Female antelope headdress with fawn "tjiwara" or "sogonikun"
Click here to view a larger version of the imageLot: 213
94th Tribal Art AuctionFemale antelope headdress with fawn "tjiwara" or "sogonikun"
Mali, Bamana
Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
---|---|---|
Thomas Albertini, Bayeux, France | H: 20.5 inch | This object is not available anymore. |
wood / bipartite, cord (hide / plant fibre), brass tags, base
The "tjiwara" society members use a headdress representing, in the form of an antelope, the mythical being who taught men how to farm. The word "tji" means work and "wara" means animal, thus “working animal.”
They perform at farming contests that recognize a champion farmer. Always performing together in a male and female pair, the coupling of the antelope masqueraders speaks of fertility and agricultural abundance.