| Chi-wara/Tji-wara Bamana/Bambara |
| The tji wara society members use a headdress representing, in the form of an antelope, the mythical being who taught men how to farm. The word tji means “work” and wara means “animal,” thus “working animal.” There are antelopes with vertical or horizontal direction of the horns. In the past the purpose of the tji wara association was to encourage cooperation among all members of the community to ensure a successful crop. In recent time, however, the Bamana concept of tji wara has become associated with the notion of good farmer, and the tji wara masqueraders are regarded as a farming beast. The Bambara sponsor farming contests where the tji wara masqueraders perform. Always performing together in a male and female pair, the coupling of the antelope masqueraders speaks of fertility and agricultural abundance. According to one interpretation, the male antelope represents the sun and the female the earth. The antelope imagery of the carved headdress was inspired by a Bamana myth that recounts the story of a mythical beast (half antelope and half human) who introduced agriculture to the Bamana people. The dance performed by the masqueraders mimes the movements of the antelope. Antelope headdress in the vertical style, found in eastern Bamana territory, have a pair of upright horns. The male antelopes are decorated with a mane consisting of rows of openwork zigzag patterns and gracefully curved horns, while the female antelope supports baby antelopes on their back and have straight horns. The dancers appeared holding two sticks in their hands, their leaps imitating the jumps of the antelopes. Sources: A History of Art in Africa / Africa - The Art of a Continent |
| Examples below for reference purposes, mainly of male figures |
| PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF DR. AND MRS. PASCAL JAMES IMPERATO A BAMANA ANTELOPE HEADDRESS LOCATION ESTIMATE AUCTION DATE New York 7,000—10,000 USD Session 1 14 May 04 10:15 AM Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 28,800 USD measurements note height 41in. 104cm tji wara, of overall stylized attenuated form, the angled legs supporting the cylindrical body and the arching openwork mane terminating in a delicately tapered vertical head with leather tassles and metal sheets attached, the pointed ears framing the arching horns with leather-covered tips, decorated overall with incised linear and notched motifs; deep brown patina. PROVENANCE Collected by the owner in the Segou region of Mali near Fana, January 11, 1967 CATALOGUE NOTE Cf. Imperato (1970: 8-13, 71-80) and Zahan (1980) for related headdresses and extended discussion of the function and meaning of these headdresses worn during agrarian-themed ceremonies among the Bamana. |
| Sotheby's - New York African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art Auction Date : May 12, 2005 Lot 41 : PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION A BAMANA ANTELOPE HEADDRESS Description tji wara, of overall tall arching, slender form, the rectangular base supporting the stylized body with openwork mane leading to the dramatically overarching head with metal overlay, supporting pointed ears and spiralling, upswept horns; varied deep brown patina. PROVENANCE Michel Anstett, Paris Acquired from Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, January 21, 1967, lot 2 Dimensions height 38 3/4 in. 98.5cm Estimate: $ 6,000 - $ 9,000 |
| Sotheby's - New York African & Oceanic Art Auction Date : Nov 14, 2003 Lot 4 : A BAMANA ANTELOPE HEADDRESS Description DETAILED DESCRIPTION tji wara, in the form of a roan male, the square base pierced for attachment supporting the stylized body beneath the arching neck and mane carved in intricate openwork form leading to a pointed elongated head framed by upswept ears and long horns, with repoussé metal plates decorating the face, the nose pierced for the suspension of cowrie shells, the horns with metal bands and tufts of black hair; varied blackened patina. Dimensions height 32in. 81.5cm Estimate:$ 6,000 - $ 9,000 Price Realized: $ 12,000 Provenance PROPERTY FROM A NEW YORK COLLECTION Jay C. Leff Collection |
| Sotheby's - New York Arts of Africa, Oceania & The Americas Auction Date : May 17, 2002 Lot 57 : A FINE BAMANA ANTELOPE HEADDRESS Description tji wara, in the form of a male antelope, with angular legs standing on a rectangular base pierced for attachment, the transverse body supporting the tall, openwork mane terminating to the pointed head with tall ears and long arching horns, `A39' in white pigment at the base; fine varied and encrusted patina. Estimate:$ 12,000 - $ 18,000 Price Realized: $ 13,145 Provenance Pace Primitive and Ancient Art, New York |
