{"product_id":"aa04396","title":"Bambara (Bamana) Tribe Chi Wara Figurine ~41.7\" Tall (New 2026)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e H:41.7\" W:3.9\" L:23.6\" Weight: 7.5 lbs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;\"\u003eBambara (Bamana) Tribe Chi Wara Figurine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;\"\u003e – Chi Wara, also spelled Ci Wara or Tyi Wara, is an antelope figure of the Bambara people of Mali who represents the spirit that taught humans the fundamentals of agriculture. Chi Wara is honored by the Bambara through art and dance. Chi Wara dyo is the fifth initiation society in the Bambara male society and its members wear these masks during dance performances not only to honor their hero, Chi Wara, but also to ensure the fertility of their fields and to pray to the gods for a good harvest. According to Bambara legend, Chi Wara dug into the earth with his antlers and pointed stick, making it possible for humans to cultivate the land. Chi Wara covered the seeds with his hoofs, and humans who watched closely learned how to plant seeds as well. The Chi Wara figures are always depicted as a male\/female pair, combining the elements of human fertility with earth fertility. The female figure usually has a young antelope on her back and is said to represent the Chi Wara hero carrying human beings, as well as a newborn human carried on a mother's back.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;\"\u003eAbout the Tribe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;\"\u003eBambara 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"African Angel Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57364800340128,"sku":"AA04396","price":550.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0541\/0829\/1232\/files\/AA04396.jpg?v=1779871460","url":"https:\/\/www.africanangelart.com\/products\/aa04396","provider":"African Angel Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}