Dogon antelope masks are highly abstract, with a general rectangular shape and many horns (a representation of abundant harvest. Bambara antelope masks (called Chi Wara) have long horns representing the thriving growth of millet, legs (representing roots), long ears (representing the songs sang by the working women at harvest time), and a saw-shaped line that represents the path followed by the Sun between solstices. The performance ensures the fertility of the fields, and is always performed at the beginning and end of a harvest. The larger a Bamana man's harvest, the more in demand as a husband he will be. The Bamana look upon plowing and sowing as a process akin to the sexual act. Sexuality and agricultural activity are closely related in their minds, since both ensure human survival.
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