| The basic unit of Kuba weaving is undecorated plain raffia cloth woven by men on an upright single-heddle loom. The survival of raffia weaving and embroidery techniques is tied to the importance these cloths play in today's funeral celebrations. The Kuba believe that high quality, correctly patterned raffia dress is key to being recognized by clan ancestors in the land of the dead, so families accumulate the cloths and pass them down through the generations. |