Antelope dance crest "tjiwara" ·  Mali, Bamana · ID: 3035425

Description

wood, brown patina, vertical (male) type, stylized body, the elegant swing of the neck repeated by the mane which is arranged in three bows, rep. (breakage at the neck and at the left horn tip), slight traces of abrasion, socle;
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.

The object Antelope dance crest “tjiwara” with the object ID 3035425 was part of the auction 74th tribal art auction on September 7, 2013. The object with the lot number 51 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,000 with an asking price of EUR 2,000.

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Comparing literature

Colleyn, Jean Paul (Hg.), Bamana, Zürich 2001, p. 209, ill. 187