Raffia Textile Panel
Kuba
Description
Subject Matter:
The Kuba peoples are renowned for their elaborate, geometrical surface design, such as applied to this cloth. Also referred to as cut pile, raffia cloth, Shoowa textile or Kasai velvet (Velours du Kaisai), Kuba cloth is often made from barkcloth: a felt fabric, typically not classified as a textile because it is not woven. Their plush “velvet” texture is achieved through the cut pile technique, where a sharp knife is used to gently clip off the tufts of the palm thread.
In the 19th century, decorated raffia cloth was used as a marker of prestige, as currency, to pay tribute, settle legal disputes, and in public displays such as the funerals of high-ranking titleholders. Additionally, they were often used as initiation objects during ceremonial rites of passage. Though barkcloth is the typical fabric, recently industrial cloth has been used as a replacement.
The textiles are generally covered with geometric patterns, similar to patterns found on Kuba basketry, woodwork, sculpture, and female body scarifications. Patterns may be given names, but the same pattern will likely be given a different name by different people.
The diamond pattern in this cloth is created through a repetitive crossing of lines. A double crossing can possibly be considered a reference to Woot, the mythical founder of the Kuba, whose mother invented mat weaving. Also the triangles in the center potentially create a ternary pattern which can divide the triangles into ratios of nine and three. Nine is considered a sacred and royal number and the square of the prolific triad: the nine children of Woot of whom three are inventors.
References:
Roy Sieber, African Textiles and Decorative aRts, 1972
Georges Meurant, African Textiles from the Kingdom of Kuba, 1986
Daniel Beibuyck, The Arts of Zaire, 1985
Monni Adams, Kuba Embroidered Cloth, 1978
Physical Description:
Squared panel with tan hemmed edges. The panel is divided into three sections with the top and bottom section consisting of a brown grid of lines forming a diamond pattern. The middle section consists of light and dark tan triangles forming another grid pattern.
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