LEGEND OF CHIWARA

Traditionally, African people are rooted in oral cultures and traditions and as a result, they have esteemed good stories and vibrant storytellers.

In many parts of Africa, after dinner, upon the sound of a tantalising drum, villagers would congregate around a central fire and settle down to hear and listen to stories. Storytelling has been a ritual for the people of Africa in the evening after a hard day’s work and recognized as one of the most powerful means of communication.

According to West African legend, the dance of the Tyi Wara, an agricultural dance was performed by the Bambara people of Mali. An illustration that showed the Africans’ spiritual connection to the earth. They believe that they were put into contact with all of the elements of the universe through agriculture. For them, farming is glorified; they believe it is man’s highest accomplishment, the occupation which brings man into intimate contact with the sun, the stars, the moon, the land, and the seasons of the year.

The people would perform the Tyi Wara dance in order to reach out to the Chi Wara, an African, mythical creature. Asking for blessings, and to allow the farmers and to have a successful harvest, promising their total commitment to the earth.

The chi wara tradition remains one of the most widely recognized forms in all of African art. Masks were helpful because many African societies did not have a written language and masks helped pass down knowledge and wisdom from one generation to another.
The dance masquerade in which Chi Wara headdresses appear was performed by champion farmers who are selected as “maskers.