Couple Tji-Wara - BAMBARA - Bronze - Mali
Are you interested in this item?This item is up for auction at Catawiki. Please click on "respond to advert" (orange button) to get redirected to the Catawiki website. Catawiki’s goal is to make special objects universally available. Our weekly auctions feature thousands of unusual, rare, and exceptional objects you won’t find in just any store. These objects are used by a secret society called Tji Wara.Tji Wara is the phonetic translation of Ci (to cultivate) and Wara (wild animal). The officiants of the Tji-Wara society wear these headmasks for at least three annual occasions: - agricultural competition. - rejoicing. - annual festivities. They are a couple, a male and a female, and evolve simultaneously.One of the primordial functions of the Ci Wara society was to stimulate the use of drag-hoes. Thus, it enabled men to “manipulate” the cosmic force of the sun in order to fertilise the earth. True agricultural competitions took place, during which the hoe handlers had to succeed in a speed contest. The antelope-masks danced by couple; the female was recognisable because of the baby she carried on her back as you can see on the statue. The male on his genitals. Dimensions: 28 x 11 x x 10,5 x 2,7 cm Total Weight: 617 grams () Registered sending Read more