A note from Jen — Where it all began. Every year I get there by canoe, or by truck over unpaved roads and straight through the rivers. These baskets take months and often years, woven from chunga palm in private dye recipes.
Ĥu hajim — thank you, from the Wounaan · ❤️ Jen at RFB Woven Art
Panama Wounaan baskets are among the most technically accomplished woven objects made anywhere in the world. Each basket is built coil by coil using split Chunga palm fiber, stitched so finely that under magnification the individual stitches resemble embroidery. In Wounmeu — the language of the Wounaan — this technique has its own name: hösig di.
A single basket can take months to over a year. The traditional quality test — a basket tight enough to hold water — reflects weeks of sustained precision. Sourced directly from Wounaan cooperatives in Panama's Darién rainforest.
Commonly Asked
Yes. Each is coiled from hand-split chunga palm (Astrocaryum standleyanum) over a core of nahuala (Carludovica palmata) by Wounaan weavers in Panama's Darién rainforest, sourced directly from the weavers and their cooperatives. A true hösig di is stitched tightly enough to hold water.
A finely stitched piece takes several months. The most detailed large baskets take close to a year. Master weavers pack 60 to 90 strands of chunga into every inch of coil.
Wounaan patterns echo pre-Colombian body painting and the forms of rainforest life: animals, plants, water, geometric cosmology. Each weaver interprets the traditional motifs in her own way, so no two baskets carry the same design.
Yes. I buy directly from the weavers and their families. A long-running deposit system covers housing, school supplies, medical costs, and daily needs for the weaving families I work with in Panama. This has been in place for more than 14 years.
No. Every piece is one of one. Once a basket sells, it is gone. I never restock because no two baskets are identical.
Dust with a soft, dry cloth. Keep out of direct sunlight and away from moisture to protect the natural plant dyes. These baskets are meant to be displayed and enjoyed for years.
Orders ship within 1 to 3 business days with free shipping in the continental US. Returns are accepted within 14 days of delivery in original condition.