Headdress (Ciwarakun)
ClassificationsClothing and Adornments-head ornaments-headdresses
Culture
Bamana
Date20th Century
Made AtMali, Africa
MediumWood
Dimensions32 1/8 × 4 3/8 × 5 3/4 in. (81.6 × 11.1 × 14.6 cm)
Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih
Object number2019.15.28
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. Because it only has two horns, it indicates that this antelope is a female. Ciwarakun headdresses can be further distinguished by having vertical, horizontal, or highly abstracted aesthetics.On View
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