Headdress - Chi Wara - Bambara - Mali

Chiwara, antelope figure of the Bambara (Bamana) people of Mali that represents the spirit that taught humans the fundamentals of agriculture. The Bambara honour Chiwara though art and dance.

Chiwara headdresses are among the best known and most popular objects of African art. The Chiwara mask is held for the persons who are the best and fastest workers of the land, and so it is passed from one person to another depending on skill and expertise. It is a high honour to be able to wear the mask and dance the ceremonial Chiwara dance. The dance, representing both male and female genders, commemorates Chiwara with the dancers wearing beautifully carved headdresses representing antelopes. The dancers leap and turn, moving their heads and feet like the antelope, their movements grounded in hundreds of years of tradition. The dance, which suggests fertility, reproduction, propitiation of the spirits and ancestors, and gratitude to Chiwara, carries with it moral lessons and religious symbolism.

The present Chiwara headdress is of the elongated style. The arched body and bent legs symbolize power and speed. The long, curved, and ringed horns evoke the mythical antelope that taught humans the art of cultivating the land. The elongated and alert ears illustrate keen intelligence. The patina attests to great age. Of considerable size, this crest is composed of two pieces that were joined together by a tenon or a tie. There is a missing part at the tail and broken parts have been reattached at the base. Despite this, this headdress exudes a lot of elegance and grace.