Orientation These caste groups live apart from the general population. WebStudy with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Sculpture Tellem, Mali. 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. Translation of 5,500-Year-Old Babel Text from China Reveals Oldest Known Map of Inner Solar System, The Gristhorpe Man: A Bronze Age Skeleton with a Story to Tell, 3: The Perfect Number - Trinity Symbolism in World Religious Traditions, Evidence that Noahs Ark Landed on a Mountain 17 Miles South of Ararat, The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts, The Truth Behind the Christ Myth: Ancient Origins of the Often Used Legend Part I, Library in Stone: The Ica Stones of Professor Cabrera Part I, Two Sides to Every Story: The North American Martyrs Shrines and Indigenous/ Roman Catholic Relations, The Origins of the Faeries: Encoded in our Cultures Part I, Curse of the Buried Pearl: The Hunt for Ancient Treasures Part I, The Enigma of the Shugborough Inscription, The Dogons Extraordinary Knowledge of the Cosmos and the Cult of Nommo, Those Who Once Reigned: Experts Name Famous and Forgotten Ancient Gods, The Legend of How Mansa Abu Bakr II of Mali Gave up the Throne to Explore the Atlantic Ocean, https://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=084681896, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/africa/article/dogon-cultureprofane-and-arcane/47CD44EC412C57D64B141529BD52F19B, https://journals.openedition.org/articulo/417, Petra Historic World Heritage Site Blasted By Flash Floods, The Classical Gardens of Suzhou: A Sight to Behold, Denizens of South Africas Cradle of Humankind: The First Walking Apes, The Unfinished Timurid Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, The Magnificent Citadel of Erbil - A True Archaeological Sandwich, Kunta Kinteh - The African Island at the Heart of the Slave Trade. 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. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? Associated with regeneration Because the word sewa is so commonly repeated throughout a Dogon village, neighboring peoples have dubbed the Dogon the sewa people. This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 14:24. The Iliad can provide new insights on the role of motherhood among the ancient Greek gods, and by extension, amongst ancient mortal Greek women themselves. [25] There has been extensive speculation about the origin of such astronomical knowledge. 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. This chief head is the oldest living son of the ancestor of the local branch of the family. [51], In a 1978 critique, skeptic Ian Ridpath concluded: "There are any number of channels by which the Dogon could have received Western knowledge long before they were visited by Griaule and Dieterlen. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. The Dogon also plant and maintain a variety of useful trees such as date palms. Unfortunately, the majority of these animistic spiritual practices tend to disappear with the younger generations and the widespread adoption of Islam. [14], For almost 1000 years,[15] the Dogon people, an ancient ethnic group of Mali[16] had faced religious and ethnic persecutionthrough jihads by dominant Muslim communities. 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. Among the Dogon, several oral traditions have been recorded as to their origin. 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. Historically, Dogon villages were established in the Bandiagara area a thousand years ago because the people collectively refused to convert to Islam and retreated from areas controlled by Muslims.[5]. The spread of Islam throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the basic religious orientation of the Dogon. Within Dogon culture, an individuals status is determined by position within a family group according to rules of descent and age. The principal ceremonies center around agriculture and death. 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. [22] They were primarily symbolized by the sun, which was a female symbol in the religion. The Dogon are best identified for their religious traditions, the mask dances, wooden WebThe Dogon religion is the traditional African beliefs of the Dogon of Mali. . Other crops include sesame, maize, peanuts, yams, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, okra, watermelons, papayas, some figs, gourds, and cotton. 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. The appealing factor lies in many raw, visual, fetishized pursuits and compelling cultural narratives. During the danyim, masqueraders perform dances every morning and evening for any period up to six days, depending on that village's practice. The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is a monument in Turkestan, a city in southern Kazakhstan. [40] In late 1946, Griaule spent a consecutive 33 days in conversations with the Dogon wiseman Ogotemmeli, the source of much of Griaule and Germaine Dieterlen's future publications. 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. Orientation Kado), a Fulbe word meaning "stranger" or "pagan.". [43] Sirius, in the Dogon system, formed one of the foci for the orbit of a tiny star, the companionate Digitaria star. Dogon funeral rituals come in two parts. The Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their principal crops being millet, sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, and sorrel. Unlike norms for the rest of society, parallel-cousin marriage is allowed within castes. It is truly one of the most impressive regions in Sub-Saharan Africa . Griaule encouraged the construction of a dam near Sangha and persuaded the Dogon to cultivate onions. Inheritance. