African Dida Cloth With Tassels, Ivory Coast, 20th C. Due to the shape of this piece and the two sides of fringe, this piece was likely a man’s cloak. Size: 37'' x 55'' (94 x 140 cm). The Dida tribe of Ivory Coast is renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship in creating cloth from raffia palm leaves, a skill primarily employed for ceremonial and festive occasions. This unique cloth was fashioned into various forms such as tubular skirts (without any seams), loincloths, tubular skirts, cloaks, and kerchiefs. Dida cloth held a special status as a symbol of luxury and high social standing, making it highly coveted by collectors today. The weaving technique employed in crafting Dida cloth is now considered "extinct," adding to its historical significance. This intricate process, executed without the use of a loom, demanded great skill, talent, and patience from Dida women. They would gather bundles of fiber from the raffia palm tree, which were then woven together using a method known as "Tubular Oblique Interlacing." Subsequently, these woven pieces were enhanced through a tie-dyeing process, resulting in densely packed fields adorned with groups of circles, ovals, rectangles, and dots in warm earth tones. The dyes used in this process were sourced from various natural resources, including shrubs, leaves, tree roots, and other organic materials.

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