Filmmaker and historian Stella Holmes discussed the nature of a culture that tries to thrive despite the cultural and natural causes of extinction.
The filmmaker’s journey to Guna Yala follows a student’s return to the Panama’s Guna Yala 360 Islands.
Central to the story are molas, intricate handmade textiles that carry Guna history and identity. The fabrics are like the country itself – precious and authentic.
The question is, ‘will tradition be able to survive as the world changes so drastically?’ This dilemma is seen far beyond Panama: what does it cost a culture to share what it loves most?
This preview was an opportunity to hear from about the county’s history and people. The film asks what will happen when a culture’s most sacred expressions are shared, admired, and at risk of being lost.
The film captures this fragility between preservation, identity, and global attention. “People who lose their tradition, lose their soul,” they said. In Panama (and around the world) this still holds true.
The preview was an opportunity to hear about the country’s history and people. We met filmmaker David Counts and were able to meet and greet others who came to experience the essence of Panama City’s history and culture.
The next event is mid- September: Masters of the Matrix: Latin American Printmakers.
Visit MoCAArt.org, CentralAmericanModernism.com, 561-512-2467