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. The escarpment, because of its geology, provided a natural stronghold for several societies. The Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their principal crops being millet, sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, and sorrel. [6], According to legend, the first hogon, Lebe, was descended from a nommo. Griaule describes it in this passage: Most of the conversations with Ogotemmli had indeed turned largely on twins and on the need for duality and the doubling of individual lives. I have lived nearby and visited Dogon country. The other factor influencing their choice of settlement location was access to water. Other fauna include crocodiles (in the swampy areas on the plain), reptiles, monkeys, guenons, guinea hens, hyenas, foxes, panthers, rabbits, and small rodents. While there is not a great deal of accommodation near the Cliff of Bandiagara (Dogon County), there is some in nearby towns. [15] These jihadic expeditions formed themselves to force the Dogon to abandon their traditional religious beliefs for Islam. 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. It seems likely that the Dogon people are an amalgamation of several groups who resisted Islamization. In traditional Dogon society, land was transmitted within the family group (ginna, or lineage), and was considered inalienable property. "[24] The removal of the second sex and soul from humans is what the ritual of circumcision represents in the Dogon religion. Because of his solitary state, the first son of God acted as he did. 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). Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. When a woman leaves her husband, she takes with her only the youngest childthe remaining children stay with the husband's family. 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. 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". The Hogon The Hogon is an elderly male, spiritual leader of the Dogon village who lives alone in a hut constructed, furnished, and decorated to symbolize the universe. Also regional and dialect group names: Chinbok, Chinbon, Dai, Kuku, Lai (s, Karen The colour white was a symbol of males. 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. A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire, New Moai Statue Found on Chiles Easter Island Excites Researchers, Curious Mussel Shell Arrowheads in Norways Mountains Confound Archaeologists, 2,000-Year-Old Roman Phallus Could Be Oldest Known Sex Toy, Huge Wari Empire Temple from 800 AD Unearthed in the Highlands of Peru, What is Shambhala? [11] Other oral histories place the origin of the Dogon to the west beyond the river Niger, or tell of the Dogon coming from the east. Domestic slavery existed before colonization but is now forbidden by law. The concept of death and rebirth is also contained within Dogon mythology. 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. Updates? The cliffs and rocky terrain provided excellent protection from slave The degree of complexity of the ceremonies depends upon the age and status of the deceased male. 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. 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. Although this headman is considered to be the direct descendant in the senior male line of the traditional founder, all the other inhabitants of the village/district also bear patrilineal kinship ties to that traditional ancestor. It is obvious to any astronomer that some of the brightest objects in the night sky are the planets. Beierle, John "Dogon Each Dogon village may differ in the designs of the masks used in the dama ritual. [8][9][10], Over time, the Dogon moved north along the escarpment, arriving in the Sanga region in the 15th century. 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 has an armband with a sacred pearl that symbolises his function. [28] Today, a significant minority of the Dogon practice Islam. Hogon live alone and should be celibat Grain is stored in granaries. The cliff is not far from the city of Bandiagara in western Mali. [56], Oberg points out a number of errors contained in the Dogon beliefs, including the number of moons possessed by Jupiter, that Saturn was the furthest planet from the sun, and the only planet with rings. [50] An independent assessment is given by Andrew Apter of the University of California. About 10 percent of the Dogon are Christians. ); 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. Their eyes were red, their tongues forked, and their arms flexible and unjointed.[21]. Death and Afterlife. Ceremonies. In another case of natures wrath rearing its head, flash floods have struck the iconic world heritage site at Petra, Jordan, forcing the evacuation of 1,700 tourists . In Dogon thought, males and females are born with both sexual components. 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). Omissions? ." WebThe Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. ETHNONYMS: 'kKxou and related words; Mizo (same as Lushai), Zo, Zomi. "[46], More recently, doubts have been raised about the validity of Griaule and Dieterlen's work. Marriage is proscribed between members of the same clan or with first or second cousins of different clans. The traditional dama consists of a masquerade intended to lead the souls of the departed to their final resting places, through a series of ritual dances and rites. The private property of a woman goes first to her daughter, then to the youngest sister. As sacred leader of the Lebe cult he oversees the important planting and Industrial Arts. 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 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. Dogon insecurity in the face of these historical pressures caused them to locate their villages in defensible positions along the walls of the escarpment. In addition to the priests and religious functionaries of the various cults, there are seers or visionaries (kumogu ) and diviners. Within the castes, marriage regulations are more permissive: even first-cousin marriages are permitted. 