POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Dancing skirt made in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Object No. 85/1281

This raffia skirt, decorated with cut pile and thread embroidery, is one of four textiles from Zaire, Africa, that were purchased by the Powerhouse Museum from Inna Cymlich in 1984 and 1985. This textile was purchased in 1984. It was produced by the Bakuba people of Zaire, Africa. It was woven by a Bakuba man, and embroidered by a Bakuba woman. Weaving with raffia has traditionally been used in numerous areas throughout Africa. The raffia loom originated in the Congo area. Raffia weaves play an important traditional role in many aspects of life, including births, deaths and marriages. In Kuba, where this textile was possibly made, creating textiles, such as raffia cloths, are a collaborative process. Men cultivate and weave the raffia, men and women decorate the cloths (although as will be seen some decoration was exclusively carried out by women), and both sew the cloths into garments. Raffia, from which is textile is made, grows in wetland areas. Raffia palm trees (Raphia ruffia) grow most prolifically in West Africa and Central Africa. This textile was produced in Zaire, in Central Africa. Raffia cloths have traditionally been produced in Zaire, although the production of raffia cloth has decreased since European cotton cloths were brought into Africa. To produce this cloth, the fibre was removed from young raffia leaves (only young leaves are used in this process). This was achieved by cutting the leaves, and then leaving them in the shade while enough leaves are collected. A sharp knife was then used to cut partially through the base of the leaves, so as not to cut the membrane, and the outer leaves were removed. The membrane was clear when removed, and only looked like yellow grass when it had dried out (hanks were laid in the sun to dry for approximately half a day, and turned regularly to avoid twisting). In preparation for weaving, the strands of raffia were split in half with fingers or, as is the case in some areas of Zaire, such as Kuba, with a fine comb. As was usual in Zaire, the strands would have then been arranged for weaving on the loom. This skirt was woven by a male (in Zaire all weaving was and still is carried out by men), on a single-heddle loom. The raffia loom originated in the Congo area. The process of weaving raffia on this loom is different to the weaving of threads, which are tied to the loom on a continuous warp. When weaving raffia, the warp threads are tied to the top and bottom of the loom, thus making it a non-continuous warp. This can be done easily by slipping the raffia hanks onto two batons, which are then attached to the loom. The majority of raffia weaving is produced in the same way, creating a naturally coloured plain weave, with hemmed edges. Raffia cloths are usually relatively small in size, largely due to the length of the raffia fibres. The average cloth is this usually approximately three or four feet squared, the pieces which are then sewn together to create a larger cloth, as seen in this cloth. This cloth consists of two individual pieces of cloth which have been sewn together. As seen on this piece, many raphia cloths are decorated with the varying and complex technique known as cut pile embroidery. Amongst the Kuba, the only way of creating a cut pile decoration is by embroidering; they never weave the pattern into the textile. Embroidery on raffia cloths is always carried out by women. Pieces displaying this type of embroidery are referred to as 'Kasai velvet'. Cut-pile cloths, or Kasai velvets, are considered to be one of Africa's most well known prestige cloths. These cloths can be used for several different purposes, including high-prestige costume. Squares of cut-pile embroidery are often placed in layers over a dressed deceased person. Cut-pile embroidery was originally used mainly for funerary purposes. Cut pile decoration is made from the finest raffia fibres. Before beginning the embroidery, these fibres are softened by being rubbed between the hands. This also produces a silken quality. The raffia is then passed through the warp threads, lightly twisted, with an iron needle, so that the thread is visible on both sides of the cloth. A small sharp knife with a flattened blade is then used to cut the thread a few millimetres off the cloth. This process is repeated to create patterns over all or part of the cloth. Raffia is often dyed before it is woven. The cut pile decoration on this particular cloth has been dyed yellow and dark brown, colours commonly used in cut pile patterning, along with black and white. In Kuba, yellow dye is obtained from the brimstone tree (Morinda species). Kuba art decoration is recognisable by its use of geometric patterns. The design on this cloth is largely linear, with small squares and rectangles placed on its diagonal. Each cut-pile embroidered design has a distinguishing name and symbolic meaning. This wraparound skirt is significant as an excellent representative example of a Kuba raffia cloth. It is an excellent example of cut-pile embroidery, or "Kasai velvet", and is representative of Kuba cut-pile embroidery, as demonstrated through its geometric design, colouring and size, and the collaborative processes carried out in order to produce such textiles. (Rebecca Fisher)

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Summary

Object Statement

Dancing skirt, raffia, designed and made by the Kuba people, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), 20th century

Physical Description

Wraparound skirt bordered on three sides with strips of black raffia velvet and embroidery, and edged with bound raffia rope giving a firm fluted edge. Field of dark brownish purple plain weave, embroidered in traditional design in same colour plus straw and light pink. Manufactured in Zaire, Central Africa, by the Kuba people.

