Kuba Cloth with Black and White Checks, and Poms
Artist
Congolese (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Date
19th-20th centuryMedium
Raffia fiberDimensions
Work : 13 ft. 1 in. x 32 in. (4 m x 81.28 cm)Credit Line
Hope College CollectionObject Number
2018.22.4
Label
Most Kuba people live in small communities scattered throughout the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They survive mainly by farming, hunting and trading. The Kuba cultivate several species of raffia palm, the leaves of which are processed into fibers that are used to make cloth, baskets and other useful items. This long section of raffia cloth was originally part of a wraparound skirt that would have been worn by a woman on ceremonial occasions.
