Bamana Peoples
African
The Bamana call upon a spirit being, Chi Wara, to assure fertile fields and bountiful harvests. Chi Wara is represented in agricultural rituals by a pair of headdresses that represent male and female antelopes. The female mask typically depicts an antelope with a baby on her back and the male mask has impressive, abstracted antelope horns.
The masks were tied on the crest of the head of a raffia-clad masquerader and danced in the presence of the men who cultivated the fields to prepare them for the millet crop. Drummers and young women accompanied the performance as a chorus.
African
Crest Mask: Male Antelope (Chi Wara)
20th century
Object Type:
Sculpture
Dimensions:
19 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 3 1/4 in. (49.53 x 13.97 x 8.26 cm)
Medium and Support:
Wood
Accession Number:
2013.0017.0004
Credit Line:
Gift of Dileep and Martha Mehta
The Bamana call upon a spirit being, Chi Wara, to assure fertile fields and bountiful harvests. Chi Wara is represented in agricultural rituals by a pair of headdresses that represent male and female antelopes. The female mask typically depicts an antelope with a baby on her back and the male mask has impressive, abstracted antelope horns.
The masks were tied on the crest of the head of a raffia-clad masquerader and danced in the presence of the men who cultivated the fields to prepare them for the millet crop. Drummers and young women accompanied the performance as a chorus.
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