Dear Dave,It is very sad when people who obviously don't know us or the work we do,make comments such as yours. It is a great diservice to the Kuna people. First,of all as part of or relationship with the Kuna,we are in San Blas on a regular basis. That is at least once every 3 months and have been going for 21 years. We buy everything one at a time from the artist who makes it.
Prices are reflective of what they charge and there is a big difference in molas.
There are molas that take in excess of 300 hours to create and there are big differences in quality of work. We represent the very best artists and one of the reasons these artists have continued to do superior work is that we pay the most. It is why when most people come in the gallery they comment on they have never seen molas of such intricacy and fineness. Some of the very best mola artists are alive and making molas now,and I feel that we should be supporting these artists,rather than telling these people they should make pot holders or cheap tourist molas. In all the years of doing business,your comment is the most hurtful and thoughtless I have ever heard.