Cleveland Museum of Art

Headdress (chi wara)

Date

early 1900s

Medium

Wood, metal, glass beads, seashells, string, and probably tar

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Chi wara —a mythical “farming beast”—was said to teach farming to the Bamana people. Carved patterns cover this female chi wara’s body, highlighting its muscles and emphasizing that it is no earthly animal, but rather an agricultural spirit that combines human, antelope, and anteater elements. This example emphasizes vertical space, with a kneeling human figure on the back. The figure is adorned with imported beads as well as small shells. Accompanied by women’s songs, male performers danced paired male-and-female chi wara headdresses affixed to basketry caps at agricultural competitions and weddings. Chi wara headdresses look different depending on the region in which they were made.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.