Tagua nuts, our tropical forests' "vegetable ivory," have been carved into things for a long time. Before the advent of plastics, a large part of the buttons used on clothing made in this region were made out of tagua.

In the past couple of decades Panama's Wounaan and Embera indigenous groups, already renowned for their carving skills, began to make things out of tagua for the commercial market. The art form and the excellence of its best practitioners has gained international recognition.

These tagua sculpture nativity scenes, shown at actual size or slightly larger, were made by artists who live in the Isla San Antonio Wounaan community in Gamboa. These artists sell their work in Gamboa, next to the British Aid Society used bookstore, on most Saturday mornings. Isla San Antonio's basket weavers also teach their craft on such occasions. For more information about the Wounaan art sales and baket weaving lessons, call Lizzie Leigh at 276-6331 or send her an email at LEIGHL@gamboa.si.edu