Mid 20th Century Square Kuba Raffia Textile

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A square(ish) raffia textile made by the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Decorated with geometric designs, … Read more A square(ish) raffia textile made by the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Decorated with geometric designs, the varying fiber lengths create a lovely texture. These hand-crafted textiles can be turned into decorative pillow covers or simply displayed as wall hangings.

Originally, these textiles were used as currency and were valuable products for trade and exchange. They could be included in tributes villagers paid annually to the King, in the dowries of matrimonial exchanges, and in funeral gifts and offerings to the dead. They also served to embellish the royal court, cover the royal thrones, and decorate the King’s palace wall. Colonial agents and missionaries arriving in the Kuba Kingdom during the 19th century were fascinated by them and encouraged women to produce more of them to adorn religious vestments for Catholic missionaries and decorate the interiors of European houses. See less