Ritual object representing an antelope, used by the Bambara ethnic group in Mali
Comparison of the four major styles of the Chiwara mask of the Bambara people of Mali. Clockwise from top left: abstract, Bougouni/southern region, vertical/Segu/northern region, and horizontal/Bamako/Northern regionTwo Chiwara at the Art Institute of Chicago. Female (left) and male Vertical styles.
A Chiwara (also Chi wara, Ci Wara, or Tyi Wara; Bambara: ciwara; French: tchiwara) is a ritual object representing an antelope, used by the Bambara ethnic group in Mali. The Chiwara initiation society uses Chiwara masks, as well as dances and rituals associated primarily with agriculture, to teach young Bamana men social values as well as agricultural techniques.
