This piece of raffia cloth is typical of that made by the Shoowa, who live south of the Sankuru River, for local trade with other Kuba groups living north of the river. Its style-with lots of negative space, quick running stitches and flat square tufts--differs dramatically from the styles the Shoowa produce for their own use. It is a style of cloth that has changed remarkably little in the last hundred years. The Shoowa refer to it as "quickly made." It is sold almost as yardage and is used by the purchasers in a wide variety of ways: as clothing, currency and household furnishings.
This two-piece panel is part of a group of objects collected by George and Elsie McKee, who were Presbyterian missionaries in the Congo between 1911 and 1941. This was a dramatic time of transition and change for Congolese cultures and arts.
Description:
Two panels sewn together of low cut pile embroidered raffia cloth with angled block pattern in natural and black on red background, overlayed with rows of narrow rectangles.
Provenance:
George T. McKee, collected in the Luebo region, 1911-1920 to 1980
Sarah McKee Burnside, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1980 to 1998
Published References:
Sthreshley, Katherine McKee. 1994. "Ntalasha's Treasures: Analysis of the George McKee Collection from the Kasai, Congo 1911-1941." MA thesis, Hampton University.
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