Antelope dance crest "tjiwara" ·  Mali, Bamana · ID: 3032637

Description

wood, dark brown patina, remains of kaolin, vertical (male) type, rising from a rectangular base, a narrow elongated head min. dam., minor missing parts, slight traces of abrasion, on wooden base;
the “tjiwara” masquerades were performed at the beginning and ending of the agrarian cycle. The religious and social life of the Bamana people was determined by six initiation communities. Each level of initiation was represented by a special mask type. The “tijwara” headdress belongs to the fifth level. Its members had to encourage a good harvest by celebrating their masquerades.The masks used to appear in pairs male-female, symbolizing the sun and the earth and their meaning for human life.

Comparing literature

Bambara sculpture from the Western Sudan, New York 1960, ill. 46