Kuba Tcaka or Dance Skirt

Deep oxblood from end to end, with all the drama saved for the weave itself.

This tcaka or dance skirt is Kuba, from Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is woven raffia. Uneven or crooked stitches are seen as attractive imperfections showing the cloth was made carefully by hand, and its patterns, passed down through generations, can be repetitive or entirely spontaneous. Long narrow band in a dark reddish brown, nearly uniform in color, with a fine woven texture visible across its width. Slight ripples and faint seams cross it, and the tone lightens a little toward the edges. It is 34 inches wide and 247 long.

Plain speaking in a very rich voice.