Kuba Tcaka or Dance Skirt

Orange-brown cloth with stacked motifs, crosses and little spiral frames from end to end.

This tcaka or dance skirt is Kuba, from Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is raffia. Because the cloth is built from separate squares, they can be separated and recombined into new compositions, then backed and hung on a wall much like a tapestry. Long narrow textile in orange-brown with a central column of cream and dark geometric motifs, hooks, crosses and spiral frames. Edges are slightly uneven and the lower end is ragged, with a faded, softly worn surface. It is 30 inches wide and 196 long.

Everything is lined up in a column and keeping its balance.