Collection: Bambara (Bamana) Tribe Collection

Bambara is an ethnolinguistic group from Mali's upper Niger region whose language, Bambara (Bamana), belongs to the Mande branch of the Niger-Congo language family. The Bambara are to a great extent intermingled with other tribes, and there is no centralized organization. The Bambara and other groups excel in the creation of wood carvings of masks, statues, stools, and objects used in traditional religions. The Tyi Wara, or gazelle mask, of the Bambara is remarkable for its fineness of line and distinct style.