The Chi-Wara (also Tyi Wara, Ci Wara, Tchiwara) is a cult mask that stands out among the sculptures of the Bambara hjnme tribe. According to local beliefs, the relationship between Mother Earth Mousso Koroni and a snake bore the mythical creature of Chi Wara who, being a semi-human, anteater and antelope, taught the tribe how to cultivate the land. When people mastered this skill, they forgot about their benefactor. The angry deity was said to have hidden in a deep pit and waited for people to remember his merits. In order to atone for Chi Wara and ask for rich crops, the Bambara tribe began to create masks symbolizing the sacred animal.
The result of this mythical story is an annual solemn ceremony taking place at the time of sowing. During the ceremony, the women and men of Bambara dance in pairs in ritual costumes. Their most important element are masks crowned with a wooden image of the above-mentioned antelope, symbolizing Chi-Wara. Dancers place them on the top of their head, covering their faces with stripes of fabric decorated with kauri shells, and their body with a raffia outfit. In this way, Chi-Waras – both male and female – dance in pairs, the male with a large openwork mane, while the female version is much smaller, with a small antelope on the back. The celebrations last until the morning, when Chi-Waras run over all the fields to ensure rich crops.