Guna, Emberá and Ngäbe designers bring ancestral identity to Panama runway

Designers from Panama’s Guna, Emberá and Ngäbe communities brought ancestral heritage to the runway at “Women Who Weave Identity,” a cultural event held at Mi Pueblito Interiorano.

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It is that design that comes from the ancestral heritage of our peoples.

Organized by the Panama City mayor’s Office of Culture, the event presented clothing that combined traditional elements with modern designs for people of different ages. The designers said the garments also help explain the origins and meanings of the elements used in them.

“For the most part, it is about preserving our culture,” said Emberá designer Katleen Dorigima. She cited the making of parumas and the Emberá people’s historical use of rubber-tree bark among the traditional techniques reflected in the work.

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First of all, so that people know where each design comes from.

The event also presented fashion as an economic and creative opportunity for Indigenous women. Guna designer Yali Rondan said fashion can help women create unique pieces and casual clothing that Panamanians can wear, adding that the mola belongs to all Panamanians.

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More than anything, to preserve our culture.

The designers have also shown their work abroad. Ngäbe designer Yhanissell Chávez said they had recently been in Washington and would soon appear at various embassies, the Organization of American States and the United Nations. Those venues, she said, allow them to speak positively about their culture. The program included artistic performances, photography exhibitions, handicraft sales, traditional cuisine, small businesses and a conversation with all three designers.

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Recently we were in Washington, and soon we will be at different embassies, the OAS and the UN, and these are spaces where we can speak about our culture in a positive way.