Lubecia Membache: Wounaan Master of the Pawprint Motif
Meet the Maker · Majé, Darién & Panama City
Lubecia Membache
Wounaan master weaver of the pawprint motif. One foot in the rainforest, one at her artisan stall in the capital.
Lubecia Membache and her signature pawprint work, Majé, Darién, Panama.
Lubecia Membache is a master Wounaan basket weaver from the remote village of Majé in Panama's Darién rainforest. She began weaving as a young girl, learning geometric forms first, the way every Wounaan weaver does, to understand how each tight coil builds into pattern, balance, and form.
A signature motif, layered with hidden color
Over the past decade, Lubecia has become known for her pawprint motif, which she has refined through years of focused work. Her baskets are instantly recognizable: the pawprint rises from a base of overlapping, colorful leaf shapes, with a final row of diamonds encircling the rim in matching hues. Her stitches are fine, clean, and consistent, and collectors recognize her work by its rounded forms and the intricate hidden colorwork at the base.
"The pawprint is hers."
— Jen, RFB Woven ArtWeaving in Majé, selling in Panama City
Today, Lubecia splits her time between her family in the rainforest and an artisan stall in Panama City, where she weaves in public view while selling the work of other weavers from her community.
Through the stall, she has helped beginner artists earn early income, contributed to her own children's education, and stayed one of the most consistent, hardest-working weavers we know.
— Jen
Frequently asked questions about Lubecia Membache
Who is Lubecia Membache?
Lubecia Membache is a master Wounaan basket weaver from Majé, a remote village in Panama's Darién rainforest. She is best known for her signature pawprint motif, which rises from a base of overlapping colorful leaf shapes and is finished with a row of diamonds around the rim. She splits her time between Majé and an artisan stall in Panama City.
What is the Wounaan pawprint motif?
The pawprint is Lubecia Membache's signature design. On her baskets, the pawprint rises from a base of overlapping colored leaf shapes and is bordered at the rim by a row of diamonds in matching hues. The motif is recognizable for its rounded forms and for the hidden colorwork Lubecia layers into the base of each basket.
What does Lubecia do at her Panama City stall?
Lubecia runs an artisan stall in Panama City where she weaves in public view and sells her own baskets alongside work made by other weavers in her community. The stall provides income for beginner weavers and a year-round retail outlet for Majé's basketry, complementing the rainforest-based weaving she still does with her family.
Where is Majé and who else weaves there?
Majé is a Wounaan village in Panama's Darién rainforest. RFB Woven Art works with several master weavers based there, including Lubecia Membache (pawprint motif), Sara Ginguimia (feather motif), and Yoli Ginguimia. The village is a quiet but consistent source of some of the finest Wounaan basketry in Panama.
