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Which artistic activities in Central Africa were traditionally practiced by women?
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African art
Raffia-fiber cloth, made by the Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid-20th century; in the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
In Central Africa, artistic activities were traditionally divided by gender. While sculpture and weaving were primarily male activities, women were responsible for the following artistic practices:
- Pottery: Women traditionally practiced pottery making, using techniques such as molding, ring building, and modeling on a board to create functional and ceremonial objects.12
- Embroidery: Women, particularly among the Kuba people of Congo (Kinshasa), were known for embroidering raffia cloth with complex geometric motifs.13
These roles reflect the broader social and artistic structures of the region, where specific crafts were historically associated with different genders.1