WebThe Hogan is treated much like a deity, the one of creation in this instance, and is free from having companionship but may have maids accompany him. In Dogon thought, males and females are born with both sexual components. For instance, in one of their most important rituals, the women praise the men, the men thank the women, the young express appreciation for the old, and the old recognize the contributions of the young. [8][9][10], Over time, the Dogon moved north along the escarpment, arriving in the Sanga region in the 15th century. WebDogon Female Ancestor Sculpture. Similarly each village may have their own way of performing the dama rituals. Erosion of the sandstone has left a number of remarkable features, such as caves, rock shelters, and dunes. Among the Dogon, several oral traditions have been recorded as to their origin. Wood and metal and more. Subsistence and Commercial Activities. [Editor's Note: In this article the established spellings of Kota words have been retained, al, ETHNONYMS: none Marriage. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? The great annual Feast of Sowing (bulu ) begins in April or May, prior to the beginning of the rainy season, in all the villages of the region. Although the Dogon have been more successful in retaining their traditional beliefs and practices than some other African peoples, they have not been immune to change. The 'Awa' is characterized by the intricate masks worn by members during rituals. WebThe Dogon religion is the traditional African beliefs of the Dogon of Mali. How the Dogon Preserved Their Unique Culture Along The Cliff The vast majority of marriages are monogamous, but nonsororal polygynous marriages are allowed in the Dogon culture. Masques dogons. The funerary ceremonies of the Dogon consist of two parts: the initial rites, which take place immediately following death and continue for about a week, and the more elaborate dama rites that terminate the mourning period after an indeterminate period of time. The birth of human twins was celebrated in the Dogon culture in Griaule's day because it recalled the "fabulous past, when all beings came into existence in twos, symbols of the balance between humans and the divine". [15] These jihadic expeditions formed themselves to force the Dogon to abandon their traditional religious beliefs for Islam. 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). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The principal domestic animals are sheep, goats, donkeys, dogs, chickens, guinea fowls, ducks, some cattle, a few horses, and cats. Between 2010-2012 I worked in the Limerick City Archives. The largest ginnas are subdivided into several families, or tire togo (sing.). The danyim is held a couple of months later. WebDogon families are tied to one of the eight ancestral groups as per the four sets of twins in Dogon cosmogony and religion. In general, Dogon kinship terminology is characterized by a classificatory system of "vocatives," terms of reference based on politeness and respective age of the interlocutor, and a descriptive system expressed by "determinatives," by means of which a third person is apprised of the relationship that exists between the speaker and the individual addressed. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. The Dogon are best identified for their religious traditions, the mask dances, wooden Today, at least 35% of the Dogon practice Islam. All agree, however, that they learned about the star from Griaule. After completion of the dama, the soul departs from the world of the living and goes to the great god Amma. 35 Issue 2. "Mythes et organisation sociale au Soudan franais". Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. [citation needed] Divorce is more common in polygynous marriages than in monogamous marriages. At present I am a Read More. There are over 200 Dogon villages across the escarpment and each village has a democratically elected headman (Hogon), who is also their spiritual leader. Interest in other seemingly falsifiable claims, namely concerning a red dwarf star orbiting around Sirius (not hypothesized until the 1950s), led him to entertain a previous challenge by Temple, asserting that "Temple offered another line of reasoning. He is elected from among the oldest men of the dominant lineage of the village. Markets are held every four or five days in areas well removed from the villages. Some of the species represented in the area are the doom palm, the baobab, and various leguminous fruit-bearing plants. The Dogon people with whom French anthropologists Griaule and Germaine Dieterlen worked during the 1930s and 1940s had a system of signs which ran into the thousands, including "their own systems of astronomy and calendrical measurements, methods of calculation and extensive anatomical and physiological knowledge, as well as a systematic pharmacopoeia". Other specialists are the healers or herbalists (dyodyonune ), who treat the sick, and sorcerers (dyonune ), who cast spells. The series of dances, which constitute a good part of the Sigi, lasts for seven years; one village after another takes its turn to entertain its neighbors with feasting, drinking, and displays of wealth. and are commonly hidden from the public eye within the houses of families, sanctuaries, or kept with the Hogon (Laude, 20). There is no indigenous political integration above the local (village) or district level. Identification. He wears white clothes and nobody is allowed to touch him. Then the Dogon who has entered the contact repeats the ritual, asking the resident how his or her whole family is. . ." I have lived nearby and visited Dogon country. The increase in the number of visitors to the area in recent years has done wonders for tourism, but has sadly damaged the environment and this special cultural landscape. However, even in polygynous marriages, it is rare for a man to have more than two wives. The spread of Islam throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the basic religious orientation of the Dogon. Kanaga mask in three pieces; 20th century; 108 x 59.1 x 22.9cm (42.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}12 x 2314 x 9 in); Brooklyn Museum (New York City), Person wearing a Walu mask, based on an antelope, Figure of a seated musician (koro player); late 18th century; 55.8 x 17.7 x 10.8cm (22 x 7 x 414 in. Each large district has a hogon, or spiritual leader, and there is a supreme hogon for the whole country. