To protect and secure their native forests and culture, two Wounaan Master Weavers from the rainforests of Panama will show their world-renowned baskets at the Michael Smith Gallery, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 11 – 21, 2007.  The Wounaan are a small tribe of indigenous peoples from Panama fighting to protect their native lands from colonizing farmers who cut down their primary rainforest for ranching and other unsustainable activities. The weavers, Francisca Garcia and Marcela Piraza, along with the Speaker of the Wounaan People, Leonides Quiroz will be at the gallery to talk about their challenges and the future of the Wounaan Indians. To benefit their efforts to conserve their land and culture, the Michael Smith Gallery shows and sells Wounaan baskets and carvings from hundreds of artisans, year round, and donates 10% of the proceeds from basket sales to Native Future, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the Wounaan cause.

The Wounaan are one of seven indigenous peoples (Bribri, Bugle, Emberá, Kuna, Ngäbe, Teribe and Wounaan) who live within the Republic of Panama. One of the smallest and most marginalized of the indigenous groups in Panama, they are beginning to gain recognition as some of the finest basket makers and carvers in the world. During the past few decades, the Wounaan have transformed their traditions of weaving practical baskets and carving wood figurines into veritable art forms. Today, most of the Wounaan women (and some men) spend days sewing thousands of stitches using naturally harvested, dried and colored palm fibers (Carludovica palmata or “naguala” for foundation fibers and Astrocaryum standleyanum or “chunga” for outer design) to make tight rainforest baskets which depict colorful local designs derived from traditional bodypainting or local rainforest animals. 

The majority of the 6,800 Wounaan live in the Darien, Panama's largest and wildest province. They also live in and around Panama City and other increasingly urban neighborhoods along the Pan American Highway, and in three villages in the East Panama Province nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Maje Mountain Range.  Native Future is working closely with these three villages and the Wounaan leadership to secure land title and conserve the forests and watersheds of the Maje Range on which the Wounaan depend for water, food, the materials for their baskets and handcrafts, and the foundations of their culture. 

Native Future has been working with the Wounaan since 2003.  Managed by an all-volunteer board of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Native Future has collaborated

Closely with the Michael Smith Gallery to raise over $25,000 a year for the Wounaan cause. A principal supporter of Native Future and the Wounaan, the Michael Smith gallery donates a percentage of the proceeds from Wounaan baskets throughout the year.

These funds are directed to three important programs:  Native Land Tenure, Native Leadership, and Native Education.

Native Future’s Native Land Tenure program has enabled the Wounaan to successfully petition the Panama Government to temporarily halt deforestation of the Maje Mountain Range. Native Future is also actively working with internationally recognized land tenure lawyers to secure Wounaan ownership of their lands.

Native Future’s Native Leadership program helps defray travel and communication expenses of the Wounaan Foundation and leaders.  In October 2006, Native Future supported the first Wounaan Convention with the University of Panama.  Over 400 Wounaan women, children, men and leadership attended, along with University of Panama professors, Panama government officials, and the media. 

Native Future’s Native Education program supports the primary and secondary education of indigenous children of Panama.  It continues the important work begun by Native Future board member, and Returned Peace Corps volunteer Sara Archbald and has supported the education costs of more than 30 indigenous students. The Native Education program also supports Leonides Quiroz, who will be joining the two weavers at the Michael Smith Gallery.  He will be the first Wounaan law school graduate and also currently serves as the Vice-President of the Wounaan Foundation.

The Wounaan and their baskets will be in New Mexico July 11 – 21, 2007.  They will be presenting their baskets and story at the Michael Smith Gallery, 526 Canyon Road, Santa Fe July 11 – 17 and 20 – 21.  On July 18th, they will be at A Shared Blanket in Durango, Colorado (www.asharedblanket.com) and on July 19 they will visit native leaders on the Navajo Reservation.  For further information on the gallery show, Native Future and the Wounaan please visit, www.nativefuture.org, www.michaelsmithgallery.com.  You may also call Marsha Kellogg at 802-236-7992 or Michael Smith at 505-995-1013.

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