DIMENSIONS

Width

720 mm

Depth

1700 mm

PRODUCTION

Notes

Wraparound skirt bordered on three sides with strips of black raphia velvet and embroidery, and edged with bound raphia rope giving a firm fluted edge. Field of dark brownish purple plain weave, embroidered in traditional design in same colour plus straw and light pink. This raffia (or raphia) wraparound skirt was produced by the Bakuba people of Zaire, Africa. It was woven by a Bakuba man, and embroidered by a Bakuba woman, during the 20th century. Raffia, from which this textile is made, grows in wetland areas. Raffia palm trees (Raphia ruffia) grow most prolifically in West Africa and Central Africa. This textile was produced in Zaire, in Central Africa. Raffia cloths have traditionally been produced in Zaire, although the production of raffia cloth has decreased since European cotton cloths were brought into Africa. To produce the border of this cloth, the fibre was removed from young raffia leaves (only young leaves are used in this process). This was achieved by cutting the leaves, and then leaving them in the shade while enough leaves are collected. A sharp knife was then used to cut partially through the base of the leaves, so as not to cut the membrane, and the outer leaves were removed. The membrane was clear when removed, and only looked like yellow grass when it had dried out (hanks were laid in the sun to dry for approximately half a day, and turned regularly to avoid twisting). In preparation for weaving, the strands of raffia were split in half with fingers or, as is the case in some areas of Zaire, such as Kuba, with a fine comb. As was usual in Zaire, the strands would have then been arranged for weaving on the loom. This textile was woven by a male (in Zaire all weaving was and still is carried out by men), on a single-heddle loom. The process of weaving raffia on this loom is different to the weaving of threads, which are tied to the loom on a continuous warp. When weaving raffia, the warp threads are tied to the top and bottom of the loom, thus making it a non-continuous warp. This can be done easily by slipping the raffia hanks onto two batons, which are then attached to the loom. The majority of raffia weaving is produced in the same way, creating a naturally coloured plain weave, with hemmed edges. Raffia cloths are usually relatively small in size, largely due to the length of the raffia fibres. The average cloth is this usually approximately three or four feet squared, the pieces which are then sewn together to create a larger cloth. The raffia weave on this skirt has been decorated with black, brownish purple, straw and light pink embroidery patterns. Embroidery on raffia cloths is always carried out by women. Raffia is often dyed before it is woven, as seen on this skirt. As seen on this piece, many raphia cloths are decorated with the varying and complex technique known as cut pile embroidery. Amongst the Kuba, the only way of creating a cut pile decoration is by embroidering; they never weave the pattern into the textile. Embroidery on raffia cloths is always carried out by women. Pieces displaying this type of embroidery are referred to as 'Kasai velvet'. Cut pile decoration is made from the finest raffia fibres. Before beginning the embroidery, these fibres are softened by being rubbed between the hands. This also produces a silken quality. The raffia is then passed through the warp threads, lightly twisted, with an iron needle, so that the thread is visible on both sides of the cloth. A small sharp knife with a flattened blade is then used to cut the thread a few millimetres off the cloth. This process is repeated to create patterns over all or part of the cloth. Kuba art is recognisable by its use of geometric patterns. The design on this cloth is largely linear, with square and rectangular designs. Each cut-pile embroidered design has a distinguishing name and symbolic meaning. (Rebecca Fisher)

HISTORY

Notes

This raffia skirt was woven by a Bakuba man, and embroidered by a Bakuba woman, in Zaire Africa during the 20th century. It was designed to be worn as a skirt. Weaving with raffia has traditionally been used in numerous areas throughout Africa, and plays an important traditional role in many aspects of life, including births, deaths and marriages. In Kuba, where this textile was possibly made, creating textiles, such as raffia cloths, are a collaborative process. Men cultivate and weave the raffia, men and women decorate the cloths (although as will be seen some decoration was exclusively carried out by women), and both sew the cloths into garments. The raffia loom originated in the Congo area. Weaving with raffia has traditionally been used in numerous areas throughout Africa. Cut-pile decorated cloths today, for example, are very similar to eighteenth century examples of cut-pile decoration. Cut-pile cloths, or Kasai velvets, are considered to be one of Africa's most well known prestige cloths. These cloths can be used for several different purposes, including high-prestige costume. Squares of cut-pile embroidery are often placed in layers over a dressed deceased person. Cut-pile embroidery was originally used mainly for funerary purposes. This textile is one of four textiles from Zaire, Africa, that were purchased by the Powerhouse Museum from Inna Cymlich in 1984 and 1985. This textile was purchased in 1984. (Rebecca Fisher)

SOURCE

Credit Line

Purchased 1985

Acquisition Date

18 July 1985

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