Milda Asmaca Conquista

Wounaan Weaver | Maje, Darién, Panama

Milda Asmaca Conquista is part of a new generation of Wounaan weavers shaping the future of their art. Born in San Juan, Colombia, she moved to the village of Maje in Panama at age 11, joining a cross-border Wounaan community connected by river, rainforest, and tradition. Now in her late twenties, Milda is known for her bold, rose-inspired basketry—magnified, pictorial florals that fill entire panels with layered petals and fine detail.

While many weavers craft floral motifs in repeating patterns, Milda takes a different approach. Her roses feel full and expressive—like portraits of the flower rather than decorative accents. She learned by watching her sisters weave and slowly found her own rhythm, eventually realizing that her baskets could both carry beauty and support her family.

Milda is now building a home in Chepo, a village closer to Panama City, where her two children will have access to better schools. Her husband, also an artisan, helps gather and prepare the weaving fibers, while Milda dyes her own colors—especially pink, her favorite, which appears often in her intricate floral work. She represents the future of Wounaan weaving: rooted in tradition, open to innovation, and always shaped by family.