Bidspirit auction | Guna Nuchu Carved Wood Medicine

Guna Nuchu Carved Wood Medicine Figure - Panama (Guna Yala), circa 1950s 13 inches Hand-carved wooden medicine figure representing a seated male elder wearing a traditional hat, carved from a single piece of light hardwood. The figure displays well-defined facial features, proportioned limbs, and detailed carved hands resting on the knees. The seated posture on a simple chair form follows traditional Guna sculptural conventions for medicine figures used in healing ceremonies and spiritual practices. The figure shows natural aging and patina consistent with ritual use, with visible tool marks and surface weathering that speak to its authentic ceremonial function. These carved wooden figures, known as nuchu or uchu, serve as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual worlds in Guna healing traditions, often used by medicine men (nele) in therapeutic ceremonies. Provenance: From the Parker & Neal Collection.