Carved wooden figure in the form of a stylised antelope.

Collection type: Object
Description: Carved wooden figure in the form of a stylised antelope.
Long description: Carved wooden antelope figure in a crouched position, with two long horns, several sets of ears, a protruding snout with a handle, and a curled tail. The body is covered in incised lines and sits on a rectangular base which has four holes. It would once have been attached to a basketry cap and formed part of a headdress or mask.
Geographical reference: Mali
Africa > Western Africa > Mali
Cultural groups: Bamana
Person: Maker Unknown Maker; Field collector Susan Canney; PRM source Penelope Tickell; PRM source Crispin Charles Cervantes Tickell
Date / Period: Date made: 1901 - 2000, uncertain
Date collected: 17 February 2008
Acquisition information: Donated: 28/11/2024
Materials and processes: Material Wood Plant, Process Carved, Process Incised
Dimensions: Length: max 630 mm, Height: max 265 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 2024.21.14 Other numbers: 40
Research and responses: There is a similar antelope headdress in the Museum of Fine Art, Boston. It has the accession number 2009.2573 and is described as follows: "Antelope headdresses are part of a mask belonging to the members of the ci wara association, which initiates young men into adult tasks, among them the cultivation of the fields. The antelope is an important figure in the agricultural life of the Bamana and was responsible for teaching men the art of farming. Ci wara masquerades appeared at agricultural competitions, annual celebrations, and for public entertainment." The record can be viewed at the following URL: https://collections.mfa.org/objects/516662.
An exhibition of ciwara masks entitled 'Ciwara, chimères africaines' was held at the Musée du quai Branly in 2006. The following information was provided as part of the display text: "The dances of ciwara society are tied to agricultural rites, and therefore to the notion of fertility, fecundity and sowing. In attempting to master the forces of nature - imitated by the faces of the antelope headdresses during ceremonies - the men seek an ally in animals. These headdresses, typically worn in pairs, have different uses depending on the village. But they always represent objects of unity and protection for the community, particularly as they can be seen by all, rather than being reserved for a select few. Widely found in Mali, the ciwara cult is gradually declining."

Search terms: Figure, Clothing Headgear, Mask, Dance, Animal Figure, Headdress, Dance Accessory