Male Chi-wara (antelope) headdress

Description:	This headdress, called Chi-wara, represents the half-human, half-antelope spirit who taught the Bamana people of Mali how to farm long, long ago. Farming is very important among the Bamana, providing their main source of food and income. Each year, two “champion farmers” are selected to dance with Chi-wara headdresses during annual spring planting festivals. The headdresses are always danced in male and female pairs to symbolize harmony between men and women and to help ensure a successful and plentiful crop. This headdress represents a male Chi-wara. Its long horns stand for the tall growth of their millet crop. The large ears symbolize farmers listening to the songs sung by women to encourage them while they work in the fields. The open, zigzag pattern in the neck symbolizes the suns path along the horizon during spring and summer.
Source:	http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/ref/collection/tcm/id/53
Collection:	The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Rights:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/;
Copyright:	Creative Commons (CC By-SA 3.0);
Geography:	Mali
Subjects:	Headgear Bambara (African people) Bambara (African people)--Social life and customs Mali

Further information on this record can be found at its source.