23" x 160" KUBA TCLACLA GRASS SKIRT FREE SHIPPING USA

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KUBA GRASS SKIRT 23" x 160" "In the past, Kuba cloths of cut pile were prestige items, rarely worn but used as signs of wealth during life and at death. To make one could take up to a year. The base fabric was woven by men from softened raffia (palm leaf fibers), and usually left its light tan color. Women then applied two decorative techniques, embroidery - that is further stitching onto the base material - and plush or cut pile. " Marc Ginzberg African Forms. Kuba skirts, Tcaka, long are cloths made from raffia, from 8 - 25 feet long, from the Ngeende, Bushoong and Ngongo peoples. They incorporate appliqued "patches", embroidered shapes and patterns, openwork, tie-dye, cowrie shells, barkcloth and border elements. The appliqued "patches" originally repaired holes, then developed into traditional design motifs. .Most are covered with geometric symbols; many are restrained, subtle and rhythmic designs using one technique; others create amazing quilt-like assemblages of old pieces of many forms. The full skirts, worn by men and women, are bunched up and wrapped around many times. A NOTE ABOUT THESE PHOTOGRAPHS: Being as long as they are, these skirts are extremely difficult to photograph. Although the color tends to be fairly uniform, they do appear lighter at the top than the bottom due to the location of the light source.What read more