Title: Ngongo Raffia Cloth
Material: Raffia fiber from the Raffia palm tree
People: Ngango (Sub-tribe of the Kuba)
Description: Among the Kuba people, the applique designs are
abstract shapes.
Using a piece of woven raffia as a base, these
rectangular pieces of cloth are worn by the men for certain
dances wrapped around their hips.
Modern artists such as Paul
Klee have been influenced & incorporate these designs into
their works.
The warm harmonies of color tones turn these
fabrics into abstract pictures. These richly decorated cloths take
a considerable amount of time to create, as they are hand-woven,
stitched & dyed. Due to the fact that they are labor-intensive
to create, they are highly prized.
This cloth has been finely hand-woven in 4 separate panels stitched
together. The men weave these panels on the loom, while the women
decorate the cloth with applied decorative geometric patterns. Its
deep maroon-coloring comes from natural pigmentation.
The stitched seams can be carefully undone to create multiple
cloths. They make for great decorative wall-hangings or pillow covers!
Dimensions: 102" length x 33" width
