Vertical Chi wara headdress mounted on basketry cap, Bougouni village, Mali

Object Details

Local Numbers: EENG-III-3, 31.
General: Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.
Local Note: Typed index card reads, "E 1 Bmb. Bambara. Mali, Bougouni. Man holding antelope headdress used in acrobatic dance. 7/1970. EE. neg.no. III-3, 31." The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.

Topic: Portraits; Wood-carving; Animals in art; Animals in art -- antelopes; Animals in art -- Composite animals; Headdresses -- headgear -- Africa

See more items in: Eliot Elisofon Field collection; Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Mali

Archival Repository: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Type: Archival materials; Negatives (photographic); Black-and-white negatives; Negatives

Collection Citation: Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Collection Rights: Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Scope and Contents: "In the Bamana world, objects such the antelope headdress always come in pairs -one male and one female- symbolizing the union of mythical half-animal, half-human beings that taught their ancestors to farm, and the productive union of men and women throughout time." [Wooten S., 2004: Where is my Mate? The Importance of Complementarity: A Bamana Headdress (Ciwara). See the Music, Hear the Dance, Prestel]. During his trip to Mali, Elisofon visited the village of Bougouni, in the Bamana region. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970.

Collection Restrictions: Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.