Export design panel (buiin or shobo),

1980s

These plush embroidered cloths (bwiin) represent the collaborative creative efforts of multiple Shoowa artists. Though they share much of their culture with the nearby Kuba kingdom, the small Shoowa chiefdom’s independence is reflected in its textile traditions. Kuba oral traditions say weaving began in the early 1600s, but it likely originated far earlier. Shoowa women embroider raffia cloth woven by men, using minuscule stitches to create freehand compositions. The repetition of identical shapes in different sizes results in artistic fractals that are unique in the region and distinct from patterns in the neighboring Kuba kingdom (which can be seen in the wooden Kuba boxes in the case behind you). Flat areas of linear, shiny stem-stitch embroidery contrast with dense plush areas (tunjoko) made with the cut-pile embroidery technique. Threads are pushed under the warp or weft, then clipped to form a U shape whose ends are brushed with a knife. The softness and visual dynamism of this technique were unanimously prized by the Shoowa, the Kubas, and Europeans, who compared it to velvet. Primarily displayed at ceremonial and courtly rituals, which have become rare today, the cloths feature patterns that symbolize ritual and mythical figures.