PA VAL Baskets
The Wounaan Baskets are known to be one of the finest baskets in the world.
Each basket is a unique piece of art, none are exactly the same, the colors are very natural and there is a great variety on the designs, some are ancient designs, others are out of the wisdom of the artist.
The Wounaan Natives from the Darien Rainforest, Panama and the Embera Indians are master artisans, they handmade these fine woven baskets (Wounaan), masks and plates made out of the strands of the black palm known as "chunga" plant, the work normally take the artisan months up to years to be completed.
The weaving is so tight that the baskets can hold water.
The women are well known for their baskets and the men for the Cocobolo wood and Taguas. The artworks of the Wounaan are a true piece of art but the Embera are very talented artisans.
The art of the baskets "hosig di" has been handed down from mothers, grandmothers to the new generation.
Each baskets/plates were hand woven using natural fibers found in the rain forest, a variety of reeds are normally used.
The colors are produced with natural-organic extract of plants and earth using the traditional method of dying the basket fibers.
After all the fibers are prepared, the weaving process begin. These baskets can portray very ancient designs, insects, animals or life in the village.
Some of them lived on small village around Panama City.