Some young men will hunt for small game, but wild animals are relatively scarce near villages. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Griaule, Marcel (1938). Social Control. 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. All of the men in his age-set live together in a due until they marry and have children. From the mythical stroy of creation from the Dogon culture, hogon is seen as the spiritual leader of the Dogon social culture. The most ancient dialects are dyamsay and tombo, the former being most frequently used for traditional prayers and ritual chants. Identification. Masked Dancers of West Africa: The Dogon. After Mali's independence from France in 1960, a 40-kilometer road was built from Bandiagara to Sanga, which further disrupted traditional life. 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. To the southeast of the cliff, the sandy Sno-Gondo Plains are found, and northwest of the cliff are the Bandiagara Highlands. 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. Amsterdam: Time-Life Books B.V. He has an armband with a sacred pearl that symbolises his function. 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 hogon is always a man. Circumcision is believed to eliminate the superfluous one. Funerals for women, who are generally excluded from awa membership, are simple, with little if any ceremony. The name of the country was changed to "French Sudan," and French administrators levied taxes and introduced currency reforms (e.g., French francs to replace the native cowrie shells). Ogotemmli classified the Nummo as hermaphrodites. WebThe Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. According to Shawn R. Davis, this particular ritual incorporates the elements of the yingim and the danyim. Ciarcia, Gaetano "Dogons et Dogon. The district headman is also head of his lineage and occupies the "great house" (ginna) of that kin group. Dieterlen, G., 1955. While the castes are correlated to profession, membership is determined by birth. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. ); Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture, probably an ancestor figure; 17th18th century; wood; height: 59cm (23 in. [citation needed] The selection of a wife is carried out by the man's parents. After being chosen, a hogon must pass through several months without washing or shaving. It is truly one of the most impressive regions in Sub-Saharan Africa . Omissions? Then, two things happened: either Chaos or Gaia created the universe as we know it, or Ouranos and Tethys gave birth to the first beings. The Dogon also believe in various malevolent and benevolent spirits who populate the bush, trees, and uninhabited places. Corrections? Circumcision and excision are once again the remedy."[27]. 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. WebThe Dogon are ethnic group from the Central plateau region of Mali, located in West Africa. Each Dogon village may differ in the designs of the masks used in the dama ritual. The dama consists of an event, known as the Halic, that is held immediately after the death of a person and lasts for one day (Davis, 68). Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? & Hollyman, Stephenie (photographs) & Walter E.A. [18] Griaule had lived amongst the Dogon people for fifteen years before this meeting with Ogotemmeli took place. Death and Afterlife. 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. [12], It is often difficult to distinguish between pre-Muslim practices and later practices. Morton, Robert (ed.) 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. I View the full answer Previous question Next question The Dogon are a group of about 250,000 people who live primarily in the districts of Bandiagara and Douentza in the western African nation of Mali. Associated with regeneration 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. Dogon religion and Dogon philosophy both expressed a haunting sense of the original loss of twin-ness. The mausoleum was built during the reign of Timur, the ruler of the Timurid Empire. About 10 percent of the Dogon are Christians. Monogamy is the major form of marriage, although nonsororal polygyny with a limit of two wives is permitted. A. The Beast with an insatiable Hunger for Human Flesh, Film Footage Provides Intimate View of HMS Gloucester Shipwreck, Top 8 Legendary Parties - Iconic Celebrations in Ancient History, The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth Behind the Black Legend (Part II), The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth behind the Dark Legend (Part I), Bloodthirsty Buddhists: The Sohei Warrior Monks of Feudal Japan, Caesars Savage Human Skewers Unearthed In German Fort. [12] [citation needed] Divorce is more common in polygynous marriages than in monogamous marriages. Following French rule, this concept was modified to allow individual ownership of property. Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. Understanding the Mysterious Kingdom of Shambhala, Aluxes: The Mischievous Little People of Maya Mythology, The Marriage of the Sky and the Sea: Visayan Creation Myths, Alleged Sighting of the Mythical Manananggal in the Philippines Causes Public Anxiety, The Irish Story and Legend of C Chulainn, New Evidence Shows Humans Were Using Bows and Arrows in 52,000 BC, 6 Advanced Ancient Inventions Beyond Modern Understanding. WebHogon are the high priests of the cult of Lebe, the first Dogon ancestor to die, whose body was miraculously transformed into a snake after his death. Animals are kept more as a symbol of wealth and prestige than for economic necessity. A unique architecture was adapted to the local environment by using mud bricks (adobe) to build tower-like buildings in the most unlikely places on the Cliff of Bandiagara, including rock shelters. 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. In the 7th century AD, the Byzantine Empire harnessed the power of fire with the creation of Greek fire, a weapon of destruction unlike any before its time. Minor regional dialectal differences exist. 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. This theme was fundamental to the Dogon religion. 23 Feb. 2023 . She returns to her home at night. Within Dogon culture, an individuals status is determined by position within a family group according to rules of descent and age. Grain is stored in granaries. Similarly each village may have their own way of performing the dama rituals. All agree, however, that they learned about the star from Griaule. During the yincomoli ceremony, a gourd is smashed over the deceased's wooden bowl, hoe, and bundukamba (burial blanket). Women may leave their husbands early in their marriage, before the birth of their first child. The neighboring Fulani have been largely instrumental in transmitting the Islamic faith to the Dogon. In the Dogon language, the sun's name (nay) had the same root as "mother" (na) and "cow" (n). They purchase sugar, salt, European merchandise, and many animal products, such as milk, butter, and dried fish. 16-19th century. 5 (December 1991), pp. Each large district has a hogon, or spiritual leader, and there is a supreme hogon for the whole country. [2], The hogon has a key role in village rituals and in ensuring fertility[3] and germination. Village population size ranges from from 27 to 476 inhabitants (an average of 160); villagers are housed in 7 to 135 buildings (an average of 44). The ritual language, "Sigi so" or "language of the Sigui", which was taught to male dignitaries of the Society of the Masks ("awa"), was considered a poor language. 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 addition to the biological mother who cares for the infant during the nursing period, the second wife, the father's mother and other women of the grandmother's generation, sisters of the father, friends of the wife, and older sisters of the child all serve as caretakers. 1000-1500 AD, Dogon Sculpture, Mali. ETHNONYM: Panjabi There are also areas of natural wonders, as well as regions of geological, archaeological, or historical significance. Top image: Cliff of Bandiagara Source: Public Domain, Bolland, R. (1991). In the political aspect, the Hogon does many things such as being the Chief judge in criminal cases such theft and homicide. Davis, Shawn R. Dogon Funerals in African Art; Summer 2002, Vol. The orbit cycle takes 50 years. Organisation sociale des dogon (Soudan Franais). 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. . There is also a secret ritual language sigi s (language of Sigi), which is taught to dignitaries (olubar) of the Society of the Masks during their enthronement at the Sigui ceremony. The colour white was a symbol of males. [5], The hogon may conduct rituals in the Sanctuaire de Binou, a special building the door of which is blocked with rocks. The vast majority of marriages are monogamous, but nonsororal polygynous marriages are allowed in the Dogon culture. Since the twentieth century, there have been significant changes in the social organisation, material culture and beliefs of the Dogon, in part because Dogon country is one of Mali's major tourist attractions. 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