The San Blas Islands, also known as the Guna Yala region, experienced an era of great political unrest during the early twentieth century, following the declaration of Independence by the Panamanian government in 1903.

Following Panama's declaration of independence, the new government attempted to control the Guna Yala region and its people, and impose a Westernised and "national" culture in its place.

The San Blas Rebellion consisted of multiple attempts made by the Kuna Indians to resist this control, and fight back against Panamanian authorities.

[3] At the time of their declaration of independence, the San Blas islands were situated in a strategic location on the Colombian border, and some villages remained loyal to Colombia.

[4] However, Panama's unity as nationality was in doubt, and Kunas claimed themselves as a distinctly non-Latin culture, demanding ethnic autonomy.

[4] Realizing the significance of this region, the Panamanian government began to incorporate it into the new nation by establishing administrative control of the area and followed an assimilation program since 1904, when some villages of San Blas accepted the flag of Panama.

[4] In 1906, Panamanian government took 17 Kuna students to be educated in the Western way, and in 1907 a priests entered San Blas with armed supporters.

[2] There was a strong link between traditional dress and Kuna culture and identity, which made it a subject for control and change by the Panamanian government.

[2] Marsh was an American explorer who had initially gone to the Guna Yala region in the search of "White Indians", the lost ancestors of European heritage.

[6] In order to raise awareness to this issue, he brought a legion of Kuna across to North America,[6][7] which gained the attention of both Canada and the United States.

[6] Marsh soon returned to Panama and became a spokesman for the Kuna people[6] despite his original intentions of his journey being in search of wealth.

A flag was created to symbolise this planned uprising - it was yellow with red stripes on the top and bottom, and a swastika in the middle.

[6] They planned the attacks on the main islands whom had been carrying out the Panamanian government's policies which encouraged ethnocide, and implementing the most control on the Kuna people.

[2] A warship was sent by the Americans to the Gulf of San Blas,[6] and the Panamanians and Kuna were invited to board the ship and negotiate their situation.

[6] This mediation resulted in a US-backed agreement for the Kuna Indians of San Blas to remain independent and isolated from Panama, and to be self-governing.

In return for this offering, the Kuna promised to cease their revolt by putting down their weapons, and withdraw their declaration of independence.

[10] Their economy relies mainly on agriculture, tourism, fishing, and other handiwork production, with the sale of molas and migrant labour being other sources of income.