beliefs. This does not prevent the Cuna, who are highly intelligent, from being attentive to everything that is happening in the world. Many of them work outside as teachers, doctors, lawyers or artists. Each Cuna community is headed by a chief, who reports to one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibilities of the latter extend to all the representatives of the ethnic group. A daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak and express their opinions and judgements on the most diverse problems that the natives have to face. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined!

Young Cuna Indian woman from the San Blas archipelago. She wears a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form a nation of about 25 000 people. They are a very unified group whose members are exceptionally proud of their culture, language, customs and beliefs. Each Cuna community has a leader, who in turn is under the command of one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibility of the caciques encompasses the entire ethnic community. The daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak, present their views and express their opinions on the various issues facing the indigenous people. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined! - 1977

Young Cuna Indian woman from the San Blas archipelago. She wears a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form a nation of about 25 000 people. They are a very unified group whose members are exceptionally proud of their culture, language, customs and beliefs. Each Cuna community has a leader, who in turn is under the command of one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibility of the caciques encompasses the entire ethnic community. The daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak, present their views and express their opinions on the various issues facing the indigenous people. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined! - 1977

Young Cuna Indian woman from the San Blas archipelago. She wears a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form a nation of about 25 000 people. They are a very unified group whose members are exceptionally proud of their culture, language, customs and beliefs. Each Cuna community has a leader, who in turn is under the command of one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibility of the caciques encompasses the entire ethnic community. The daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak, present their views and express their opinions on the various issues facing the indigenous people. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined! - 1977

Two Cuna women preparing their food. Here bananas are being pounded to a pulp in a wooden mortar. - 1977

A Cuna woman washing on a flat wooden trough. - 1977

Young Cuna Indian woman from the San Blas archipelago. She wears a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form a nation of about 25 000 people. They are a very unified group whose members are exceptionally proud of their culture, language, customs and beliefs. Each Cuna community has a leader, who in turn is under the command of one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibility of the caciques encompasses the entire ethnic community. The daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak, present their views and express their opinions on the various issues facing the indigenous people. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined! - 1977

Young Cuna Indian woman from the San Blas archipelago. She wears a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form a nation of about 25 000 people. They are a very unified group whose members are exceptionally proud of their culture, language, customs and beliefs. Each Cuna community has a leader, who in turn is under the command of one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibility of the caciques encompasses the entire ethnic community. The daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak, present their views and express their opinions on the various issues facing the indigenous people. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined! - 1977

The Cuna woman is engaged in the manufacture of her clothing, namely the well-known cotton blouse (mola). She works under a tree or at the entrance of her home, sheltered from the sun. The Indian woman likes to cover herself with ornaments. She wears a small golden metal ring on her nose. On her arms and ankles she wears tightly fitted bracelets made of coral beads. While her husband fishes, hunts or works in one of the crop fields he owns on the mainland, the Cuna woman stays at home and performs a multitude of domestic tasks. She plays a considerable role in the society of her clan, which has a matriarchal structure. Thus, the puberty of girls is a very important event and is the pretext for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate; in contrast, the puberty of boys goes unnoticed. It is also the case that the young husband will live in his wife's home, having to assist his parents-in-law in all circumstances. - 1977

The Cuna woman is engaged in the manufacture of her clothing, namely the well-known cotton blouse (mola). She works under a tree or at the entrance of her home, sheltered from the sun. The Indian woman likes to cover herself with ornaments. She wears a small golden metal ring on her nose. On her arms and ankles she wears tightly fitted bracelets made of coral beads. While her husband fishes, hunts or works in one of the crop fields he owns on the mainland, the Cuna woman stays at home and performs a multitude of domestic tasks. She plays a considerable role in the society of her clan, which has a matriarchal structure. Thus, the puberty of girls is a very important event and is the pretext for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate; in contrast, the puberty of boys goes unnoticed. It is also the case that the young husband will live in his wife's home, having to assist his parents-in-law in all circumstances. - 1977

The Cuna woman is engaged in the manufacture of her clothing, namely the well-known cotton blouse (mola). She works under a tree or at the entrance of her home, sheltered from the sun. The Indian woman likes to cover herself with ornaments. She wears a small golden metal ring on her nose. On her arms and ankles she wears tightly fitted bracelets made of coral beads. While her husband fishes, hunts or works in one of the crop fields he owns on the mainland, the Cuna woman stays at home and performs a multitude of domestic tasks. She plays a considerable role in the society of her clan, which has a matriarchal structure. Thus, the puberty of girls is a very important event and is the pretext for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate; in contrast, the puberty of boys goes unnoticed. It is also the case that the young husband will live in his wife's home, having to assist his parents-in-law in all circumstances. - 1977

A young Cuna woman shows a colourful and richly decorated mola, the main product of Cuna women's handicrafts. The patterns usually depict people, mythological animals and geometric figures. All the images are symbolic and closely related to the extensive religion of the inhabitants of the San Blas archipelago. The mola is composed of several pieces of fabric carefully sewn together. - 1977

A young Cuna woman shows a colourful and richly decorated mola, the main product of Cuna women's handicrafts. The patterns usually depict people, mythological animals and geometric figures. All the images are symbolic and closely related to the extensive religion of the inhabitants of the San Blas archipelago. The mola is composed of several pieces of fabric carefully sewn together. - 1977

On the journey between the small islands of the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. This extends over a length of 350 kilometres not far from the Atlantic coast. It consists of 365 islands and islets of various sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. 48 islands are inhabited. They have curious names like Nalunega, Kortbiski or Cauwualla. The tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, has rich vegetation. - 1977

On the journey between the small islands of the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. This extends over a length of 350 kilometres not far from the Atlantic coast. It consists of 365 islands and islets of various sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. 48 islands are inhabited. They have curious names like Nalunega, Kortbiski or Cauwualla. The tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, has rich vegetation. - 1977