Skip to Content

Crest Mask: Male Antelope (Chi Wara)

Showing 1 of 1


  FILTER RESULTS

Crest Mask: Male Antelope (Chi Wara)

40 9/16 x 2 15/16 x 13 9/16 in. (103 x 7.5 x 34.5 cm)

Bamana artist
Mali

Bamana; made in Mali

Object Type: Sculpture
Medium and Support: Wood, fiber, and metal
Credit Line: Marion Stratton Gould Fund
Accession Number: 1969.107
Location: Currently on view
Link to this object

In many cultures, gods and spirits take the form of animals. Selected for their physical or behavioral traits, features of different animals are combined to create mythical creatures whose symbolic powers are greater than those of ordinary beasts. This antelope crest mask combines the curved horns of an antelope, the curious snout and scales of a pangolin (a kind of anteater) and the squat body of an aardvark—all animals that dig up the earth. This makes the mask a fitting representations of Chi Wara, the supernatural being the Bamana believe taught humans to farm. Chi wara masks were worn in male/female pairs during dance performances in the fields that taught and encouraged good farming. Today, because of conversion to Islam and a variety of social changes due to westernization, the Chi Wara masquerade is now performed for entertainment and cultural pride.

The small pieces of red cloth attached to the snout of this male Chi Wara may have originated in the woolen bandages imported by the French during the First World War. In Bamana culture, red is the color of danger and is often restricted to men of certain status.
[Gallery label text, 2009]

Provenance
Galerie Ascher, Paris; purchased from them by the Gallery in 1969

Keywords Click a term to view the records with the same keyword

Audio & Video Resources
Explore Audio and Video Media

Additional Images Click an image to view a larger version

Exhibition List
This object was included in the following exhibitions:

Bibliography
This object has the following bibliographic references:

Portfolio List Click a portfolio name to view all the objects in that portfolio
This object is a member of the following portfolios:

Web Links See links to web pages and lesson plans
Animals in Art Discover the many ways images of animals appear in art: as pets, working animals, wild animals, animal habitats, animals in fables & myths, animals as symbols, animals as teachers.
MAGexplore MAGexplore provides in-depth information and close looking at over 200 objects in MAG's collection.
Genesis: Ideas of Origin in African Sculpture This website for an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art includes video footage of ci wara dances.


Your current search criteria is: Object is "Crest Mask: Male Antelope (Chi Wara)".

View current selection of records as:
CDWA Lite XML LIDO XML VRA Core 4 MODS XML Objects JSON