This skirt is part of a group of objects that were 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, however this man's skirt is totally traditional in concept and execution.
While raffia cloth in Western collections is most often identified with the Kuba peoples, this weaving technique is found among a number of peoples. The pattern, the number of natural stripes and the color of this skirt are more typical of the Songye. It could have been traded from the Songye and worn by a Kuba man. It was worn wrapped around the waist with the top stripe folded down.
Description:
A raffia skirt composed of red dyed raffia cloth sewn together with undyed raffia cloth in three long horizontal bands along the length of the skirt.
Provenance:
George T. McKee, collected in the Luebo region, 1911-1920 to 1980
Sarah McKee Burnside, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1980 to 1999
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
