Kuba Room

Description

“Kuba Cloth of Zaire ( The DRC)”

Named after the Kuba cloth originated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Also known as Zaire). This textile is tightly woven using strands from raffia palm leaves. Raffia strands ar also interwoven between the warp and weft to create intricate geometric patterns. Kuba cloth comes in two styles. One has rich and velvet pile; the other has a flat with little or no pie. To create Kuba cloth, vegetables dyes are used on raffia threads that are then embroidered on to finished cloth to create patterns such as rectangles, lines, creative curvatures, and circles. Kuba cloth is used for ceremonial skirts, wall hangings, or mats for sitting and sleeping.

Kuba cloth is hand woven cloth made of the fronds of the raffia palms tree. Man split the fronds into grass-like material then weave it into flat, typically placement seized pieces. Women the meticulously embroider the cloth with coloured raffia, in older pieces, creating a thick, lush pile. Traditionally used as status and wealth indicators, these are still given as bride price and displayed or given as gifts at funerals . May also be used as clothing, such as the large Kuba skirts.

The true jewels of textiles art are the smaller Shoowa cut-pile cloths. Their compex interplay of geometric symbols, inventive rhythm and balance, uniquely individual designs and tight “velvet” surfaces created objects so mysteriously alluring the Kuba people traded them as currency and were the standards by which a family’s wealth and status were judged. They are commonly referred to as “Kasai velvet” because of their soft texture, They were sewn together for ceremonial dress, covered royal stools, and even changed as currency. As a sign of status they were buried with kings or those fortunate enough to own many.