Kuba Tcaka or Dance Skirt

Rust triangles and diamonds sit on a cream strip like road signs for a tiny village.

This tcaka or dance skirt is Kuba, from Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is woven & applique raffia. The cloth is made from raffia palm leaves, which are gathered, dried, softened, dyed and stripped into fibers before being woven into panels and then embroidered. Long narrow textile with a cream ground and bold rust-red triangles, diamonds and dots in a column. The two long edges carry a small fringe, and the lower end is slightly irregular. It is 34 inches wide and 371 long.

Simple shapes, clearly stated, with a fringe for flair.