Size: 80"x33"

The Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are world-renowned for their handmade textiles, referred to by outsiders as Kuba Cloth. They create these textiles by weaving raffia palm leaf fiber into complex geometric patterns. The raffia fibers take on their variable earth tone colors through the use of local vegetable dyes. The most prestigious dye is twool, a deep red color derived from the inner wood pulp of several local tropical tree species. Twool is also used to decorate the body in ceremonial contexts and is believed by the Kuba to have magical qualities.