Welcome, a bit late! I just happened to spot your mola avatar on a different post and came back to "meet" you. It caught my eye because my husband was born and raised in the Panama Canal Zone. The Kuna Indians of the San Blas Islands make the molas. We have a few around the house. These days, you can find them on eBay, if anyone is interested, and read all about them here:
http://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/docs...ssactmolas.pdf It's been many years since my husband was there, but you can probably still visit the islands and see the people who do this interesting applique work. They have a very high incident of albinism. The men make their living by fishing and farming, and it is recognized that the sun is a danger to the albino people. So a boy with this condition is kept in the village and taught to sew the molas along with the girls. At least, historically, that is how they managed. They have worked hard to preserve their culture and traditions.
You were there for the 100th anniversary of the Canal. Enjoy your stay, and do keep on quilting!