Framed Kuba cloth

The Kuba people are from the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) in central Africa. One of their remarkable artistic features is their fine eye for artistic patterning. So much so, that artists such as Picasso and Matisse were inspired by their designs (see our Hannes Harrs collection).

The Kuba cloth is woven from raffia palm leaves. The men of the tribe traditionally are responsible for manufacture of the cloth, and the women the intricate decoration. The Kuba weave is a laborius task from start to finish and this distinctive African art form is a "must" for any collection or home decoration.

The cloth is especially symbolic to the Kuba in after-life symbolism. They believe that the correctness of the pattern is highly relevant to being recognised by clan ancestors in the after-life. As a result, cloths are collected by families and are passed down from generation to generation.

Our Kuba's are expertly framed in South Africa. The frames are made from wawa wood, grown in the equatorial regions of Africa.