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 example uses as a background color a pale purple dye that traditionally was made from snails.
Description:
Cut pile embroidered raffia cloth in natural and black on pale purple background, composed of angled "U" forms and square forms in a four part panel.
Provenance:
Emil E.O. Gorlia, Belgian Congo, 1905-1927 to before 1977
Sandford M. Harris, Oak Harbor, Washington, before 1977 to 1999
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