40 x 18-3/4 in.
Roger G. Wolcott Fund, Textile Purchase Fund and Costume Fun
(Textile Arts, Incorporated, Santa Fe, New Mexico) purchased by the Indianapolis Museum of Art 1991
Dida women used fibers from the leaves of the raffia palm to produce a wide range of textiles, including seamless tubular garments, kerchiefs, and prestigious men’s ceremonial capes. The complex and time-consuming process of making these semi-transparent cloths involved a technique similar to plaiting that did not require the use of a loom. The cloths were then tie-dyed in brilliant earth-tone colors. The sizes of the cloths were limited by the lengths of the palm leaves.
These garments and shawls were worn during social events such as engagements, marriages, and other life celebrations. The Dida people also used tubular raffia cloths in funerals and may have used them in burials as shrouds.
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