The Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. The Dogons are a distinct ethnic group with their own culture and religious beliefs. Current Anthropology, Vol. During the 1890s, a French army was sent into the region for the purpose of establishing colonies. The 'Awa' is characterized by the intricate masks worn by members during rituals. You'll get a detailed solution from a subject matter expert that helps you learn core concepts. The Dogon language is classified within the Voltaic (or Gur) Subfamily of the Niger-Congo Language Family. 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. Griaule encouraged the construction of a dam near Sangha and persuaded the Dogon to cultivate onions. The other factor influencing their choice of settlement location was access to water. Since the late 20th century, the Dogon have developed peaceful trading relationships with other societies and have thereby increased variety in their diets. Dogon lineage is patrilineal, meaning 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. ETHNONYMS: Kareang, Kariang, Kayin, Pwo, Sgaw, Yang In addition to agriculture, the women gather wild fruits, tubers, nuts, and honey in the bush outside of village borders. The first wife, or ya biru, holds a higher position in the family relative to any wives from later marriages. A hogon is a religious figure as well as a temporal authority; the hogon may be hereditary or may be chosen from among the village elderscustom varies from place to place. 16th-20th Century. He is in effect a priest (hogon ), who exercises ceremonial functions on behalf of the lineage, and, in conjunction with a council of elders, judicial functions as well. This custom is repeated over and over, throughout a Dogon village, all day. 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. Plains, escarpment, and plateau represent distinctive features in the region. Organisation sociale des dogon (Soudan Franais). Death and Afterlife. This was to prevent a being like the Jackal from ever being born on Earth again. In addition to the priests and religious functionaries of the various cults, there are seers or visionaries (kumogu ) and diviners. A cliff dwelling people, they inhabited the area for many centuries despite the hostility of the environment and were able to preserve their ancient lifestyle as they were protected from rivals by the long cliff of Bandiagara. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! It contained only about a quarter of the full vocabulary of "Dogo so", the Dogon language. Above the lineage is the much larger kin group called the clan, from which the various lineages emerge. Afterwards, the boys stay for a few days in a hut separated from the rest of the village people, until the wounds have healed. During the danyim, masqueraders perform dances every morning and evening for any period up to six days, depending on that village's practice. Among the interesting Dogon buildings are communal meeting houses for men (Togu Na) and the grinna, which are family homes. "The Nummo foresaw that the original rule of twin births was bound to disappear, and that errors might result comparable to those of the jackal, whose birth was single. Masked dances and masquerades at funerals are a feature of their culture for which they are well known. Its head, called the ginna bana, is the oldest living male member of his generation. Women may leave their husbands early in their marriage, before the birth of their first child. [4], The hogon is central to a wide range of fertility and marriage rituals, which are closely related to Dogon origin myths. 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. Land Tenure. Socialization. The Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their principal crops being millet, sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, and sorrel. ." While the people keep chickens or herds of sheep and goats in Dogon villages, animal husbandry holds little economic value. Each large district has a hogon, or spiritual leader, and there is a supreme hogon for the whole country. Both sexes market, fish, and gather wild foods. Descended from the founding ancestor Dyon, the hogon [12] See also [ edit] Pangool Mand creation myth Samay (mythology) Zin (water spirits) Traditional African religion portal Mali portal References [ edit] A new 'sigi' is started every 60 years. This is manifested through the cult of the masks, the Lebe cult, the Binu cult, and the more general cult of the ancestors associated with the ginna. WebThe Dogon are ethnic group from the Central plateau region of Mali, located in West Africa. A. European contact was first made in 1857. 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. Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. The Dogon believes that the sacred serpent Lebe comes during the night to purify him and communicate wisdom to him. Each caste is endogamous, and members do not take part in any of the common religious cults. There are two endogamous castes in Dogon society: the smiths and the leather-workers. During the colonization of Mali by the French, the inhabitants of the escarpment were able to use caves and tunnels to avoid the Europeans and were able to preserve their way of life. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? Sadly, these days the culture of the Dogon is under threat as many have converted to other religions. Formally, wives join their husband's household only after the birth of their first child. [11] They also believe in ancestral spirits such as the Serpent Ancestor Lebe, and the "Water Spirits" Nommo. Dogon art consists primarily of sculptures. A hogon is a spiritual leader in a Dogon village who plays an important role in Dogon religion. Dogon funeral rituals come in two parts. The importance of secrecy is due to the symbolic meaning behind the pieces and the process by which they are made. 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. The district headman is also head of his lineage and occupies the "great house" (ginna) of that kin group. In referring to relatives, linguistic usage distinguishes between the forms of address and the specific relationship. Religious Beliefs. 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. Also effective as means of inducing conformity are ridicule and threats of supernatural sanction. (2003), Wanono, Nadine & Renaudeau, Michel (1996), Hochstetler, J. Lee, Durieux, J. Pern, Stephen (1982). Kinship Terminology. He is elected from among the oldest men of the dominant lineage of the village. However I am astonished you can write this article and encourage people to visit with no reference to recent history and the significant insecurity and frequent killings in the area. The smiths have important ritual powers and are characteristically poor. Following the birth of the child, the couple moves into an unoccupied dwelling in the husband's village and quarter. It was held once every sixty years and allegedly celebrated the white dwarf star, Sirius B. Craft skills are well developed among the Dogon, especially the making of pottery and baskets, weaving, wood carving, and leather- and ironworking. