The Legend of Chiwara

In the beginning, the Bambara people did not know how to cultivate the land. They foraged for food and were often hungry. A divine being named Chiwara, born from the union of the sky goddess and the earth goddess, saw their struggle. Chiwara was half-man, half-antelope, and he had a deep understanding of the earth. He came to the people and taught them how to till the soil, how to plant millet and sorghum, and how to nurture the crops until they were ready for harvest. With Chiwara's knowledge, the people became successful farmers, and their community prospered. They had so much grain that they grew careless and wasteful. Chiwara, saddened by their disrespect for the earth's gifts, buried himself in the ground and disappeared forever. The people, realizing their mistake, were filled with remorse. To honour him and to remind themselves of his teachings, they created headdresses in his image, carved to look like the elegant Roan Antelope. They perform the Chiwara dance at planting and harvest times, mimicking the antelope's leaps, to ensure a good crop and to remember the divine being who first gave them the gift of agriculture.