Kuba Tcaka or Dance Skirt

Chunky black shapes jostle on a gold ground, fringed on both sides.

This tcaka or dance skirt is Kuba, from Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is patchwork 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 textile with a golden-tan ground and bold, angular black shapes in a staggered pattern. A cream border runs along the left and a short fringe lines both long edges. Edges are slightly uneven. It is 36 inches wide and 151 long.

Bold, blocky and edged with a fringe of confidence.