Also regional and dialect group names: Chinbok, Chinbon, Dai, Kuku, Lai (s, Karen Elaborate ceremonial stools of this kind were owned by the hogon, the supreme religious and political leader in each In referring to relatives, linguistic usage distinguishes between the forms of address and the specific relationship. [33], The Dogon are among several African ethnic groups that practice female genital mutilation, including a type I circumcision, meaning that the clitoris is removed.[34]. 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). However, even in polygynous marriages, it is rare for a man to have more than two wives. Each district had its own recognized war leaders. This enigmatic figure is an ancestor figure from the Dogon people of Mali. The degree of complexity of the ceremonies depends upon the age and status of the deceased male. Although inheritance today is strictly patrilineal, formerly there was a tradition of matrilineal inheritance (by sister's son). [37] Women have no right to learn Sigui So. After being chosen, a hogon must pass through several months without washing or shaving. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. The fundamental unit of Dogon social organization is the patrilineage, or ginna. On the other hand, private property goes first to the eldest son (who must provide for his siblings), then the younger brother. Ritual dance of Dogon County (Gleeson, G / CC BY 2.0 ). This announces the entrance of persons wearing the masks used in this ceremony, while the deceased's entrance to his home in the family compound is decorated with ritual elements (Davis, 7273). The term "Punjabi" signifies both an inhabitant of the Punjab and a speaker of the predominant Language, Wolof The other factor influencing their choice of settlement location was access to water. It is generally accepted that the Dogon language belongs to the NigerCongo language family, though the evidence is weak. 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. 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. 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]. Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? [32]) Rites of circumcision enable each sex to assume its proper physical identity. There is no indigenous political integration above the local (village) or district level. Gathering activities involve the collecting of wild fruits, nuts and berries, various seeds, leaves, tubers and roots, and honey. The blacksmith, set apart by his caste, has no rights in the village and lives entirely on the proceeds of the sale of his goods to other villagers. Current Anthropology, Vol. (2003), Wanono, Nadine & Renaudeau, Michel (1996), Hochstetler, J. Lee, Durieux, J. In traditional Dogon society, land was transmitted within the family group (ginna, or lineage), and was considered inalienable property. Griaule, Marcel (1938). She returns to her home at night. 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. He is elected from among the oldest men of the dominant lineage of the village. After initiation, the Hogon wears a red fez. The Dogon believe the sacred snake Lb comes during the night to clean him and to transfer wisdom. 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 Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. 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. 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 Hogon has to live alone in his house. Due to the expense, the second traditional funeral rituals, or "damas", are becoming very rare. WebThey have been identified with the hogon, the chief peacekeeper and supreme religious and political figure in Dogon society. Each village celebrates for around a year before the 'sigi' moves to the next village. A secret language known as sigi so is used by members of the men's society (awa ) in connection with religious rites. [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 Dogon are primarily agriculturalists and cultivate millet, sorghum and rice, as well as onions, tobacco, peanuts, and some other vegetables. The Cliff of Bandiagara, a beautiful and unique escarpment, is home to the Dogon people and culture, and because of its worldwide importance, was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1989. Man in Peru Caught Out Drinking With an 800-year-old Mummy! Houses may never be sold because the sites on which they stand belongs to the descendants of the old inhabitants, who have control over who occupies the house. This leads linguists to conclude that Dogon is likely to have diverged from NigerCongo very early.[when?] Work activities are clearly differentiated. Social Organization. Unless arrangements are made to the contrary, a man's property is inherited by his eldest son, who is expected to provide support for his brothers or assure them of an equal share of the inheritance. (February 23, 2023). Marriages are endogamous in that the people are limited to marry only persons within their clan and within their caste.[29]. Linguistic Affiliation. It is advisable to hire a guide with a car as the area is remote. African religions: Ritual and religious specialists. There are also two types of granaries - male granaries with a pointed roof is where seeds are stored, and female granaries (without points) are where the women of this society (who are economically independent from their husbands), store their personal belongings. (2008). Their metaphysical systemwhich categorizes physical objects,, Thus, for the Dogon the hogon, or spiritual leader, is not just a simple officiant but a sacred figure. Hogon live alone and should be celibate, but a village girl may act as a maid. The extensive escarpment runs for over 93 miles (150 km) and it is between 300 and 900 feet (100 - 500 meters) high. 