Woman’s Skirt or Cape (Olkila)

A woman would have worn this garment for everyday occasions as well as important ceremonies. It features a style that has long been out of fashion. The geometric designs in the beaded stripes, diagonal lines, and trim—especially the large zigzags that create a leafy vein-like effect— appear on the most elaborately decorated skirtsor capes that survive from this region. The use of hide is especially symbolic for the Maasai people, for whom cattle are of paramount significance and represent wealth and wellness.