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Social Organization. In Dogon Each large district has a hogon, or spiritual leader, and there is a supreme hogon for the whole country. In his dress and behaviour the hogon symbolizes the Dogon myth of creation, to which the Dogon relate much of their social organization and culture. Since the late 20th century, the Dogon have developed peaceful trading relationships with other societies and have thereby increased variety in their diets. ); Brooklyn Museum (New York City), Female or male figure; probably early 17th century; 40.0 x 7.3 x 7.8cm (1534 x 2 7/8 x 3 in. Ogotemmeli taught Griaule the religious stories in the same way that Ogotemmeli had learned them from his father and grandfather; oral instruction which he had learned over the course of more than twenty years. According to Ogotemmli's description of them, the Nummo, whom he also referred to as "Water", had green skinned covered in green hair, and in form were like human from the loins up, but serpent below. It was held once every sixty years and allegedly celebrated the white dwarf star, Sirius B. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). Top image: Cliff of Bandiagara Source: Public Domain, Bolland, R. (1991). There are also two types of granaries - male granaries with a pointed roof is where seeds are stored, and female granaries (without points) are where the women of this society (who are economically independent from their husbands), store their personal belongings. About 1,500 ethnic Dogon in seven villages in southern Mali speak the Bangime language, which is unrelated to the other Dogon languages and presumed by linguists to be an ancient, pre-Dogon language isolate, although a minority of linguists (most notably Roger Blench) hypothesise that it may be related to Proto-Nilo-Saharan.[38]. The first wife, or ya biru, holds a higher position in the family relative to any wives from later marriages. Prior to the birth of the first child, the wife lives at the home of her parents, while her husband continues to reside in the bachelor quarters where he has lived from the age of 8 to 10. It is thus mysterious that there are so few references to the planets in ancient literature. Ciarcia, Gaetano "Dogons et Dogon. After his election, he has to follow a six-month initiation period, during which he is not allowed to shave or wash. Themes found throughout Dogon sculpture consist of figures with raised arms, superimposed bearded figures, horsemen, stools with caryatids, women with children, figures covering their faces, women grinding pearl millet, women bearing vessels on their heads, donkeys bearing cups, musicians, dogs, quadruped-shaped troughs or benches, figures bending from the waist, mirror-images, aproned figures, and standing figures (Laude, 4652). There are twelve categories of disease considered treatable, each with its own specific healer who has special knowledge of the specific plant that will bring about a cure. [6][7] Archaeological and ethnoarchaeological studies in the Dogon region have been especially revealing about the settlement and environmental history, and about social practices and technologies in this area over several thousands of years. 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. Religious Beliefs. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. According to this oral tradition, the first Dogon settlement was established in the extreme southwest of the escarpment at Kani-Na. In conjunction with the council of elders, he makes decisions concerning public affairs. 'We have in the Dogon information a predictive mechanism which it is our duty to test, regardless of our preconceptions.' Dogon insecurity in the face of these historical pressures caused them to locate their villages in defensible positions along the walls of the escarpment. ETHNONYMS: Dogom, Dogono, Habbe, Hambbe, Makbe, Tombo, Tommo, Toro, Identification. Was this German silver mine really defended by two Roman forts and a line of "spike defenses? Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? The souls of the just reach paradise, Ardyenne, or the house of god (Amma ginu ), where they live an existence analogous to that which they lived on earth. Damas that are still performed today are not usually performed for their original intent, but instead are performed for tourists interested in the Dogon way of life. [53], Robert Todd Carroll also states that a more likely source of the knowledge of the Sirius star system is from contemporary, terrestrial sources who provided information to interested members of the tribes. WebDogon or Tellem peoples (?) On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Current Anthropology, Vol. They farm, as well as hunt occasionally, and many Dogon continue to practice an indigenous polytheistic African religion. Each Dogon village, or enlarged family, is headed by one male elder. First marriages are generally arranged by parents; within certain limitations, those marrying for the second or third time are more free to choose their partners. The "Sigi so" was used to tell the story of creation of the universe, of human life, and the advent of death on the Earth, during both funeral ceremonies and the rites of the "end of mourning" ("dama"). There also exists a supreme hogon for the entire region who resides at Arou (Aru) and is elected by members of the Arou tribe. The household is usually an extended family consisting of both nuclear and polygynous units. 23 Feb. 2023 . The most ancient dialects are dyamsay and tombo, the former being most frequently used for traditional prayers and ritual chants. An enlarged family can count up to a hundred persons and is called guinna. Work activities are clearly differentiated. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [22] They were primarily symbolized by the sun, which was a female symbol in the religion. WebAlthough the Dogon recognize the creator god Amma as the Supreme Being and address prayers and sacrifices to him, the core set of beliefs and practices focuses on ancestor They speak the Dogon languages, which are considered to constitute an independent branch of the Many artifacts have been located in caves and sanctuaries in the area which are helping experts to better understand the history and the societies of the Cliff of Bandiagara. Masked dances and masquerades at funerals are a feature of their culture for which they are well known. Highest in the order of supernatural beings is Amma, the supreme creator god, the master of life and death, a benevolent albeit impersonal being who prevails over all, sees all, and knows all. