Kuba Raffia Shoowa Cloth

A pale central band of plaited motifs between two stripes of fine black mesh.

This Shoowa cloth is Kuba, from Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is raffia. Cut-pile raffia of this kind is usually attributed to the Shoowa, a Kuba people of the Kasai region, and was traditionally made by women. A tall, narrow cloth with a pale central band of interlace and black rectangular accents, flanked by dark side bands of fine black diamond mesh. The tones are olive and tan. A seam crosses near the middle. It is 19 inches across and 45.5 long.

A pale lane of knots, fenced in by very fine netting.