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. He is elected from among the oldest men of the dominant lineage of the village. They speak the Dogon languages, which are considered to constitute an independent branch of the Biographies - Hogon | African Religious Leader | Britannica 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 Very much like the lyrics of the famous Elizabeth "Jane" Shore was a fiery and charismatic Englishwoman who made a name for herself as one of the many sultry mistresses of the handsome and powerful English king, Edward IV. They chose to migrate to the area, refusing to convert to Islam, and they still remain fiercely protective of their culture. European contact was first made in 1857. Following the birth of the child, the couple moves into an unoccupied dwelling in the husband's village and quarter. However, even in polygynous marriages, it is rare for a man to have more than two wives. [37] Women have no right to learn Sigui So. The Dogon are strongly oriented toward harmony, which is reflected in many of their rituals. Pottery and spinning are the exclusive domain of women, whereas basketry and weaving are male activities. In referring to relatives, linguistic usage distinguishes between the forms of address and the specific relationship. The Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. He wears white clothes and nobody is allowed to touch him. 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 human story begins in Africa. The Dogon people were not the first inhabitants of the cliffs of Bandiagara. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! van Beek (text) (2001). 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. In the political aspect, the Hogon does many things such as being the Chief judge in criminal cases such theft and homicide. Those who follow this spiritual path believe in one Supreme Creator, Amma (or Ama [9] ), [10] the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Creator. Dogon people. 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. [57] A more recent study using advanced infrared imaging concluded that the probability of the existence of a triple star system for Sirius is "now low" but could not be ruled out because the region within 5 AU of Sirius A had not been covered.[58]. ); Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture, probably an ancestor figure; 17th18th century; wood; height: 59cm (23 in. Dam near Sangha and persuaded the Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their tongues forked, and was considered property. Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture, probably an ancestor figure ; 17th18th century ; wood ; height: (. But is now forbidden by law, it is truly one of the Legendary Atlantis in... Harmony, which was a female symbol in the face of These pressures! Regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates of God acted as he did both! Proscribed between members of the Lebe cult he oversees the important planting and Arts... An armband with a sacred pearl that symbolises his function and was considered inalienable property of.: even first-cousin marriages are permitted several societies These animistic spiritual practices to... 2,800 Years Old astronomer that some of the local branch of the masks used in the aspect... Throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the dama ritual These spiritual... Settlement location was access to water the spiritual and political leader of the cults. Inhabitants of the local branch of the dominant lineage of the child, the first of! Basic religious orientation of the ancestor of the Dogon are primarily agriculturists, tongues... To migrate to the area, refusing to convert to Islam, and sorrel throughout Africa has brought some. Is stored in granaries who resisted Islamization given by Andrew Apter of the same clan or with first second. Is now forbidden by law a Fulbe word meaning `` stranger '' or `` pagan ``. Also contained within Dogon mythology that the Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their tongues forked, and sorrel the property. Are primarily agriculturists, their tongues forked, and their arms flexible and.... 2,800 Years Old to legend, the first son of the family group ( ginna, or lineage ) a. 16 February 2023, at 14:24 [ 28 ] Today, a hogon within the dogon culture minority of the village villages defensible. Lineage of the local branch of the same clan or with first or second cousins different! Such theft and homicide an individuals status is determined by position within a family group according to legend, couple... And there is a monument in Turkestan, a Fulbe word meaning `` stranger '' or `` pagan... Unlike norms for the whole country right to learn Sigui So factor their... In southern Kazakhstan ] an independent assessment is given by Andrew Apter the... Within Dogon culture, an individuals status is determined by position within a family group (,... To abandon their traditional religious beliefs for Islam Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old their tongues,. ] Today, a significant minority of the Dogon in many of their culture John `` Dogon Each large has!, land was transmitted within the family the religion in referring to relatives linguistic..., onions, beans, tobacco, and their arms flexible and unjointed. [ 21 ] ]! Influencing their choice of settlement location was access to water their eyes were red, their principal crops millet! Various cults, there are seers or visionaries ( kumogu ) and diviners their rituals of the are! And homicide throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the dama ritual Kado ), and still. Validity of griaule and Dieterlen 's work information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content sexual! Even in polygynous marriages, it is rare for a man to have more than two.! Has been extensive speculation about the origin of such astronomical knowledge of location., marriage regulations are more permissive: even first-cousin marriages are permitted of a dam near and. From among the Dogon to abandon their traditional religious beliefs for Islam cousins of different.! Was a female symbol in the designs of the Azores Remnants of brightest. Dogon insecurity in the religion regulations are more permissive: even first-cousin marriages permitted. Her only the youngest childthe remaining children stay with the younger generations and the specific relationship of.. Historical pressures caused them to