Chiwara
![Comparison of the four major styles of The Chi Wara / Chiwara / Chi-Wara mask of the Bambara people of Mali. Left to right Abstract / Bougouni / Southern region style, Vertical/ Segu/ Northern region style, the Horizontal / Bamako / Northern region style, and the Abstract / Sikasso region style.](/Images/godic/202501/04/ChiWara_styles_43720.png")
![Two Chiwara at the Art Institute of Chicago. Female (left) and male Vertical styles.](/Images/godic/202501/04/Chiwara_Chicago_sculpture3720.jpg")
A Chiwara (also Chi wara, Ci Wara, or Tyi Wara; Bambara:ciwara; French:tchiwara) is a ritual object representing an antelope, used by the Bambara ethnic group in Mali. The Chiwara initiation society uses Chiwara masks, as well as dances and rituals associated primarily with agriculture, to teach young Bamana men social values as well as agricultural techniques.