Kuba Raffia Embroideries - 1 
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Kuba people in the Republic of the Congo have made intricately embroidered ritual cloths of raffia. Men weave the plain-weave ground fabrics on simple vertical looms, then women ornament these textiles with imaginative geometric patterning. Cut-loop pile forms the majority of the designs in these outstanding pieces of African textile art sometimes called "Kasai velvets"; flat stem-stitch embroidery is used between pile areas for contrast. The pieces on this page are thought to be around 40 years old, and they are in good condition unless otherwise noted. They were used for decoration, for funeral offerings, for tribute, and sometimes as currency, or Mbal.

For other Sub-Saharan pieces go to African Textiles. To see textile art from other parts of the world, go to our HOME page.
NOTE:  Click on the inventory numbers below for larger full views and large details of each textile.   


Kuba raffia cloth weaver in the Congo. Photo from Roy Sieber's African Textiles and Decorative Arts, New York, 1972.


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
24"x 20"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5225


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
24"x 21"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5227


Boutala Raffia Embroidery
23½"x 20"
Kuba.  The Congo
W-7719


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
21½"x 19"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5140


Boutala Raffia Embroidery
22"x 19½"
Kuba. The Congo
W-7550


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
21½"x 24"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5138
 
Boutala Raffia Embroidery
29"x 22"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5109

 

Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
22"x 24"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8081

 

Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
23"x 28½"
Kuba.  The Congo
W-8082




Boutala Raffia Embroidery
24½"x 22"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5263

 

Boutala Raffia Embroidery
 33"x 21"
Kuba. The Congo
W-7554

 

Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
24½"x 25"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8083


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
23"x 23"
Kuba. The Congo
W-2903


Boutala Raffia Embroidery
22"x 20½"
Kuba.  The Congo
W-7556


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
23"x 19½"
Kuba. The Congo
W-4240
 

Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
25"x 22"
Kuba. The Congo
W-7711

 

Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
23"x 24"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8084


Boutala Raffia Embroidery
27½"x 22"
Kuba. The Congo
W-7178

 


Boutala Raffia Embroidery
 30"x 25"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5146

 

Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
22½"x 25"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8085




Kuba Child's Waist Wrap
18"x 47½"
The Congo.
Raffia, with cutwork, embroidery, cowrie shells and tie-dye.
W-7650


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
22½"x 18½"
Kuba. The Congo
W-4239


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
21"x 22"
Kuba.  The Congo
W-7131



Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
22"x 22" 
Kuba. The Congo
W-2904


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
22½"x 20"
Kuba. The Congo
W-7140

Kuba Child's Waist Wrap
16½"x 42"
The Congo.
Raffia, with cutwork, embroidery, cowrie shells and tie-dye.
W-7651

Continue: 

Kuba Raffia - 2

For a detailed and informative article on both embroidered and appliquéd Kuba textiles, by Ann E. Svenson, see Kuba Textiles: An Introduction.

For an interesting article on the production and use of raffia cloth textiles see Patricia Darish, "Dressing for the Next Life: Raffia Textile Production and Use Among the Kuba of Zaire," Cloth and Human Experience, Eds. Annette B. Weiner & Jane Schneider, Washington, 1989.

George Meurant's book, Shoowa Design: African Textiles from the Kingdom of Kuba, London, 1986, remains one of the best publications on the raffia pile embroideries, though it is now out of print. 


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