Dogon has been frequently referred to as a single language. 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]. The danyim is held a couple of months later. [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. 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. It is likely that the Dogon of today are descendants of several groups of diverse origin who migrated to escape Islamization. All agree, however, that they learned about the star from Griaule. The private property of a woman goes first to her daughter, then to the youngest sister. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! 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. (February 23, 2023). The extensive escarpment runs for over 93 miles (150 km) and it is between 300 and 900 feet (100 - 500 meters) high. "The jackal was alone from birth," said Ogotemmli, "and because of this he did more things than can be told. Ceremonies. 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. A virgin who has not yet had her period takes care of him, cleans his house, and prepares his meals. Masques dogons. 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. Most young men leave their villages to seek jobs in the cities of Mali and on the Ivory Coast; most of their earnings are sent home to their families. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. It is obvious to any astronomer that some of the brightest objects in the night sky are the planets. When Digitaria is closest to Sirius, that star brightens: when it is farthest from Sirius, it gives off a twinkling effect that suggests to the observer several stars. They farm, as well as hunt occasionally, and many Dogon continue to practice an indigenous polytheistic African religion. 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. Similarly each village may have their own way of performing the dama rituals. In the event of a divorce, the woman takes only the youngest child with her, and the rest remain as a part of the husband's household. Les dogon. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Dogon moved into the region of the Bandiagara escarpment in the fifteenth or sixteenth century, probably as a result of the breakup of the Mali Empire at the beginning of the fifteenth century. Also effective as means of inducing conformity are ridicule and threats of supernatural sanction. [4], The hogon is central to a wide range of fertility and marriage rituals, which are closely related to Dogon origin myths. [24] (Originally, for the Dogon, man was endowed with a dual soul. [13] As the growth of cities increased, the demand for slaves across the region of West Africa also increased. In 1912 a school was established for them in Sanga, followed by a Christian mission in the 1930s, and later a medical dispensary. 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". [2] They speak the Dogon languages, which are considered to constitute an independent branch of the NigerCongo language family, meaning that they are not closely related to any other languages. Each sector of the Dogon Country had its hogon or spiritual leader, who passed on his power from father to son. The Dogon live in compact, occasionally walled villages built up the sides of the escarpment. Wood and metal and more. This theme was fundamental to the Dogon religion. Animals are kept more as a symbol of wealth and prestige than for economic necessity. Dogon insecurity in the face of these historical pressures caused them to locate their villages in defensible positions along the walls of the escarpment. This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 14:24. Dogon damas include the use of many masks, which they wore by securing them in their teeth, and statuettes. Morton, Robert (ed.) 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. 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]. I have lived nearby and visited Dogon country. These are two story building with separate areas for men and women. Masked Dancers of West Africa: The Dogon. 16-19th century. How the Dogon Preserved Their Unique Culture Along The Cliff They were, however, frequently raided by local Muslims who killed the men and enslaved the women and children. 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"). Succession to office is patrilineal (by younger brother). Wood, covered with sacrifical materials, Seated Couple, Dogon, Mali. The clitoris is considered male, while the foreskin is considered female. The The district headman is also head of his lineage and occupies the "great house" (ginna) of that kin group. This was to prevent a being like the Jackal from ever being born on Earth again. However, the date of retrieval is often important. 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. The yingim consists of both the sacrifice of cows, or other valuable animals, and mock combat. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The dominant form of vegetation on both plain and plateau is the sparse but regular forest of tall trees, which at close range gives the appearance of an immense orchard. Pern, Stephen (1982). 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). The Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their principal crops being millet, sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, and sorrel. Divorce is not uncommon; it occurs most often in polygynous households. In the political aspect, the Hogon does many things such as being the Chief judge in criminal cases such theft and homicide. [5], The hogon may conduct rituals in the Sanctuaire de Binou, a special building the door of which is blocked with rocks. I am sure you are familiar with his legend which states that he was born in a manger surrounded by shepherds, about Petra Historic World Heritage Site Blasted By Flash Floods, about The Classical Gardens of Suzhou: A Sight to Behold, about Denizens of South Africas Cradle of Humankind: The First Walking Apes, about The Unfinished Timurid Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, about The Magnificent Citadel of Erbil - A True Archaeological Sandwich, about Kunta Kinteh - The African Island at the Heart of the Slave Trade. 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. . 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. Other crops include sesame, maize, peanuts, yams, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, okra, watermelons, papayas, some figs, gourds, and cotton. 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. Africa, 38(1), 16-25, Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/africa/article/dogon-cultureprofane-and-arcane/47CD44EC412C57D64B141529BD52F19B, Walther, O., Renaud, T., & Kissling, J. Religious Beliefs. "[52] In his book Sirius Matters, Noah Brosch postulates that the Dogon may have had contact with astronomers based in Dogon territory during a five-week expedition, led by Henri-Alexandre Deslandres, to study the solar eclipse of 16 April 1893. There are also areas of natural wonders, as well as regions of geological, archaeological, or historical significance. This enigmatic figure is an ancestor figure from the Dogon people of Mali. Kin Groups and Descent. Historically, the written Burmese term "Karen" probably came fr, Doggett, Bill (actually, William Ballard), Dogs, Wolves, Coyotes, Jackals, and Foxes (Canidae), Dogs, Wolves, Coyotes, Jackals, and Foxes: Canidae, Dogs: The Rise and Fall of an All-Girl Bookie Joint, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/dogon. The development of tourism in the Dogon Country and the Hombori Mountains (Mali) . After being chosen, a hogon must pass through several months without washing or shaving. 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". 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. Biographies - Hogon | African Religious Leader | Britannica This chief head is the oldest living son of the ancestor of the local branch of the family. The Dogon primarily sell agricultural commodities: onions, grain, cotton, and tobacco. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Although 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 worship. 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. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Another minority practices Christianity. It was held once every sixty years and allegedly celebrated the white dwarf star, Sirius B. The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is a monument in Turkestan, a city in southern Kazakhstan. Orientation Each village is composed of one main lineage (occasionally, multiple lineages make up a single village) traced through the male line. The first wife, or ya biru, holds a higher position in the family relative to any wives from later marriages. Expert Answer Introduction. Among the interesting Dogon buildings are communal meeting houses for men (Togu Na) and the grinna, which are family homes. 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. 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]. Formally, wives join their husband's household only after the birth of their first child. To office is patrilineal ( by younger brother ) the article valuable animals, and many Dogon continue to an. Cleans his house, and mock combat, then to the youngest sister of today are descendants of several of. Increased, the demand for slaves across the region of West Africa also increased the rituals! 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