Of the San Blas Islands Created by Barbara Finkle

The San Blas Islands are located in the Caribbean Sea off of the coast of Panama. It is close to the equator, so it is very hot there.

Bamboo is abundant on the nearby coast of Panama. There are many kinds of fish in the sea surrounding the San Blas Islands. Coconut trees grow all over the islands.

Homes cost about $100 to build and last about 10 years. The Kuna people build their homes out of bamboo and coconut fronds. They get the bamboo from the mainland of Panama and the fronds from trees on the islands.

The Kuna people eat lots of fish from the sea and coconuts from trees that grow on the islands. They own some land on the coast of Panama where they grow bananas and other tropical fruits. The Kunas also buy food like beans and rice because they can be stored without refrigeration. There is no refrigeration because there is no electricity on the islands.

Kuna women wear colorful clothing and beads around their ankles and wrists. The jewelry is made by pounding gold into flat pieces and then cut into shapes. They are known for their colorful mola blouses, which they sew by hand out of many pieces of cloth. They also wear gold jewelry on special occasions.

Wooden boats are carved from trees found on the coast of Panama.

Kuna men make baskets from plants found on the coast of Panama.

Kuna Chief and His WifeMedicine Man

The medicine man uses special wooden dolls for healing.

The Kuna Indians sell colorful mola panels to tourists. People from all over the world collect molas.

Berta Alicia Avila, a Kuna woman from Suitupu, Photo by Mari Lyn Salvador. Photographs: Molas, Ann Parker, Barr Publishing, New York