Wrapped in Tradition: Ceremonial Skirts of Kuba Women in the Western Congo Basin

The Kuba Kingdom resides in the central Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The numerous clans which make up the kingdom have become recognized around the world for their exceptional corpus of design patterns which adorn their embroidered ceremonial skirts. The decorated wrap-skirts of Kuba women are a social construct and have come to represent the communal artistry of the Kuba clans. The raffia cloths are woven by the men and decorated through the combined effort of several women. The effect of having the skirt decorated by multiple women is that each skirt has its own unique design as varying skill levels and styles are joined together in one finished product. In the designs themselves, the beauty of Kuba art is found in its imperfection as the women use variation and off-beat phrasing to make a more compositionally interesting piece. Through the analysis of articles written by those who have studied among the Kuba, this paper explores the unique communal participation in the creation of ceremonial skirts and their use of the skirts to uphold tradition and the cultural values of their kingdom.