Kuba Raffia Embroideries - 1 
           from the collection of Marla Mallett           HOME   
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
22½"x 20"
Kuba. The Congo
W-7140


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
 22½"x 22"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8569


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
21½"x 24"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5138


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
 23"x 20"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8568



Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
 25½"x 19½"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8563
 
Boutala Raffia Embroidery
29"x 22"
Kuba. The Congo
W-5109

 




Boutala Raffia Embroidery
 23½"x 25½"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8567

 

 

Boutala Raffia Embroidery
22"x 26"
Kuba. The Congo
W-7557

 

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

 

Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
24½"x 26½"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8482

 

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

 


Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
25"x 26"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8002


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


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

Shoowa Raffia Embroidery
 26½"x 23½"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8562
 

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

 

Boutala Raffia Embroidery
 24½"x 26"
Kuba. The Congo
W-8581

Continue: 

Kuba Raffia - 2
Kuba Raffia - 3

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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