Each district had its own recognized war leaders. Blood alliances frequently were contracted between the Dogon and other groups such as the Bozo. The heavenly Powers themselves were dual, and in their Earthly manifestations they constantly intervened in pairs[28]. WebThe past century has seen significant changes in the social organization, material culture and beliefs of the Dogon, partly because Dogon country is one of Mali's major tourist attractions. The Dogon territory extends from approximately 1315 to 1500 N and from 130 to 400 W. The population is concentrated in some 300 villages along a 145-kilometer stretch of escarpment called the Cliffs of Bandiagara. Dogon insecurity in the face of these historical pressures caused them to locate their villages in defensible positions along the walls of the escarpment. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. The yingim consists of both the sacrifice of cows, or other valuable animals, and mock combat. Photographs of masked dancers, first taken in 1907, as well as examples of native art work, soon made their way into Europe and the United States, catching the interest and curiosity of the Western world. Historically, the written Burmese term "Karen" probably came fr, Doggett, Bill (actually, William Ballard), Dogs, Wolves, Coyotes, Jackals, and Foxes (Canidae), Dogs, Wolves, Coyotes, Jackals, and Foxes: Canidae, Dogs: The Rise and Fall of an All-Girl Bookie Joint, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/dogon. Paris: Institut d'Ethnologie. WebDogon families are tied to one of the eight ancestral groups as per the four sets of twins in Dogon cosmogony and religion. 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This practice has been passed down for generations and is always followed, even during winter. Hogon live alone and should be celibat Once there, many trails are open to visitors along the escarpment and while visiting a traditional Dogon village, cultural respect is encouraged. It is advisable to hire a guide with a car as the area is remote. Whether on the high plateau, the cliff-faces, or on the plain, the Dogon have exploited all the elements available to build their villages that reflect their ingenuity and their philosophy of life and death. In certain cultural areas, the Dogon villages comprise numerous granaries, for the most part square with a thatched tapering roof. 150,000-Year-Old Pipes Baffle Scientists in China: Out of Place in Time? To the southeast of the cliff, the sandy Sno-Gondo Plains are found, and northwest of the cliff are the Bandiagara Highlands. Palau Marti, Montserrat (1957). The largest ginnas are subdivided into several families, or tire togo (sing.). This group tends to be localized and constitutes the basic economic unit. ); Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City). This led Mr. Temple to establish the theory that, according to Nommos, extraterrestrial inhabitants of Sirius travelled towards the earth at some point in the distant past, and one crossed to teach the old civilizations (the Egyptians and the Dogons) their Although the importance of the tumo is gradually decreasing, age remains a key status factor. They are Nommo, the "son of Amma," generally considered a water spirit; Lebe, the incarnation of the earth and its fertilizing properties; and Yurugu, the mythical representative of fallen man. In 1912 a school was established for them in Sanga, followed by a Christian mission in the 1930s, and later a medical dispensary. Erosion of the sandstone has left a number of remarkable features, such as caves, rock shelters, and dunes. Corrections? [28] Today, a significant minority of the Dogon practice Islam. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. After being chosen, a hogon must pass through several months without washing or shaving. 575577, Index of African mythology and creation narratives, List of African deities and mythical figures, Traditional African religion and other religions, "Population dynamics and Paleoclimate over the past 3000 years in the Dogon Country, Mali", "Did the Dogon of Mali know about Sirius B? One of its most distinctive features is the hierarchical series of occupational "castes" or status groups consisting of iron- and leatherworkers, griots (lineage genealogists), musicians, poets, and sorcerers. Divorce is not uncommon; it occurs most often in polygynous households. They purchase sugar, salt, European merchandise, and many animal products, such as milk, butter, and dried fish. Their eyes were red, their tongues forked, and their arms flexible and unjointed.[21]. The yingim and the danyim rituals each last a few days. I have written a book and several peer reviewed journal articles. Griaule encouraged the construction of a dam near Sangha and persuaded the Dogon to cultivate onions. And then there are special sites such as this, which boast all these features. & E.I.K. Durieux-Boon (2004). After his election, he has to follow a six-month initiation period, during which he is not allowed to shave or wash. [20] The religion embraced many aspects of nature which are found in other traditional African religions. The importance of secrecy is due to the symbolic meaning behind the pieces and the process by which they are made. Inheritance. The spread of Islam throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the basic religious orientation of the Dogon. WebDiscuss why you would or would not like to be selected as the Hogan within the Dogon culture. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. He was eaten by another nommo, and their spirits merged; the nommo vomited out a new Lebe (part human and part spiritual), plus copious liquid which shaped the landscape.