Raffia vinifera fibers. Dimensions: 59.0 × 57.0 cm (23.23 × 22.44 in).

The Kuba (or Bakuba) peoples are renowned for producing beautiful textiles woven from the fibers of the Raffia vinifera palm through a long and complex process involving men, women, and children of the same family. Each piece is soaked, beaten, scraped, and embroidered by hand, giving the fabric its characteristic soft texture and luxurious silk-like appearance.

These textiles were traditionally used as prestige items, ceremonial garments, and forms of currency, and are today highly appreciated by collectors of African art and ethnographic textiles.

dorot16