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Web Resources:
Kuba
Textiles - an introduction
Art
of Kuba Weaving - selected readings
Africa
Focus Database - excellent picture archive has collection of Jan
Vansina, a leading authority on the Kuba, taken in the 1950s. Search
using term "Kuba." I really recommend this as a great
background source.
Further Reading:
Click the reading link
above for a great list. Also try:
Douglas M. The Lele
of the Kasai (1963) - fascinating ethnography explores raffia cloth
use among neighbours of the Kuba
Himmelheber H. Zaire
1938/39 (1993) - great archive photos 
Click
the picture to view Kuba embroidered cloths we have for sale |
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The
embroidered and appliqué decorated raffia cloths of the Kuba peoples of
the Kasai river region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly
Zaire) are the best known survivors of an ancient African tradition of
fine quality raffia cloth weaving that was once widespread across the
whole of Central Africa. Similar embroidered cloths from the Kongo
kingdom on the coast to the west were greatly admired in
post-Renaissance Europe and entered the curio cabinets and treasuries of
nobles and kings as the finest products of African artistry alongside
the better known ivory salt cellers and other carvings from Benin and
coastal Sierra Leone. A C16th Portuguese painting of the Annunciation
depicts the Virgin and the angel kneeling on one of these embroidered
raffia cloth with a typical Kongo design. More recently their mastery of
abstract patterning was a source of inspiration to artists such as Klee,
and Matisse, who displayed part of his large collection on the wall of
his studio.
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Painting
of a Ngongo man, one of the Kuba sub-groups, wearing a raffia
cloth skirt. By Norman Hardy. From E.Torday & T.A.Joyce, Notes
Ethnographiques, 1910-11. |
The Kuba are a diverse
group of peoples who at least until recently had a number of distinct
sub-styles of raffia cloth decoration. The main ceremonial
occasions and court rituals for which long raffia dance skirts and
embroidered cloth panels, mbal, were once produced are quite rare events
today. The continued survival of the techniques in an age where most
Kuba people wear factory produced cloth for everyday dress is mainly due
to the importance of embroidered and appliqué cloth in funeral
celebrations. Fine cloths are accumulated within the matrilineages over
several generations, with much debate over which examples are suitable
for use in the ceremonial presentations and exchanges accompanying
funerals. Kuba apparently believe that they would not be recognised by
their clan ancestors in the land of the dead unless they were correctly
dressed in high quality raffia textiles.
Although the
standard of workmanship in many of the textiles produced in the region today is
sadly not what it once was, the best new cloths still display the love of
pattern and the remarkable improvisational design flair for which the
Kuba have become known worldwide. Moreover it is still occasionally possible to
obtain fine examples of older cloths from
family stocks. Kuba fabrics come in two basic types; small embroidered
squares and larger rectangular pieces decorated with appliqué and
an extraordinary variety of other techniques. We will take an
introductory look at both of these types over the next two pages.
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(c)
Duncan Clarke, Version 11/1/2002
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