[7]. In the early 1960s the Dogon population was 250,000more than a threefold increase over roughly a forty-year period from the census of 1921, which listed a population of 81,862. The clitoris is considered male, while the foreskin is considered female. African art and culture had been a driving inspiration to European modern artists like Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, and Amedeo Modigliani, among others. (2003), Wanono, Nadine & Renaudeau, Michel (1996), Hochstetler, J. Lee, Durieux, J. The economy of the Sangha region has doubled since then, and its onions are sold as far as the market of Bamako and those of the Ivory Coast. A virgin who has not yet had her period takes care of him, cleans his house, and prepares his meals. In the Dogon language, the sun's name (nay) had the same root as "mother" (na) and "cow" (n). The Dogon are an ethnic group indigenous to the central plateau region of Mali, in West Africa, south of the Niger bend, near the city of Bandiagara, and in Burkina Faso.The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000. Individuals with high status may own a small number of cattle.[30]. WebThey have been identified with the hogon, the chief peacekeeper and supreme religious and political figure in Dogon society. Both sexes market, fish, and gather wild foods. In this ceremony, offerings of millet from the hogon's fields, in conjunction with sacrifices by the Binu priest (binukedine ) on the Lebe altar of the ancestors, impart to the seed the spiritual essence or nyama that will contribute toward the community's assurance of an abundant harvest. Socialization. Influence from Tellem art is evident in Dogon art because of its rectilinear designs (Laude, 24). After initiation, he wears a red cap, and a pearl bracelet. The Dogon attribute illness to a variety of causes, such as the weakening of the vital life force (nyama), the creation of a state of impurity in the individual through the influences of evil spirits, violation of a taboo or prohibition, and sorcery. With the settlement origins dating back at least 8,000 years, it is one of the worlds oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Not many people know of the Gambia. Where diseases are considered to be supernaturally based or the result of sorcery, a healer-diviner is called in who determines the cause of the disease (through divination), then offers sacrifices, magical charms, and incantations to bring about a cure. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. The authority of the household unit is vested in the father, who controls both the economic and ceremonial functions of the family and demands unquestioning obedience from his offspring. Nearby is a cave where music instruments are stored. "The dual soul is a danger; a man should be male, and a woman female. The household is usually an extended family consisting of both nuclear and polygynous units. In conjunction with the council of elders, he makes decisions concerning public affairs. It was first inhabited by the Tellem, Stone Age hunters, at least 10,000 years ago. Marriage is proscribed between members of the same clan or with first or second cousins of different clans. Each Dogon village, or enlarged family, is headed by one male elder. The escarpment, because of its geology, provided a natural stronghold for several societies. Until the masqueraders have completed their dances, and every ritual has been performed, any misfortune can be blamed on the remaining spirits of the dead (Davis, 68). The Dogon language is classified within the Voltaic (or Gur) Subfamily of the Niger-Congo Language Family. The historical pattern included the murder of indigenous males by raiders and enslavement of women and children. Kinship Terminology. During this time, new masks are carved and dedicated to their ancestors. Dogon society is organized by a patrilineal kinship system. [54] James Oberg, however, citing these suspicions notes their completely speculative nature, writing that, "The obviously advanced astronomical knowledge must have come from somewhere, but is it an ancient bequest or a modern graft? According to this oral tradition, the first Dogon settlement was established in the extreme southwest of the escarpment at Kani-Na. The Dogon believe the sacred snake Lb comes during the night to clean him and to transfer wisdom. Then the Dogon who has entered the contact repeats the ritual, asking the resident how his or her whole family is. A new 'sigi' is started every 60 years. Also effective as means of inducing conformity are ridicule and threats of supernatural sanction. Dogon sculptures are not made to be seen publicly, and are commonly hidden from the public eye within the houses of families, sanctuaries, or kept with the Hogon (Laude, 20). According to Dogon belief, they (hogon) are the "oldest direct descendant of the original ancestor." I View the full answer Previous question Next question Demography. [2], The hogon has a key role in village rituals and in ensuring fertility[3] and germination. Every four days, Dogon people participate in markets with neighboring tribes, such as the Fulani and the Dyula. Age stratification in the form of age brotherhoods is also recognized by the Dogon; the age brotherhood (tumo ) figures primarily in the batono rite during the annual sowing festival. In traditional Dogon society, land was transmitted within the family group (ginna, or lineage), and was considered inalienable property. Grain is stored in granaries. Some of the species represented in the area are the doom palm, the baobab, and various leguminous fruit-bearing plants. Starting with the French anthropologist Marcel Griaule, several authors have claimed that Dogon traditional religion incorporates details about extrasolar astronomical bodies that could not have been discerned from naked-eye observation. Since the late 20th century, the Dogon have developed peaceful trading relationships with other societies and have thereby increased variety in their diets. Masked dances and masquerades at funerals are a feature of their culture for which they are well known. Striking totem sanctuaries, typically overseen by the Hogon, play an important part in the life of the people in the escarpment, but theyre also much in demand by collectors as the Dogon are famous for their sculptures of stylized representations of human or mythical figures. Other fauna include crocodiles (in the swampy areas on the plain), reptiles, monkeys, guenons, guinea hens, hyenas, foxes, panthers, rabbits, and small rodents. During a greeting ritual, the person who has entered the contact answers a series of questions about his or her whole family, from the person who was already there. 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