Bidspirit auction | 3 Small Guna Ritual Vessels:

3 Small Guna Ritual Vessels: ”Wini-Mete” Cups & ”Sapdure Noka” Body Paint Cup - Three uncarved pods with specialized ritual purposes. From Guna (Kuna/Cuna) culture, San Blas, Panama, collected circa 1969.  * 2 ”Ween-Mete” bead cups, naturally rounded seed pods believed to be used by a medicine man to wash or bless glass trade beads (wini), spiritually activating them before they were given to a patient as protective armor.  One piece has a tape label which says ”Ween Mete” and the other has an attached field tag stamped with the Kapp Darien Expedition logo (faded) over which the words ”Ween Mete” are written.  Additionally, on the back of the tag is the botanical designation ”Purvi.” * ”Sapdure Noka” ritual inkwell, a small naturally shaped pod cup.  It held the dark juice of the Genipa fruit which was used for body painting. Its field tag (with partial fading) reads: SAPDUE-NOKA - Small wooden holder for genipa juice used in ... painting. From Ina Tuledi SANI ARIAS at ... TUPU. 3-9-69.   Provenance:  From the collection of American ethnologist, cartographer, and explorer Captain Kit S. Kapp. Found together in a box of medicinal cures and shamanic items.