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Heaven on Earth? Caste boys do not get circumcised.[31]. [6], According to legend, the first hogon, Lebe, was descended from a nommo. The Because the word sewa is so commonly repeated throughout a Dogon village, neighboring peoples have dubbed the Dogon the sewa people. Villages usually contain a single localized lineage whose dwellings are grouped around the "great house" (ginna ) of the head. In addition to the priests and religious functionaries of the various cults, there are seers or visionaries (kumogu ) and diviners. The binou, which is usually in animal form serves as a representation of the ancestor. All of the men in his age-set live together in a due until they marry and have children. "[24] Dogon males were primarily associated with the single-sexed male Jackal and the Sigui festival, which was associated with death on the Earth. Members of these castes are physically separate from the rest of the village and live either at the village edge or outside of it entirely. The human story begins in Africa. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. Its head, called the ginna bana, is the oldest living male member of his generation. They purchase sugar, salt, European merchandise, and many animal products, such as milk, butter, and dried fish. The Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. He wears white clothes and nobody is allowed to touch him. In traditional Dogon society, land was transmitted within the family group (ginna, or lineage), and was considered inalienable property. Paris: ditions Domat-Montchrestien, F. Loviton. Public opinion is a great regulator of social behavior in Dogon society, not so much for its threats of punishment through shame, but by its withdrawal of satisfaction and love from its erring members. 1000-1500 AD, Dogon Sculpture, Mali. African religions: Ritual and religious specialists. 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. Sometime in the 14 th century, the Dogon people arrived in the area and drove the Tellem from the escarpment, although it is also possible that the latter were assimilated as within the abandoned Tellem villages, the influence of this culture on the Dogon is apparent. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? It is advisable to hire a guide with a car as the area is remote. Death is conceived as the separation from the body of the two parts that make up the personalitythe nyama, or vital life force, and the kikinu say, or soul. The newly circumcised youths, now considered young men, walk around naked for a month after the procedure so that their achievement in age can be admired by the tribe. Ritual dance of Dogon County (Gleeson, G / CC BY 2.0 ). Blood alliances frequently were contracted between the Dogon and other groups such as the Bozo. The designation "Naga" is applied to the numerous Indo-Mongoloid tribes living in the hill country at the, Chin Until the dama is completed, the soul of the deceased wanders on the southern outskirts of the village, sometimes in the bush or around its former dwelling. "[46], More recently, doubts have been raised about the validity of Griaule and Dieterlen's work. Dogon funeral rituals come in two parts. & E.I.K. Durieux-Boon (2004). Retours au 'pays du reel'", Genevive Calame-Griaule: "On the Dogon Restudied". Houses are built extremely close together, many times sharing walls and floors. Divorce is not uncommon; it occurs most often in polygynous households. 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. After being chosen, a hogon must pass through several months without washing or shaving. Other authors have argued that previous 20th-century European visitors to the Dogon are a far more plausible source of such information and dispute whether Griaule's account accurately describes Dogon myths at all. African art and culture had been a driving inspiration to European modern artists like Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, and Amedeo Modigliani, among others. The Mali landscape around Dogon (Spooner, J / CC BY 2.0 ). The Dogon languages show few remnants of a unique noun class system, an example of which is that human nouns take a distinct plural suffix. Thought to have originated as a method to unite and keep peace among Dogon villages, the 'sigi' involves all members of the Dogon people. All the rites and ceremonies involve, in varying degrees of complexity, offerings and sacrifices, mock battles, and the prominent display of the carved masks (generally through their use in the elaborate dances of the masked society). Dogon religion and Dogon philosophy both expressed a haunting sense of the original loss of twin-ness. Large mock battles are performed in order to help chase the spirit, known as the nyama, from the deceased's body and village, and towards the path to the afterlife (Davis, 68). Dogon art consists primarily of sculptures. Animals are kept more as a symbol of wealth and prestige than for economic necessity. Pern, Stephen (1982). Individuals with high status may own a small number of cattle.[30]. The hogon is assisted in office by a sacrificial totem priest (yebene ), three bodyguards or policemen, a public crier or herald, and an ambassador who deals with other districts. Dogon door with stylized figures (Wegmann, M/ CC BY 3.0 ). There are also areas of natural wonders, as well as regions of geological, archaeological, or historical significance. When a woman leaves her husband, she takes with her only the youngest childthe remaining children stay with the husband's family. The ceremony originally honored the dead ancestors but is now for the living; it serves to halt the gradual cultural decline in Dogon society and to cleanse the community of its sins and bad feelings. , as well as hunt occasionally, and many animal products, such as caves, rock shelters, many. By one male elder was transmitted within the Cite this article tool, pick a style see. Dried fish so commonly repeated throughout a Dogon village, neighboring peoples have dubbed Dogon! 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