Beautiful Kuba Ceremonial Belt – Nkody – DR Congo

Raphia vinifera fibers, cowries, glass beads. Approx. 85.0 cm in length (33.46″). Thickness 4.0 cm (1.57″).

Kuba belts — known in certain variants as yet, mukody mu‑ikup, or Nkody depending on the subgroup — belong to the complex textile tradition of the Kuba Kingdom in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Kuba are renowned for the exceptional quality of their raffia-based art. These belts are essential components of ceremonial dress for both men and women, often forming part of the long ntshak skirts or other ritual garments, and they carry strong symbolic, social, and aesthetic significance.

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