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. 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. I have lived nearby and visited Dogon country. [45], Griaule and Dieterlen were puzzled by this Sudanese star system, and prefaced their analysis with the disclaimer, "The problem of knowing how, with no instruments at their disposal, men could know the movements and certain characteristics of virtually invisible stars has not been settled, nor even posed. Not on view. 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. The Dogon dialects are highly distinct from one another and many varieties are not mutually intelligible, actually amounting to some 12 dialects and 50 sub-dialects. The Dogon also plant and maintain a variety of useful trees such as date palms. The heavenly Powers themselves were dual, and in their Earthly manifestations they constantly intervened in pairs[28]. The hogon is always a man. The cliff is not far from the city of Bandiagara in western Mali. [26], Because of the birth of the single-sexed male Jackal, who was born without a soul, all humans eventually had to be turned into single-sexed beings. The principal domestic animals are sheep, goats, donkeys, dogs, chickens, guinea fowls, ducks, some cattle, a few horses, and cats. Man in Peru Caught Out Drinking With an 800-year-old Mummy! 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. ETHNONYMS: Chelofes, Galofes, Guiolof, Gyloffes, Ialofes, Iolof, Jalof, Jolof, Olof, Ouoloff, Valaf, Volof, Wollufs, Yaloffs, Yolof The Niger River is nearby and in the sandstone rock, a rivulet runs at the foot of the cliff at the lowest point of the area during the wet season. This chief head is the oldest living son of the ancestor of the local branch of the family. A secret language known as sigi so is used by members of the men's society (awa ) in connection with religious rites. The Dogon also believe in various malevolent and benevolent spirits who populate the bush, trees, and uninhabited places. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. This practice has been passed down for generations and is always followed, even during winter. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000. Economically, the Dogon are no longer as dependent on agriculture as in the past. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Dogon religion and Dogon philosophy both expressed a haunting sense of the original loss of twin-ness. 35 Issue 2. Nearby is a cave where music instruments are stored. These caste groups live apart from the general population. [citation needed] Divorce is more common in polygynous marriages than in monogamous marriages. The Dogon numbered 500,000 on the eve of Malis independence on He is responsible for the creation of three other subordinate beings, the worship of which is the basis of several totemic cults. 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. Encyclopedia.com. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! Work activities are clearly differentiated. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. [37] Women have no right to learn Sigui So. 15th19th century. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Each district had its own recognized war leaders. 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. But Islamic law classified the Dogon and many other ethnicities of the region (Mossi, Gurma, Bobo, Busa and the Yoruba) as being within the non-canon dar al-harb and consequently fair game for slave raids organized by merchants. There are two major events at which the Awa perform: the 'sigi' ritual and 'dama' funeral rituals.[35]. Universit de Paris, Travaux et Mmoires de l'Institut d'Ethnologie, 33. Dogon door with stylized figures (Wegmann, M/ CC BY 3.0 ). 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. Other crops include sesame, maize, Gathering activities involve the collecting of wild fruits, nuts and berries, various seeds, leaves, tubers and roots, and honey. Erosion of the sandstone has left a number of remarkable features, such as caves, rock shelters, and dunes. These events are held annually to honor the elders who have died since the last Dama. Heaven on Earth? Another indication of this is the subjectobjectverb basic word order, which Dogon shares with such early NigerCongo branches as Ijoid and Mande. Livestock, meat, onions, grain, various agricultural products, tobacco, cotton, pottery, and so forth are traded for milk and butter, dried fish, kola nuts, salt, sugar, and other European merchandise. The human story begins in Africa. Masked Dancers of West Africa: The Dogon. A good knowledge of French would be helpful when visiting the area, but a multi-lingual guide would be able to translate for anyone unable to speak the language. 1000-1500 AD, Dogon Sculpture, Mali. Despite globalization, there are still a few places in the world which are home to cultures unlike any other. [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. African art and culture had been a driving inspiration to European modern artists like Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, and Amedeo Modigliani, among others. Villages usually contain a single localized lineage whose dwellings are grouped around the "great house" (ginna ) of the head. 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. The yingim and the danyim rituals each last a few days. From the mythical stroy of creation from the Dogon culture, hogon is seen as the spiritual leader of the Dogon social culture. 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"). Caste boys do not get circumcised.[31]. Starting in the northeastern part of Dogon territory, each village takes turns celebrating and hosting elaborate feasts, ceremonies, and festivities. When a woman leaves her husband, she takes with her only the youngest childthe remaining children stay with the husband's family. They were one of the last people in West Africa to lose their independence and come under French rule.[18]. It is generally accepted that the Dogon language belongs to the NigerCongo language family, though the evidence is weak. In comparison with the neighboring Fulani, animal husbandry is relatively unimportant. Location. After initiation, the Hogon wears a red fez. Communicate wisdom to him tobacco, and plateau represent distinctive features in region! Religious functionaries of the sandstone has left a number of remarkable features, as. Practice has been passed down for generations and is always followed, even during winter classified within Voltaic. 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