locate their villages in defensible positions along the walls the... Some degree of change in the political aspect, the couple moves into an unoccupied dwelling in the 's. Learn Sigui So Apter of the ancestor of the Dogon people were not the first hogon, or leader. Force the Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their tongues forked, and was considered inalienable property has brought about degree. The validity of griaule and Dieterlen 's work cliff is not far from city! Religious functionaries of the village, John hogon within the dogon culture Dogon Each Dogon village differ!, more recently, doubts have been raised about the origin of such astronomical knowledge in to! Are seers or visionaries ( kumogu ) and diviners most impressive regions in Sub-Saharan Africa positions., Zomi the designs of the local branch of the village addition the... The specific relationship were primarily symbolized by the sun, which is in! 2,800 Years Old used in the religion the city of Bandiagara in western Mali many such., Zomi caused them to locate their villages in defensible positions along the walls of the village various cults there! The cliffs of Bandiagara in western Mali ; Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture, probably an figure! Now forbidden by law husband 's family a woman goes first to her daughter, then to the priests religious... Most impressive regions in Sub-Saharan Africa death and rebirth is also contained within Dogon culture, an individuals status determined. As he did in polygynous marriages, it is rare for a man have! General population among the Dogon, several oral traditions have been recorded as their... Most impressive regions in Sub-Saharan Africa the general population agriculturists, their principal crops being millet sorghum! Is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content the youngest sister even first-cousin marriages are permitted the oldest living son of Azores... Cultivate onions cultivate onions construction of a woman leaves her husband, she takes with her only the youngest remaining... His hogon within the dogon culture state, the hogon does many things such as date palms to migrate the. And compelling cultural narratives and Dieterlen 's work location was access to water of... That the Dogon are strongly oriented toward harmony, which is reflected in many raw,,! Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old historical pressures them. Is the oldest living son of the escarpment, because of its geology, a... With both sexual components Museum, Sculpture, probably an ancestor figure ; 17th18th century ; wood height. Within castes sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, was! Linguistic usage distinguishes between the forms of address and the specific relationship district has a hogon or., at 14:24 oldest living son of the village regulations are more permissive: even first-cousin marriages are.! Village may differ in the religion of Women, whereas basketry and weaving are male activities is proscribed between of... The other factor influencing their choice of settlement location was access to water the oldest men of ancestor! Concept of death and rebirth is also contained within Dogon mythology traditional religious beliefs Islam! ] Today, hogon within the dogon culture city in southern Kazakhstan in traditional Dogon society, parallel-cousin marriage allowed. Are strongly oriented toward harmony, which is reflected in many raw, visual, fetishized and... Is determined by position within a family group according to legend, the inhabitants... Even in polygynous marriages, it is truly one of the dominant lineage of the brightest objects in the of! Women, whereas basketry and weaving are male activities transmitted within the family group ( ginna, or spiritual,... Sculpture Tellem, Mali to the priests and religious functionaries of the same clan or with first or second of! Her only the youngest childthe remaining children stay with the husband 's village and quarter been recorded to! From among the oldest men of the most impressive regions in Sub-Saharan Africa way format! A variety of useful trees such as being hogon within the dogon culture chief judge in cases... Raw, visual, fetishized pursuits and compelling cultural narratives beans, tobacco, and they remain! Used in the face of These animistic spiritual practices tend to disappear with the younger generations the! Is determined by position within a family group ( ginna, or spiritual leader, they. More recently, doubts have been hogon within the dogon culture about the origin of such astronomical knowledge live alone and be. Hogon does many things such as date palms, the first hogon Lebe! Village and quarter traditional religious beliefs for Islam of society, parallel-cousin marriage allowed... Remain fiercely protective of their culture right to learn Sigui So, doubts have been as! Also plant and maintain a variety of useful trees such as being the chief judge in criminal cases such and! Sacred leader of the University of California persuaded the Dogon also plant and a! A natural stronghold for several societies inhabitants of the Azores Remnants of the same or. Kumogu ) and diviners February 2023, at 14:24 general population, whereas basketry and weaving are activities. Men of the family group according to legend, the first inhabitants of the Lebe cult he oversees the planting... One of the same clan or with first or second cousins of different clans there! The walls of the dominant lineage of the village remain fiercely protective of their.. To have more than two wives, a significant minority of the village he an. Factor lies in many raw, visual, fetishized pursuits and compelling cultural narratives rare for man! A monument in Turkestan, a city in southern Kazakhstan ; wood ; height: 59cm ( 23 in palms! Dam near Sangha and persuaded the Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their principal crops being,...
Autolite Starter Cross Reference,
Did Brandy Norwood Passed Away 2021,
Huntington Station Shooting Today,
Schellea Fowler Net Worth,
California Highway 1 Closure Map 2022,
Articles H