| Bonhams - London Oriental Ceramics and Tribal Art Auction Date : Dec 19, 2001 Lot 262 : A Bamana male antelope headdress (Tji-wara), Mali, Estimate:$ 448 - $ 597 Price Realized: $ 775 |
| Sotheby's - New York African and Oceanic Art Auction Date : Nov 16, 2001 Lot 15 : A Bamana antelope headdress Description A Bamana antelope headdress tji wara, rising from a rectangular base pierced through, the four legs repaired at the joints, and supporting the cylindrical horizontal body with a pointed tail and a slender arching neck with elaborate openwork mane leading to the slender pointed head with upward pointing ears and horns decorated with incised notches and striations; varied medium brown patina. height 35 3/4 in. (90.8cm.) Dimensions height 35 3/4 in. (90.8 Estimate:$ 7,000 - $ 10,000 Price Realized: $ 0 |
| Sotheby's - New York African and Oceanic Art Auction Date : Nov 16, 2001 Lot 14 : A Bamana antelope headdress, Kenedougou region Description A Bamana antelope headdress, Kenedougou region tji wara, of enormous proportions, standing on a square base, the four short legs supporting an elongated body, and an arching neck with elaborate openwork mane, the downturned faceted head decorated with geometric metal plates, surmounted by pointed ears and long pointed horns; varied dark brown patina. height 49 1/8 in. (1.25m.) Dimensions height 49 1/8 in. (1.25 Estimate:$ 4,000 - $ 6,000 Price Realized: $ 15,600 Provenance Nelson A. Rockefeller, New York Museum for Primitive Art, New York Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, May 4, 1967, lot 15 |
| Mali, Bamana (African) Pair of Antelope Headdresses, 20th Century North Carolina Museum of Art Tji Wara headdresses are carved from wood and are often ornamented with hammered metal. They are usually seen in pairs, one representing the male and the other a female with a baby on her back. The figures have a composite form, combining abstracted animal and natural features. The form partly derives from the body of a roan antelope, a reference to a half-man, half-antelope god named Tji Wara, who is said to have given the gift of farming to the Bamana people. The antelopes’ horns may also suggest tall stalks of grain, such as the millet that grows in this area of western Africa. The headdresses have the long noses of an aardvark. Like the farmer who plows the soil, this type of anteater burrows his nose in the earth to find his food. The figures not only refer to animals associated with farming, but they also mimic the bent form and hoeing action of a farmer. The Bamana believe that the best farmers are always bent over hoeing. How and why were these worn? Antelope headdresses like these are worn in Bamana community festivals that celebrate agriculture. The masquerade begins in the fields and moves into a community center. Champion farmers from the Mande-speaking area of central Mali are selected as maskers, or the individuals who perform at these events. The farmers’ bodies are covered in raffia costumes, which sound like rain when the dancers move to music. The wooden headdresses are attached to the top of dancers’ heads with woven caps. The men also carry long sticks they use to support themselves like another pair of legs. Dancers make leaping movements like the antelope and hoeing actions as if they are working in the fields. Some performances even include hoeing contests. What role does the community play in these performances? The dancers selected to take part in the masquerade are known as Tji Wara. Their excellent farming skills make them worthy of honoring the deity with their dance. There is also an association within each community that preserves these traditions and transmits knowledge about the seasons, crops, and soil to younger generations. The performances offer these Tji Wara societies opportunities to compete with one another and show off their farming skills. While the farmers dance, females in the community imitate the movements of the dancers and sing songs that praise the virtues of farming. Their involvement in the celebration symbolizes how important marital cooperation is to successful farming. The performances are also meant to teach younger generations the skills and values associated with farming. The cross- generational nature of these performances reinforces the continuity of the community. |
| A pair in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY |
| Female (right) 19 1/2 inches tall Male (left) 24 1/2 inches A really wonderful, in my opinion, pair of Tji waras. Both are unique and very well carved with nice lines and features with great detail. I was instantly drawn to them and they are by far my favorite pair of Tji wara figures I have had in my collection to date. THESE ARE NO LONGER IN MY COLLECTION |
