Kuba Tcaka or Dance Skirt with Hand Motifs

Tiny hands, hooks and crosses in red and violet climb a pale, textured strip.

This tcaka or dance skirt with hand motifs is Kuba, from Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is embroidered & applique raffia. Kuba cloth comes from the Kuba Kingdom in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where men and women work side by side to make cloths that carry a great deal of symbolism. Long textile in pale tan with a central column of small motifs, including hands, crosses and hooks in black, red and violet. The surrounding ground carries faint fine lines, and the lower end is lightly worn. It is 31 inches wide and 176 long.

A neat column of small gestures, all of them lively.