The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 17, 2025
Partido Liberal Ballot Box Mola
mid-1980s
Overall: 38.7 x 46 cm (15 1/4 x 18 1/8 in.)
Gift of Jeanne Marie Stumpf, Ph.D. 2010.802.1
Location: Not on view
Description
Guna women gained the right to vote in 1946 when Panamá granted universal suffrage. Sewing political molas provides a unique way to comment on national elections. This panel marks a turbulent time in Panamá’s history: in 1984, the Partido Liberal (Liberal Party) supported the dictator Manuel Noriega, who came to power through fraudulent elections. Guna attitudes toward Noriega may have varied, but they ultimately revolted against his regime after he established a military zone in their territory.- Jeane Marie Stumpf
- Fashioning Identity: Mola Textiles of Panamá. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 22, 2020-January 9, 2022).
- {{cite web|title=Partido Liberal Ballot Box Mola|url=false|author=|year=mid-1980s|access-date=17 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2010.802.1