[12] Marriages are endogamous in that the people are limited to marry only persons within their clan and within their caste.[29]. 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). These events are held annually to honor the elders who have died since the last Dama. 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. The Sirige mask is a tall mask used in funerals only for men who were alive during the holding of the Sigui ceremony (see below) (Davis, 68). There also exists a supreme hogon for the entire region who resides at Arou (Aru) and is elected by members of the Arou tribe. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/dogon. 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 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. [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. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. A hogon is a spiritual leader in a Dogon village who plays an important role in Dogon religion. Each village is composed of one main lineage (occasionally, multiple lineages make up a single village) traced through the male line. [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? Boys are circumcised in age groups of three years, counting for example all boys between 9 and 12 years old. The 'Awa' is characterized by the intricate masks worn by members during rituals. Since the late 20th century, the Dogon have developed peaceful trading relationships with other societies and have thereby increased variety in their diets. WebI have learned that within in the Dogon Culture, Hogon is considered to both a political and spiritual leader to the people of Mali in West Africa. Given the centrality of ancestor worship in Dogon society, practices associated with deathnamely, the initial funerary rites and the dama, or final lifting of mourningachieve great importance in ceremonial life. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Formed by a range of sandstone hills, the cliff has a distinctive geology and forms a natural redoubt which is somewhat isolated from the surrounding region as it is bookmarked between two mountains. [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]. These are two story building with separate areas for men and women. 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). 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. In the shadowy world of ancient warfare, one weapon stood out as a true marvel: Greek fire. The Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. Masked dances and masquerades at funerals are a feature of their culture for which they are well known. 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. [37] Women have no right to learn Sigui So. Once a boy is circumcised, he transitions into young adulthood and moves out of his father's house. Dogon village along the Bandiagara escarpment. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. 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. In the Dogon language, the sun's name (nay) had the same root as "mother" (na) and "cow" (n). Unfortunately, the majority of these animistic spiritual practices tend to disappear with the younger generations and the widespread adoption of Islam. I have lived nearby and visited Dogon country. Beierle, John "Dogon Today, at least 35% of the Dogon practice Islam. Such jihads caused the Dogon to abandon their original villages and moved up to the cliffs of Bandiagara for better defense and to escape persecutionoften building their dwellings in little nooks and crannies.[15][17]. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. "Mythes et organisation sociale au Soudan franais". Plains, escarpment, and plateau represent distinctive features in the region. 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. Masked Dancers of West Africa: The Dogon. Kinship Terminology. 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. 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. The largest ginnas are subdivided into several families, or tire togo (sing.). Dieterlen, G., 1955. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. . The Awa is a masked dance society that holds ritual and social importance. Marriage is proscribed between members of the same clan or with first or second cousins of different clans. Identification. 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. 15th19th century. WebDiscuss why you would or would not like to be selected as the Hogan within the Dogon culture. One relates to their coming from Mande, located to the southwest of the Bandiagara escarpment near Bamako. Tellem textiles: archaeological finds from burial caves in Mali's Bandiagara Cliff, Available at: https://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=084681896, Douglas, M. (1968). Palau Marti, Montserrat (1957). Each caste is endogamous, and members do not take part in any of the common religious cults. This chief head is the oldest living son of the ancestor of the local branch of the family. 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. African religions: Ritual and religious specialists. 'Sigi' is a society-wide ritual to honor and recognize the first ancestors. Although inheritance today is strictly patrilineal, formerly there was a tradition of matrilineal inheritance (by sister's son). According to this oral tradition, the first Dogon settlement was established in the extreme southwest of the escarpment at Kani-Na. Circumcision and excision are once again the remedy."[27]. Although Temple fails to prove its antiquity, the evidence for the recent acquisition of the information is still entirely circumstantial. [44] They also claimed that the Dogon appeared to know of the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter. Death and Afterlife. The circumcision is celebrated and the initiated boys go around and receive presents. The spread of Islam throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the basic religious orientation of the Dogon. Webaccording to the Dogon culture, when a hogan is chosen, he must go for months on end without bathing and shaving the hair on their bodies from the head to toes.this means that the hogan will forego any hygiene practice for along duration so as to fulfill the requirements of being a hogan. How the Dogon Preserved Their Unique Culture Along The Cliff Other crops include sesame, maize, peanuts, yams, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, okra, watermelons, papayas, some figs, gourds, and cotton. WebDogon or Tellem peoples (?) "[55] Additionally, James Clifford notes that Griaule sought informants best qualified to speak of traditional lore, and deeply mistrusted converts to Christianity, Islam, or people with too much contact with whites. Hogon live alone and should be celibate, but a village girl may act as a maid. A virgin who has not yet had her period takes care of him, cleans his house, and prepares his meals. Signs of other contacts and origins are evident in Dogon art. Although some Dogon accepted the new regime, many strongly opposed and resisted it for many years. The Dogon use this entertainment to earn income by charging tourists money for the masks they want to see and for the ritual itself (Davis, 68). Another 10% practices Christianity. "The dual soul is a danger; a man should be male, and a woman female. WebThe Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 14:24. 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 . ETHNONYMS: Cohatur, Kohatur, Kotar, Koter, Kothur Divorce is not uncommon; it occurs most often in polygynous households. At this time, new masks are carved and dedicated to the ancestors. 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. When a woman leaves her husband, she takes with her only the youngest childthe remaining children stay with the husband's family. Medicine. Question: Discuss why you would or would not like to be selected as the Hogan within the Dogon culture. [citation needed] Divorce is more common in polygynous marriages than in monogamous marriages. ); 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. European contact was first made in 1857. A Hogon is a spiritual leader in a Dogon village who play an important role in Dogon religion . The Dogon are an ethnic group in Mali, with some unusual mythology and cultural practices. Hogon live alone and should be celibat The Dogon migrated after the empire's collapse to the cliffs of the Bandiagara plateau. [22] They were primarily symbolized by the sun, which was a female symbol in the religion. Each Dogon village, or enlarged family, is headed by one male elder. 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. WebThe hogon, the Dogons' spiritual elders and high priests, preside over Lebe ceremonies. Orientation Their eyes were red, their tongues forked, and their arms flexible and unjointed.[21]. In 1995, gravitational studies indeed showed the possible presence of a brown dwarf star orbiting around Sirius (a Sirius-C) with a six-year orbital period. [2], The hogon has a key role in village rituals and in ensuring fertility[3] and germination. The smiths have important ritual powers and are characteristically poor. 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"). 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. The masqueraders dance on the rooftops of the deceased's compound, throughout the village, and in the area of fields around the village (Davis, 68). [28] Today, a significant minority of the Dogon practice Islam. Dogon lineage is patrilineal, meaning However, the date of retrieval is often important. Influence from Tellem art is evident in Dogon art because of its rectilinear designs (Laude, 24). 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 danyim is held a couple of months later. A. According to Dogon belief, they (hogon) are the "oldest direct descendant of the original ancestor." This marks the end of their youth, and they are initiated. They purchase sugar, salt, European merchandise, and many animal products, such as milk, butter, and dried fish. Another indication of this is the subjectobjectverb basic word order, which Dogon shares with such early NigerCongo branches as Ijoid and Mande. [8][9][10], Over time, the Dogon moved north along the escarpment, arriving in the Sanga region in the 15th century. The fundamental unit of Dogon social organization is the patrilineage, or ginna. The first occurs immediately after the death of a person, and the second can occur years after the death. Were primarily symbolized by the intricate masks worn by members during rituals know of the original ancestor ''! Dedicated to the ancestors which they are well known counting for example all between! 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