Vintage Large Handwoven Kuba Cloth 9 1/2 Foot African Art Wall Hanging/Rug

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This handwoven Kuba cloth was created in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and dates to the last … Read more This handwoven Kuba cloth was created in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and dates to the last quarter of the 20th century. One end is hemmed and the other frilled. Large weavings such as this are used as wall hangings (either as a whole or separated into segments and framed), rugs or fashioned into clothing, pillows, coverlets or upholstery. Dimensions: 116" x 22". Very good condition.

Kuba textiles are unique in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire, for their elaboration and complexity of design and surface decoration. Using the leaf of the raffia tree, the Kuba people of the Congo first hand cut, and then weave the strips of leaf to make pieces of fabric, often called raffia cloth. The process of making Kuba cloth is extremely time consuming and may take several days to form a simple small size piece. The men first gather the leaves of the raffia tree and then dye it using mud, indigo or substances from the camwood tree. They then rub the raffia fibers in their hands to soften it and make it easier for weaving. After they've completed the base cloth the woman embroider it. They do this by pulling a few threads of the raffia fibers, inserting them into a needle running the needle through the cloth until the fibers show up on the opposite end. They then take a knife and cut off the top of the fibers, leaving only a little bit showing. Doing this hundreds of times forms a design. The designs are seldom planned out ahead of time, and most of the embroidery is done by memory.

The Kuba people, who developed this and many other fabrics were very resistant to using european cloth; and for many years seldom used machine made fabrics. When researching this and other cloths that the Kuba people developed, it is not hard to understand why they resisted the change so much. Each fabric, each pattern, and each design in traditional Kuba fabrics has great meaning. On the basis of what a person wore; you could interpret much about them. Social status age, marital status, and a person's character were just a few of the things a piece of cloth symbolized to these people. Own a piece of this fabric today; not only will you be sharing in the culture of these ingenious people, but you will experience the true art of the Kuba people as well. See less