04/05/2019
Wood chiwara headdress from Bamana, Mali, West Africa
The Chiwara headdress is an important element of ceremonial agricultural dances performed by the Bambara. The headdress represents the divine half-human, half-antelope being Chiwara who came to Earth to teach the Bambara agriculture. Referencing the divine Chiwara’s form, the headdress is carved in an elegant antelope motif. Chiwara are created in male-female pairs—this chiwara is female, and the baby on its back represents humankind. The chiwara performance is an energetic, communal event accompanied by drums, singing, and dancing. The men who dance the chiwara performance are among the most skilled farmers, chosen from the agricultural fraternity which instructs young men in farming techniques. The performance serves both to reenact the story of Chiwara and to celebrate the farmers who are the backbone of Bambara society.