Maricin Cheucarama Negria: Wounaan Weaver, University Student
Meet the Maker · Chepo, Panama
Maricin Cheucarama Negria
Wounaan weaver, daughter of Cristina Negria, niece of Miriam and Dalia. University student. Future businesswoman.
Maricin Cheucarama Negria, Chepo, Panama.
Maricin Cheucarama Negria is a young Wounaan basket weaver from Chepo, just outside Panama City. She lives near her mother, Cristina Negria Teucama, and her aunts Miriam and Dalia. She works in the delicate ribbed bird motifs and small-leafed designs that have become recognizable as the family's hand.
The Negria sisters — Dalia, Miriam, and Cristina Negria Teucama — are three master Wounaan basket weavers from Sinai, a remote village in Panama's Darién rainforest. About a decade ago much of the family moved to Chepo, near Panama City, so their children could continue past sixth grade in school. The sisters weave alongside their daughters, who carry the family signature into the next generation. Maricin Cheucarama Negria is Cristina's daughter.
Three Negria sisters, one weaving signature
Originally from a remote village in the Darién, Maricin's family moved to Chepo about ten years ago to access better education. In their home village, school ended after sixth grade.
Through weaving income, the Negria sisters made it possible for their children to attend high school, and even university.
"Weaving sent her to university."
— Jen, RFB Woven ArtFrom basket to business degree
Maricin has completed her secondary studies and begun attending university, with plans to become a businesswoman. Her future may lead her away from the loom, which makes her baskets rare. Each one already represents a step toward what she is building next.
— Jen
Frequently asked questions about Maricin Cheucarama Negria
Who is Maricin Cheucarama Negria?
Maricin Cheucarama Negria is a young Wounaan basket weaver from Chepo, Panama. She is the daughter of master weaver Cristina Negria and niece to weavers Miriam and Dalia Negria, known together as the three Negria sisters. Maricin learned to weave from them and is currently attending university, with the goal of becoming a businesswoman.
Who are the Negria sisters?
The Negria sisters are Dalia, Miriam, and Cristina Negria Teucama — three master Wounaan basket weavers from Sinai, a remote village in Panama's Darién rainforest. Each has developed her own signature within the Wounaan tradition. About a decade ago much of the family moved to Chepo, near Panama City, so their children could continue past sixth grade in school. The sisters weave alongside their daughters, including Maricin Cheucarama Negria, Cristina's daughter.
Is Maricin related to Selerino Cheucarama?
Maricin Cheucarama Negria shares the Cheucarama surname with master Wounaan carver Selerino Cheucarama of Aruza, Darién. Cheucarama is a Wounaan family name found across multiple villages in the Darién. Whether Maricin and Selerino are closely related through a specific branch of the family is not documented in our records, but the shared name reflects how Wounaan craft traditions travel through extended family lines.
How does Wounaan basket weaving fund education?
For many Wounaan families, weaving income is what makes secondary and university education possible. In remote Darién villages, schooling typically ends at sixth grade. Families like the Negrias have used weaving income to relocate closer to Panama City and to pay for high school, university, and the housing and supplies that go with it. Buying a Wounaan basket directly supports this.
