Kuna Beliefs/Cosmos

The Kuna are animists. They believe in a creator God who now is far away from them and that the poni, groups of malevolent spirits roam the earth entering peoples bodies causing sickness and disease.  The use the nuchus, small dolls carved out of balsa wood, to protect them from the poni.

Nuchus dolls

The Kuna people may have the highest cases of albinism in their culture.  According to legend, the albino people are called “moon children”. They are responsible for shooting arrows at the full moon. Since the moon controls the tides, they believe  the presence of albinos is a gift from the gods to protect them from rising tides.

Ceremonies
ikko inna (needle ceremony): a baby girl's nose is pierced for a gold nose ring

inna tunsikkalet (short ceremony): a puberty rite that usually lasts one or two days

inna suit (long ceremony): a ritual cutting of the hair that usually lasts three or more days. Once a young girl's hair is ritually cut short, she becomes available for marriage. Sometimes an inna suit is held for a very young girl even though she will not be ready for marriage for many years.