Chiwara
Chiwara is a mythical half-human, half-antelope being who taught the Bambara people the fundamentals of agriculture. Using its antlers and a pointed stick to dig the earth, Chiwara demonstrated how to cultivate the land, making it possible for farmers to grow crops. The people followed its example and became expert farmers, but their harvests grew so bountiful that they began wasting grain. Disappointed by human ingratitude, Chiwara buried itself deep into the earth and disappeared. To honor their lost teacher, the Bambara created the iconic Chiwara headdresses — carved wooden antelope masks w