Kuba Ceremonial Skirt

Ceremonial skirt woven from raffia and decorated with applique.The Kuba people of landlocked Zaire use raffia as it is the only locally produced weaving material in this heavy forested land. Kuba skirts are no longer widely used except in funeral processions when they indicate the deceased social status. The work is divided between the men who do the weaving and the women who do the stitchwork.