A Bamana Headdress, "chiwara" Lot n° 9

Head attachment, "chiwara Bamana, Mali Mit Sockel / with base Wood, iron, textile, rattan. H 45,5 cm. W 55 cm. Provenance: Beatrice Leutert and Marcel Plüss, Thurgau, Switzerland. Among the most famous Bamana carvings are the abstract antelopes of the chi-wara initiatory community, which were worn on the dancers' heads. They alluded to mythical prehistoric times, in which the antelope, as a bringer of culture, gave people the gift of grain and taught them how to cultivate the fields. Thus, they stood for fertility and reproduction of both the field and the people. The masks always appeared in pairs on the occasion of three festivities: the occasional weeding competition, the joyful dances after field work preceded by a ritual snake hunt, and the two-day annual festival of the initiation community, during which, among other things, the village was blessed. Further reading: Colleyn, Jean-Paul (2001). Bamana. Zurich: Museum Rietberg. CHF 400 / 800 The condition (wear, eventual cracks, tear, other imperfections and the effects of aging etc. if applicable) of this lot is as visible on the multiple photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Please feel free to contact Hammer Auctions for all questions you might have regarding this lot (info@hammerauktionen.ch). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the item. ------------------------------------ The condition (any wear, signs of use, cracks, any other deterioration and the signs of age etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Hammer Auctions will be happy to answer any questions you may have about this item (info@hammerauktionen.ch). Any statements regarding the condition of the items made as a matter of fact to prospective buyers are opinions only and should not be treated as statements of fact. Hammer Auctions assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund, provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.