Yoli Ginguimia: Wounaan Weaver of Maje
Meet the Maker · Majé, Darién
Yoli Ginguimia
Wounaan basket weaver from Majé, born 1984. Geometric patterns from age twelve.
Yoli Ginguimia, Majé, Darién, Panama.
Born in 1984 in the rainforest village of Majé, Yoli Ginguimia (also spelled Lloli) is a lifelong Wounaan basket weaver known for steady, intricate geometric designs. Raised in a large family of nine children, she grew up surrounded by craft and community. Today, she and her husband Mamerto are raising four children of their own.
Geometric, from age twelve
Yoli began weaving at age twelve, inspired by the women in her village who used their skills to earn a living. She started, like most, with geometric patterns and never left them. Her style is defined by tight, even stitching and radiating motifs, often in black and natural tones.
How the work moves through a household
While Mamerto gathers the palm, a full-day task through forested terrain, Yoli dyes and prepares every coil herself. Her weaving income covers food, household needs, and her daughter's university education.
"Her weaving funds her daughter's university education."
— Jen, RFB Woven Art— Jen
Frequently asked questions about Yoli Ginguimia
Who is Yoli Ginguimia?
Yoli Ginguimia (also spelled Lloli) is a Wounaan basket weaver born in 1984 in Majé, a village in Panama's Darién rainforest. She has been weaving geometric patterns since age twelve. She and her husband Mamerto are raising four children. Her weaving income covers household needs and her daughter's university education.
What is Yoli's weaving style?
Yoli is known for tight, even stitching and radiating geometric motifs, often in black and natural tones.
How do Wounaan families divide the work?
The husband gathers chunga palm from the rainforest, a full-day task. The wife strips, dyes, and weaves the fiber by hand. In Yoli's household, Mamerto gathers and Yoli prepares every coil.
How does weaving support Wounaan families?
For many Wounaan women, weaving is the primary household income. Yoli's weaving covers food, household needs, and her daughter's university education.
