Mali

The Chiwara, a creation of the Bambara people of West Africa, is the crowning piece of a crest mask worn by performers in a traditional dance ceremony that celebrates successful farming. It is named for Chi Wara, a divine figure in Bambara culture who taught humans to farm and cultivate land. Bambara philosophy correlates divine and mythical entities to animals. Accordingly, the Chiwara is an amalgamation of three Earth-burrowing animals: comprised of the head of an antelope, the body of an aardvark, and the scales of a pangolin.

To the Bambara, the male-female relationship is synonymous to the Sun-Earth relationship so fundamental to farming. In the traditional ceremony, performed to encourage farmers both during and after their harvest work, one dancer dons a “female” Chiwara, distinguished by a baby carried on its mother’s back, and the other dancer dons a “male” Chiwara, distinguished by a complex angular pattern on its body.

Bambara people, Mali (Africa), 20th century

Wood

Gift of the Dr. Alan & Linda Rich Collection

The Chiwara, a creation of the Bambara people of West Africa, is the crowning piece of a crest mask worn by performers in a traditional dance ceremony that celebrates successful farming. It is named for Chi Wara, a divine figure in Bambara culture who taught humans to farm and cultivate land. Bambara philosophy correlates divine and mythical entities to animals. Accordingly, the Chiwara is an amalgamation of three Earth-burrowing animals: comprised of the head of an antelope, the body of an aardvark, and the scales of a pangolin.

To the Bambara, the male-female relationship is synonymous to the Sun-Earth relationship so fundamental to farming. In the traditional ceremony, performed to encourage farmers both during and after their harvest work, one dancer dons a “female” Chiwara, distinguished by a baby carried on its mother’s back, and the other dancer dons a “male” Chiwara, distinguished by a complex angular pattern on its body.

Bambara people, Mali (Africa), 20th century

Wood

Gift of the Dr. Alan & Linda Rich Collection

The Chiwara, a creation of the Bambara people of West Africa, is the crowning piece of a crest mask worn by performers in a traditional dance ceremony that celebrates successful farming. It is named for Chi Wara, a divine figure in Bambara culture who taught humans to farm and cultivate land. Bambara philosophy correlates divine and mythical entities to animals. Accordingly, the Chiwara is an amalgamation of three Earth-burrowing animals: comprised of the head of an antelope, the body of an aardvark, and the scales of a pangolin.

To the Bambara, the male-female relationship is synonymous to the Sun-Earth relationship so fundamental to farming. In the traditional ceremony, performed to encourage farmers both during and after their harvest work, one dancer dons a “female” Chiwara, distinguished by a baby carried on its mother’s back, and the other dancer dons a “male” Chiwara, distinguished by a complex angular pattern on its body.

Bambara people, Mali (Africa), 20th century

Wood

Gift of the Dr. Alan & Linda Rich Collection

The Chiwara, a creation of the Bambara people of West Africa, is the crowning piece of a crest mask worn by performers in a traditional dance ceremony that celebrates successful farming. It is named for Chi Wara, a divine figure in Bambara culture who taught humans to farm and cultivate land. Bambara philosophy correlates divine and mythical entities to animals. Accordingly, the Chiwara is an amalgamation of three Earth-burrowing animals: comprised of the head of an antelope, the body of an aardvark, and the scales of a pangolin.

To the Bambara, the male-female relationship is synonymous to the Sun-Earth relationship so fundamental to farming. In the traditional ceremony, performed to encourage farmers both during and after their harvest work, one dancer dons a “female” Chiwara, distinguished by a baby carried on its mother’s back, and the other dancer dons a “male” Chiwara, distinguished by a complex angular pattern on its body.

Bambara people, Mali (Africa), 20th century

Wood

Gift of the Dr. Alan & Linda Rich Collection

The Chiwara, a creation of the Bambara people of West Africa, is the crowning piece of a crest mask worn by performers in a traditional dance ceremony that celebrates successful farming. It is named for Chi Wara, a divine figure in Bambara culture who taught humans to farm and cultivate land. Bambara philosophy correlates divine and mythical entities to animals. Accordingly, the Chiwara is an amalgamation of three Earth-burrowing animals: comprised of the head of an antelope, the body of an aardvark, and the scales of a pangolin.

To the Bambara, the male-female relationship is synonymous to the Sun-Earth relationship so fundamental to farming. In the traditional ceremony, performed to encourage farmers both during and after their harvest work, one dancer dons a “female” Chiwara, distinguished by a baby carried on its mother’s back, and the other dancer dons a “male” Chiwara, distinguished by a complex angular pattern on its body.

Bambara people, Mali (Africa), 20th century

Wood

Gift of the Dr. Alan & Linda Rich Collection

Bambara people, Mali, 20th century

Wood, fiber, and metal

Gift of the Dr. Alan & Linda Rich Collection

Bambara people, Mali, 20th century

Wood, fiber, cowrie shell, and metal

Gift of the Dr. Alan & Linda Rich Collection