Kuba Skirt #2A

Old Kuba skirt made using applique technique
The Kuba people of Zaire weave a wide variety of cloth made from rafia, a natural fiber from palm leaves. The material is stripped into very fine threads, soaked and pounded to make them flexible, and dyed in vegetal or mineral pigments to create a variety of colors. The Kuba employ a variety of weaving and decoration techniques. This skirt uses sewn-on applique to achieve the desired geometric designs.

This old Kuba skirt is woven of natural rafia fiber, and is believed to date from about 1960. I bought it from a large collection of garments collected by a man who lived in Zaire in the 1980s.

Dimensions are about 29-30 inches wide and 98 inches long. It was made from five approximately square pieces of equal size, joined at the edges using natural rafia thread. Each square panel has a smaller oblong added strip, alternating along the bottom or the top. Each applique piece is also outlined in a different color, providing an accent affect. These were then attached by hand using rafia thread.

Overall condition is Very Good, with no large flaws apparent, with only some light wear and slight soil possiOne small worn hole can be seen to the left of the coin in the final photo.