Ciwara (Tyi Wara) Headdress
date: label: Accession Date
content: 1 Jul 1997
label: Collection Date
content: 1970
name: label: Collector
content: Dr. Pascal J. Imperato
label: Collector
content: Mrs. Pascal J. Imperato
label: Donor Name
content: Dr. Pascal J. Imperato
notes: label: Notes
content: MADE IN 1970 BY SIRIMAN FANE (OF KOKE, MARKALA, SEGOU). MALE PAIR TO 428439. WOOD. BLACK WITH SURFACE DECORATIONS. ANIMAL HEAD IN FRONT OF BODY-- UNUSUAL STYLE. SCULPTED FROM FICUS GNAPHALOCARPA (TORO WOOD). CIWARA REPRESENTS THE MYTHICAL ANTELOPE WHO TAUGHT THE BAMANA TO FARM.
label: Notes
content: A ci wara (tyi wara) headdress from the Bamana (Bambara) people of Mali, Africa. Made in 1970 by Siriman Fane of Koke, Markala, Segou, in Mali, this headdress is carved from toro wood (Ficus gnaphalocarpa) and represents ci wara, the mythical antelope ancestor, who taught the Bamana to farm. It is worn during ceremonial dances marking the first rains of the farming season, when ci wara is called on to bless the harvest. This headdress is the male that pairs with E428439, the female and offspring. On display in African Voices, an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
label: Record Last Modified
content: 26 Aug 2022
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Koke, Markala, Segou, Mali, Africa
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Bamana (Bambara)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 416125
label: USNM Number
content: E428440-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Headdress
physicalDescription: label: Length - Object
content: 44 cm
label: Width - Object
content: 20 cm
label: Height - Object
content: 5 cm