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. Updates? All agree, however, that they learned about the star from Griaule. Kado), a Fulbe word meaning "stranger" or "pagan.". Within Dogon culture, an individuals status is determined by position within a family group according to rules of descent and age. After his election, he has to follow a six-month initiation period, during which he is not allowed to shave or wash. Paulme, Denise (1940). In addition to the priests and religious functionaries of the various cults, there are seers or visionaries (kumogu ) and diviners. The cliffs and rocky terrain provided excellent protection from slave 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 household is usually an extended family consisting of both nuclear and polygynous units. Grain is stored in granaries. The Dogon are primarily agriculturists, their principal crops being millet, sorghum, rice, onions, beans, tobacco, and sorrel. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. [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. The hogon is always a man. 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. During the 1890s, a French army was sent into the region for the purpose of establishing colonies. Afterwards, the boys stay for a few days in a hut separated from the rest of the village people, until the wounds have healed. The Political Organization. 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. Orientation However, the gender is deliberately ambiguous, and it may be intended to represent a nommo a mythological hermaphroditic ancestor. "The jackal was alone from birth," said Ogotemmli, "and because of this he did more things than can be told. Craft specialization is determined by gender and caste. Nobody should touch the hogon. Medicine. Each Dogon village, or enlarged family, is headed by one male elder. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Today, at least 35% of the Dogon practice Islam. [22] They were primarily symbolized by the sun, which was a female symbol in the religion. Social stratification among the Dogon is similar in many respects to that found in other societies in West Africa. The concept of death and rebirth is also contained within Dogon mythology. Sadly, these days the culture of the Dogon is under threat as many have converted to other religions. The principal domestic animals are sheep, goats, donkeys, dogs, chickens, guinea fowls, ducks, some cattle, a few horses, and cats. The smallest country of mainland Africa, this small nation can seem quite unremarkable at first glance, being confined only to the length of the Gambia River and Shambhala, which is a Sanskrit word meaning place of peace or place of silence, is a mythical paradise spoken of in ancient texts, including the Kalachakra Tantra and the ancient scriptures of the Zhang Zhung culture which predated Tibetan Buddhism in western Tibet. Nearby is a cave where music instruments are stored. The danyim is held a couple of months later. & Hollyman, Stephenie (photographs) & Walter E.A. Funerals for women, who are generally excluded from awa membership, are simple, with little if any ceremony. Their bodies are treated 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). The Dogon numbered 500,000 on the eve of Malis independence on According to Griaule, the celebration of twin-births was a cult that extended all over Africa. The Dogon believes that the sacred serpent Lebe comes during the night to purify him and communicate wisdom to him. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. The orbit cycle takes 50 years. Themes found throughout Dogon sculpture consist of figures with raised arms, superimposed bearded figures, horsemen, stools with caryatids, women with children, figures covering their faces, women grinding pearl millet, women bearing vessels on their heads, donkeys bearing cups, musicians, dogs, quadruped-shaped troughs or benches, figures bending from the waist, mirror-images, aproned figures, and standing figures (Laude, 4652). Influence from Tellem art is evident in Dogon art because of its rectilinear designs (Laude, 24). Individuals with high status may own a small number of cattle.[30]. Women are forbidden from joining and prohibited from learning sigi so. They were one of the last people in West Africa to lose their independence and come under French rule.[18]. ETHNONYMS: Kareang, Kariang, Kayin, Pwo, Sgaw, Yang 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 . Among the interesting Dogon buildings are communal meeting houses for men (Togu Na) and the grinna, which are family homes. 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. The spread of Islam throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the basic religious orientation of the Dogon. A hogon is a spiritual leader in a Dogon village who plays an important role in Dogon religion. Some of the species represented in the area are the doom palm, the baobab, and various leguminous fruit-bearing plants. 1000-1500 AD, Dogon Sculpture, Mali. ", "Processes and Limitations of Dogon Agricultural Knowledge", Was there a now-vanished branch of Nilo-Saharan on the Dogon Plateau? 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 first wife, or ya biru, holds a higher position in the family relative to any wives from later marriages. Masques dogons. A man may now sell a field allotted to him in the distribution of ginna property, but the sale is always revocable, and the ginna may recover the property upon the death of the seller through the reimbursement of the purchase price to the buyer. . Biographies - Hogon | African Religious Leader | Britannica The first occurs immediately after the death of a person, and the second can occur years after the death. The key spiritual figures in the religion were the Nummo/Nommo twins. Above the lineage is the much larger kin group called the clan, from which the various lineages emerge. Dogon damas include the use of many masks, which they wore by securing them in their teeth, and statuettes. It is truly one of the most impressive regions in Sub-Saharan Africa . WebDogon Female Ancestor Sculpture. While the castes are correlated to profession, membership is determined by birth. 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. It is thus mysterious that there are so few references to the planets in ancient literature. [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. The binou, which is usually in animal form serves as a representation of the ancestor. 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