New Handmade Authentic African Kuba Cloth Velvet |
approximately 20 x 22 inches (about 51 x 56 cm)
close up of patched area
example of back of a piece (not necessarily this particular kuba)
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Kuba cloth is an amazing creation of the Kuba or Bakuba peoples of Africa. It is one of the very few fabrics which is still completely made by hand and of natural materials! The Kuba people love design and ornamentation, and decorate even everyday objects with fantastic patterns. Their cloth is perhaps their crowning achievement.
Kuba cloth is a true labor of love. It is woven from raffia strands which are collected and prepared usually by men or boys. It is also the males who weave the fibers into a basic fabric called "mbal." Since the raffia fibers are not connected to lengthen them, the base cloth is never very large or long, though individual pieces, once woven, may be connected. Before the decorating, women dampen and beat the cloth repeatedly until it reaches the correct firmness or softness.
If the mbal needs to be dyed, it is. Dyes come from Tukula wood, clay, iron dross, indigo, and other plants. Then women begin the patterns. They may applique shapes cut from other cloths to form larger patterns. They may be embroidered with dyed raffia threads. Sections may be combined to form a patchwork look. Or any of these methods may be combined with the others. These are all usually found on the longer pieces termed skirts.
The smaller pieces termed velvets are created by a combination of embroidery and a cut pile technique. Some designs are stitched onto the cloth. But for fill, an artist will pull several strands through the base cloth with a needle, then cuts them, creating a natural pile with a knife. The fibers are not tied, but simply held in place by the tightness of the weave of the base cloth. The back of the piece usually bears no signs of the embroidery.
What may be the most amazing fact of all, is that the artist never sketches her designs ahead of time! She works from images in her mind, many times patterns that have been passed down for generations. They also usually have names or meanings, honoring ancestors, copying nature, or referring to events and actions.
The Bakuba people traditionally use their fabrics for clothing (particularly ceremonial), floor and seat coverings, shrouds for the burial of an important person, as tribute, as dowries, and even as money. Kuba can also be framed for display or hung as room decor. And it can be sewn with as well. Crafts include placemats, cushion covers, handbags, frames, and many other items. And clothing created from Kuba is unlike anything else; be prepared to be stopped constantly and praised!
Please note this piece has been damaged and repaired in the DRC. This is actually fairly common due to the fragile nature of kuba. The third photo shows the patch. The piece has been reduced accordingly but is still a very nice (and interesting) work.
For more marvelous kuba cloth, please visit our shop, Hand It to You! We also have a great selection of mud cloth, korhogo, batiks, African baskets, telephone wire creations, and much more!
As this fabric is completely handmade of organic materials, natural flaws and asymmetry may occur. All measurements are approximate, and usually taken at the longest and widest points. Each piece is unique!
Condition: New
Materials: Raffia; dyes (natural and synthetic)
Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa
Dimensions: approximately 20 x 22 inches (about 51 x 56 cm)
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Please see shipping calculator below for shipping charges for this item.
We always ship as soon as possible, usually within 3 business days of receipt of payment. During busy times, it may be up to 5 days. We charge the exact shipping costs. If shipping charges are computed incorrectly, we will either refund the difference (if it was an overcharge), or pay the difference ourselves (if it was an undercharge).
We pack carefully and professionally, using only new boxes and plenty of cushioning. One of our customers has referred to our technique as "bomb proof!"
Returns and Refunds
Returns are happily (okay, just politely) accepted. Please contact us first, so we know to look for it. Then repackage the item carefully, and ship it back in any way that is easiest for you. Once it arrives, we will inspect it, and if it is in original condition, we will then refund the price paid, minus shipping, in the same manner in which it was paid.
Please note that the item must get to us in original condition and within 14 days of purchase for us to be able to honor the refund policy!
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