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Ciwara crest mask

Bamana People20th century

Mudec - Museum of Cultures

Mudec - Museum of Cultures
Milan, Italy

These masks are associated with the Ciwara initiation society. They preside over rituals associated with agriculture, encouraging farmers in their work and fueling competition between them, and they dance in male-female couples to celebrate the power of the sun and its beneficial effects on the earth. Though Chiwara is a male society, it allows women to participate in certain rituals and share in the consumption of sacrificial meat. The mask dance in pairs of a male and female antelope.

Details

  • Title: Ciwara crest mask
  • Creator: Bamana People
  • Date Created: 20th century
  • Location Created: Mali
  • Physical Dimensions: h 84 cm
  • Type: Mask
  • Rights: Ezio Bassani Collection - Museum of Cultures, Milan - AFR 5
  • Medium: Carved wood
  • Collocazione: Currently not on view

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