Kuba Tcaka or Dance Skirt

Purple accents sneak into a puzzle of hooked marks on a muted ground.

This tcaka or dance skirt 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. Narrow textile in tan and brown with blocks of hooked and angular motifs in black and cream, with small accents of purple. A rectangular grid divides the pattern and the lower end turns a paler, softer shade. It is 33 inches wide and 232 long.

A small puzzle with a few secret splashes of violet.