Skip to main content
Headdress (Ciwarakun), 20th Century
Bamana culture; Western Mali
Wood; 9 × 21 1/2 × 3 1/2 in.…
Headdress (Ciwarakun)
Headdress (Ciwarakun), 20th Century
Bamana culture; Western Mali
Wood; 9 × 21 1/2 × 3 1/2 in.…
Headdress (Ciwarakun), 20th Century Bamana culture; Western Mali Wood; 9 × 21 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. 2019.2.4 Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Headdress (Ciwarakun)

ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-head ornaments-headdresses
Culture Bamana
Date20th Century
Made AtMali, Africa
MediumWood
Dimensions9 × 21 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (22.9 × 54.6 × 8.9 cm)
Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih
Object number2019.2.4
DescriptionThis headdress from the Bamana culture of Western Mali features Ciwara, the antelope that taught the Bamana agriculture. Male and female forms of this headdress are worn at end-of-year festivals by the most successful farmers of the season. Together, the binary figures represent the continuation of life, independently each represents the respective symbols of male and female in Bamana culture, such as the sun and the earth. Based on the female genitalia and lack of a third horn this headdress is female. Ciwarakun headdresses can be further distinguished by having vertical, horizontal, or highly abstracted aesthetics. The horizontal orientation of the head indicates that it was made by the Northern Bamana.
On View
Not on view
Headdress (Ciwarakun), 20th Century
Bamana culture; Western Mali
Wood and metal; 11 × 17 5/8 …
Bamana
20th Century
Headdress (Ciwarakun), 20th Century
Bamana; Western Mali
Wood; 9 1/2 × 21 1/4 × 3 1/2 in.
20…
Bamana
20th Century
Headdress (Ciwarakun), 20th Century
Bamana culture; Mali
Wood; 32 1/8 × 4 3/8 × 5 3/4 in.
20…
Bamana
20th Century
Headdress (Ciwarakun), 20th Century
Bamana culture; Mali
Wood; 18 3/8 × 6 7/8 × 2 1/2 in.
20…
Bamana
20th Century
Bamana Helmet Mask, 20th Century
Bamana people; Mali
Wood; 29 1/2 x 13 1/2 x 12 1/4 in.
87.2…
Bamana
20th Century
Mud Cloth (Bogolanfini), mid 20th Century
Bamana culture; Mali
Wool dyed with mud; 36 × 56 1/…
Bamana
mid 20th Century
Mud Cloth (Bogolanfini), mid 20th Century
Bamana culture; Mali
Wool dyed with mud; 34 × 50 in…
Bamana
mid 20th Century
Mud Cloth (Bogolanfini), mid 20th Century
Bamana culture; Mali
Wool dyed with mud; 37 3/4 × 3…
Bamana
mid 20th Century
Flute Stopper (Wusear), late 20th Century
Biwat culture; Lower Sepik River region, East Sepik …
Biwat
late 20th Century
Mask (Bedu), mid 20th Century
Nafana culture; Ivory Coast
Wood and pigment; 74 1/2 × 31 × 3 3…
Nafana
mid 20th Century
Headdress, c. 1920
Shasta culture; Northern California
Flickertail feather and string; 4 × 49…
Shasta
c. 1920