Crest mask representing a male antelope (chi wara)

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONThis antelope headdress represents a Ci Wara. The ci wara is a divine being – half mortal, half animal – who taught the Bamana people how to cultivate crops. Its name may be translated literally: ci- means “to cultivate” and wara, “beast.”WHERE WAS IT MADE?This ci wara was made in Mali, where the Bamana people live.HOW WAS IT MADE?It is the job of the blacksmith to carve items such as the ci wara. Using an adze, blacksmiths carve the ci wara from a single block of wood.HOW WAS IT USED?Traditionally, the ci wara masquerade was part of an initiation society of the same name. While most African initiation societies are secretive and forbid women’s participation, ci wara performances encouraged female participation. Women took part in the music, viewed the masquerade, and ate at the celebratory meal. The ci wara masquerade praised agricultural work as well as the complimentary nature of the sexes. Successful farming wed the sun (male) with the earth and water (female).Performers of the ci wara strive to imitate the movements of an antelope, the being credited with bringing agriculture to the Bamana. Just as farmers necessarily bend over the soil when planting and cultivating their crops, the ci wara head pulls down in a tight curve. In masquerade, the performer leans forward and supports his weight on short canes. This posture represents the need for farmers to continually tend their fields.The crest mask is one part of a masquerade costume that consists of a basket (to which the crest mask is secured), cloth bands that hold the basket to the performer’s head, and a loose-fitting costume covered with many long, dark fibers. Those persons who perform the ci wara masquerade are not called dancers, but “wearers of fibers.” This male ci wara would have been danced with its mate, a female with a young antelope on her back. Ci waraw (plural of ci wara) always appear in pairs and it is forbidden to separate the couple in performance. Anyone doing so could experience great physical pain.WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?Banama crest mask styles differ considerably and reflect regional preferences. Notice the strong vertical lines and elaborate mane of this ci wara, which is designed to resemble the roan antelope, and is typical of carvings from the Ségou region of Mali. The spectacularly long and straight horns reference abundant millet stalks, a staple grain in Mali. The zigzag carving on the neck and mane may refer to the radiance of the powerful sun, considered to be male, (the nurturing earth is female).CI WARA USE TODAY:Today, more modern agricultural techniques have supplanted traditional farming methods and their attendant ceremonies. Ci wara objects and practices have largely lost their religious significance due to the progression of Islam. The crest masks are now performed in a much more limited way; they are used to celebrate rites of passage and are performed by professional dance troupes in Mali and abroad.To see other ci wara from the Johnson Museum’s collection, search for object numbers 81.012.008 and 81.012.009 in the keyword search box.