In Bamana farming villages in Mali, dancers once appeared in the fields wearing tall wooden antelopes on their heads. Bent forward over sticks, they leapt and stamped in imitation of an animal digging the earth. The headdresses are called chi wara, also spelled ci wara, after a mythical creature who, according to Bamana belief, taught people how to farm. Today the elegant carvings are among the best-known works of African art, displayed in museums around the world and used as a national symbol of Mali.
The Bamana, the legend and the dance
The Bamana, also called Bambara, are one of the largest ethnic groups in Mali. Farming has long been central to their way of life. According to tradition, chi wara was a being, part antelope and part human, who showed people how to cultivate the land. The name is often translated as “farming animal” or “champion farmer.”
Dancers performed at planting and harvest time, encouraging hard work and honouring good farmers. Headdresses were usually made in pairs. The male carries tall, curved horns and a mane. The female often carries a baby antelope on her back.
Symbolism, styles and the society
The pair represents the union of sun and earth, and the cooperation needed for successful farming. Carvings come in vertical and horizontal styles, with different regions known for different forms. The wooden headdress was attached to a cap and worn with a costume of raffia fibre. The dances were associated with a society that promoted agricultural skill and community values.
Chi wara headdresses are held in many major museum collections and are often featured in exhibitions. The form has influenced designers and artists, and it appears on logos, awards and souvenirs.
Change and openwork carving
The dances are less common than in the past, but the headdress remains an important symbol. The chi wara shows how art, farming and belief were connected in Bamana life. Many headdresses use openwork, with spaces cut through the wood so the figure looks light against the sky. The zigzag patterns on some manes are often read as references to the path of the sun.
Most visitors see chi wara headdresses standing still in museum cases. In the villages where they were made, they were meant to be seen leaping across a freshly dug field.
