About The Chiwara
The chiwara object is a symbol of an antelope that has been carved out of wood by the Bamana people of Mali.
The chiwara object is a headdress worn by pairs of dancers during chiwara ceremonies:
The ceremony is held in observance of agriculture and the relation of it to the chiwara (antelope). Their relationship lies in a story of the chiwara giving rise to agriculture through it’s action of penetrating the ground with a stick and it’s antlers.
The chiwara headdress has many symbolic features:
The neck symbolizes the sun’s path in relation to the solstices.
The horns symbolize crop growth.
The male chiwara symbolizes the sun.
The female chiwara symbolizes the earth.
The baby chiwara symbolizes humans.
Three different regions in Africa make chiwara headdresses - the regions of Segou, Beledougou, and
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Doing so would better inform its use, meaning, function, and add to the object’s aesthetic value. It’s aesthetic value would be envisioned in a more accurate way.
Three ways to display the chiwara headdress as a headdress:
Arrange the headdress on top of a mannequin head.
Place a photograph or sketch nearby of the headdress being used.
Write that it is used as a headdress within the label.
Strategy #2 to better contextualize the chiwara headdress
Include the region in which they were carved because there are three different groups of Bamana people who carve distinct chiwara headdresses.
Segou Region (Southeastern Mali)
The headdresses represent the cultivation of millet.
The chiwara is carved with a vertical theme, where the horns are vertical and the body lean and tall.
Beledougou Region (Eastern-Central Mali)
The headdresses represent the cultivation of groundnut.
The chiwara is carved with a horizontal theme, where the horns are horizontal and the body is longer and shorter.
Wassoulou Region (Southwestern