The spread of Islam throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the basic religious orientation of the Dogon. [citation needed][why?] He is elected from among the oldest men of the dominant lineage of the village. Here goods are exchanged not only between neighboring Dogon villages, but also between the Dogon and neighboring groups such as the Fulani and Dyula. An enlarged family can count up to a hundred persons and is called guinna. Dogon village along the Bandiagara escarpment. [37] Women have no right to learn Sigui So. Women may leave their husbands early in their marriage, before the birth of their first child. "hogon | African religious leader | Britannica", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hogon&oldid=1122616271, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 18 November 2022, at 14:57. 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. 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. 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 . Unlike norms for the rest of society, parallel-cousin marriage is allowed within castes. Blood alliances frequently were contracted between the Dogon and other groups such as the Bozo. Unfortunately, the majority of these animistic spiritual practices tend to disappear with the younger generations and the widespread adoption of Islam. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! Dogon has been frequently referred to as a single language. During the colonization of Mali by the French, the inhabitants of the escarpment were able to use caves and tunnels to avoid the Europeans and were able to preserve their way of life. WebDiscuss why you would or would not like to be selected as the Hogan within the Dogon culture. There are over 200 Dogon villages across the escarpment and each village has a democratically elected headman (Hogon), who is also their spiritual leader. [Editor's Note: In this article the established spellings of Kota words have been retained, al, ETHNONYMS: none It contained only about a quarter of the full vocabulary of "Dogo so", the Dogon language. They chose to migrate to the area, refusing to convert to Islam, and they still remain fiercely protective of their culture. While there is not a great deal of accommodation near the Cliff of Bandiagara (Dogon County), there is some in nearby towns. ." The blacksmith performs the circumcision. 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. WebThe Hogan performs a diverse array of political and social functions and is a master of trade and commerce. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! Paris: Institut d'Ethnologie. Because of his solitary state, the first son of God acted as he did. These are two story building with separate areas for men and women. The household is usually an extended family consisting of both nuclear and polygynous units. WebDogon or Tellem peoples (?) [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. Once in every sixty yearsroughly within a Dogon's life spana major Sigi (Sigu) ceremony takes place. Social Control. Those who follow this spiritual path believe in one Supreme Creator, Amma (or Ama [9] ), [10] the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Creator. 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. Les dogon. 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. 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. On average, a village contains around 44 houses organized around the 'ginna', or head man's house. [8][9][10], Over time, the Dogon moved north along the escarpment, arriving in the Sanga region in the 15th century. The key spiritual figures in the religion were the Nummo/Nommo twins. [24] (Originally, for the Dogon, man was endowed with a dual soul. After being chosen, a hogon must pass through several months without washing or shaving. 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. [citation needed] After a couple has had children together, divorce is a rare and serious matter, and it requires the participation of the whole village. Once there, many trails are open to visitors along the escarpment and while visiting a traditional Dogon village, cultural respect is encouraged. 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). Fruit trees are valued possessions, and although they may be sold, the previous owner reserves the ownership of the field in which they are planted for his own use. The Satimbe mask represents the women ancestors, who are said to have discovered the purpose of the masks by guiding the spirits of the deceased into the afterlife (Davis, 74). At this time, new masks are carved and dedicated to the ancestors. 'We have in the Dogon information a predictive mechanism which it is our duty to test, regardless of our preconceptions.' The answer is sewa, which means that everything is fine. Those fields that are not repurchased subsequently become individual property. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. Orientation A hogon is a religious figure as well as a temporal authority;[1] the hogon may be hereditary or may be chosen from among the village elderscustom varies from place to place. 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. 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. 16-19th century. Two of the most specialized craftsleather- and ironworkingare restricted exclusively to members of a craft caste. Division of Labor. It is thus mysterious that there are so few references to the planets in ancient literature. ." [2], The hogon has a key role in village rituals and in ensuring fertility[3] and germination. Craft specialization is determined by gender and caste. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? Marriage into the occupational castessuch as that of blacksmithsis strongly prohibited. In addition to agriculture, the women gather wild fruits, tubers, nuts, and honey in the bush outside of village borders. 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. Paris: ditions Domat-Montchrestien, F. Loviton. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? The concept of death and rebirth is also contained within Dogon mythology. For the ethnic group of the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north of Ghana, see. WebThe Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/dogon, Beierle, John "Dogon The Dogon migrated after the empire's collapse to the cliffs of the Bandiagara plateau. There are at least five distinct groups of dialects. Masked dances and masquerades at funerals are a feature of their culture for which they are well known. The hogon is always a man. However, the gender is deliberately ambiguous, and it may be intended to represent a nommo a mythological hermaphroditic ancestor. Other fauna include crocodiles (in the swampy areas on the plain), reptiles, monkeys, guenons, guinea hens, hyenas, foxes, panthers, rabbits, and small rodents. Each isolated village or district (canton) in the region has a headman or chief (hogon) who has both religious and judicial responsibilities. 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. Articulo-Journal of Urban Research, (4), Available at: https://journals.openedition.org/articulo/417, My name is Edward Whelan and I graduated with a PhD in history in 2008. [20] The religion embraced many aspects of nature which are found in other traditional African religions. Universit de Paris, Travaux et Mmoires de l'Institut d'Ethnologie, 33. The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany. The idea has entered the New Age and ancient astronaut literature as evidence that extraterrestrial aliens visited Mali in the distant past. [12] It seems likely that the Dogon people are an amalgamation of several groups who resisted Islamization. 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. Explanation. 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. Nobody should touch the hogon. This marks the end of their youth, and they are initiated. Retours au 'pays du reel'", Genevive Calame-Griaule: "On the Dogon Restudied". The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? Circumcision and excision are once again the remedy."[27]. Land Tenure. Both sexes market, fish, and gather wild foods. Caste boys do not get circumcised.[31]. Within Dogon culture, an individuals status is determined by position within a family group according to rules of descent and age. 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 leather-workers engage in significant trade with other ethnic groups and accumulate wealth. WebDogon Female Ancestor Sculpture. ETHNONYM: Panjabi Plains, escarpment, and plateau represent distinctive features in the region. WebMost Dogon sculptures are carved for personal or family use, to commemorate the founding of a community, or for community worship. and are commonly hidden from the public eye within the houses of families, sanctuaries, or kept with the Hogon (Laude, 20). [6], According to legend, the first hogon, Lebe, was descended from a nommo. Inheritance. The Dogon believes that the sacred serpent Lebe comes during the night to purify him and communicate wisdom to him. The colour white was a symbol of males. Similarly each village may have their own way of performing the dama rituals. The Cliff of Bandiagara (or Land of the Dogons) in Mali is an outstanding landscape and has earthen architecture that seems to defy the laws of nature and the passing of time. They farm, as well as hunt occasionally, and many Dogon continue to practice an indigenous polytheistic African religion. Villages usually contain a single localized lineage whose dwellings are grouped around the "great house" (ginna ) of the head. Wood and metal and more. Dogon society is organized by a patrilineal kinship system. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained. The yingim consists of both the sacrifice of cows, or other valuable animals, and mock combat. The village of Songho has a circumcision cave ornamented with red and white rock paintings of animals and plants. Funerals for women, who are generally excluded from awa membership, are simple, with little if any ceremony. 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