Kuba Tcaka or Dance Skirt with Arrow Motifs

A deep red-brown cloth, quietly dignified, with only a seam for decoration.

This tcaka or dance skirt with arrow motifs is Kuba, from Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is applique raffia. Typical woven panels measure about 26 by 28 inches and are sewn together into the great length of a wrap-around skirt, which can at times reach beyond twenty feet. Long cloth in a dark rusty red, with a central vertical seam and subtle shading where the color varies. Small tags or marks sit at the upper edge, and the lower end is a softly rounded shape. It is 34 inches wide and 233 long.

Plain, red and not trying to talk anyone into anything.