Meet the Makers

Colombian Wounaan artist Amalia Chiripua weaves from tradition, growing her own palm and perfecting designs over decades. Her baskets support both her family and her culture.

Forced into exile, Wounaan leader Plinio Opua continues to protect his people—organizing education, preserving language, and rebuilding life far from home.

Cristina Negria is a master Wounaan weaver known for her bold butterfly and bird baskets. Each piece is hand-dyed, finely stitched, and alive with color and care.

Deyci Cabezon is a Wounaan weaver from Maje, known for her black-and-white geometric baskets. She learned from family, and now weaves in the forest village she calls home.

Yoli Ginguimia weaves precise geometric designs from her village in Maje. With help from her husband, she turns raw palm into detailed baskets that support her family and fund her daughter’s education.

Sobeida Cabezon Membache weaves delicate black-and-white geometrics with remarkable precision. Her work supports her family and reflects a life rooted in village tradition.

Milda Asmaca Conquista brings a fresh voice to Wounaan weaving. Known for her full, detailed roses, she blends tradition with bold new form—always stitched with care.

Selerino Cheucarama is a master Wounaan carver known for his cocobolo and tagua sculptures. A pioneer in rainforest wood carving, he now teaches the next generation from his home in Aruza.

Sara Ginguimia is known for her feather baskets—tight, graceful, and precise. Weaving from her village in Maje, she supports her children and shares her skills with others.

Wounaan Weaver | Chepo, Panama Maricin Cheucarama Negria is part of a remarkable lineage of Wounaan basket artists. She lives in Chepo, just outside Panama City, alongside her mother, Cristina Negria, and near her aunts Miriam and Dalia—the three well-known...

Lubecia Membache is known for her precise pawprint baskets with hidden colorwork. Splitting her time between Maje and Panama City, she supports both family and fellow weavers through her art.

Fredy Ginguimia is a Wounaan weaver from Maje, known for her pawprint motifs and steady precision. She works alongside her sister, dyes her own fibers, and weaves tradition into every stitch.

Argelida Donisabe is a Wounaan weaver known for her floral baskets and signature grasshopper motif. Weaving for over 35 years, she creates quietly, with care—supporting two households and sharing her craft across generations.

Mickeila Teucama is a Wounaan weaver from Maje village in Panama’s Darién rainforest. Known for her geometric designs and hands-on approach, she gathers, dyes, and weaves every basket herself—honoring tradition while raising four children in the heart of the forest.

Dalia Negria is a master Wounaan weaver from Darién, known for her intricate designs and for pioneering natural dyes from local plants and Cocobolo wood.

Eliria Mepaquito is a Wounaan master weaver from the Darién rainforest. Known for her precise oval designs and natural dyes, she weaves to support her family, preserve tradition, and uplift other women in her community.