Dida Raffia Dance Skirt

A patchwork with no patches. Every block was drawn with string.

Dida weavers of Ivory Coast, West Africa, made this dance skirt in the 20th century from dyed raffia. The method, known as plangi, binds the cloth tightly before dyeing so that the tied areas resist color, and the Dida used it on skirts and other dress for dances and important occasions. Rounded ridges stack in ochre and rust blocks, set off against a dark ground. No two blocks are quite the same size. The lower edge ends raggedly, with a couple of dark cords hanging below. Twenty-nine inches wide and 35 long.

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