African Arts Gallery

It would be about an animal-genius who would have taught agriculture to the Bambara who remember this myth through the very stylized representation of a hippotrague antelope, whose name Ci Wara means "fawn of the earth". This sculpture rises from a circular basket in wickerwork, stretched with a textile. It has a tapered muzzle, high horns, and successive arches representing the broad neck bearing a mane. The characteristics make it possible to attribute it to the stylistic canons of the Segou region. Matt dark brown patina.
Carried on the top of the skull and held in place by a sort of small basket, these crest accompanied the dancers during the rituals of the tòn, an association dedicated to agricultural work. The masks would run across the field, jumping up and down to chase away the nyama, the evil scent, and to detect any danger, or to flush out the evil geniuses who could ravish the souls of the cultivated plants and the life force of their seeds.