Encyclopedia.com. Orientation A men's society, frequently referred to as the "awa," or masked-dance society, is characterized by a strict code of etiquette, obligations, interdicts, and a secret language (sigi so). Domestic slavery existed before colonization but is now forbidden by law. There are three principal In this ceremony, offerings of millet from the hogon's fields, in conjunction with sacrifices by the Binu priest (binukedine ) on the Lebe altar of the ancestors, impart to the seed the spiritual essence or nyama that will contribute toward the community's assurance of an abundant harvest. 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. ETHNONYMS: Cohatur, Kohatur, Kotar, Koter, Kothur As sacred leader of the Lebe cult he oversees the important planting and 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. Whether on the high plateau, the cliff-faces, or on the plain, the Dogon have exploited all the elements available to build their villages that reflect their ingenuity and their philosophy of life and death. In certain cultural areas, the Dogon villages comprise numerous granaries, for the most part square with a thatched tapering roof. From the mythical stroy of creation from the Dogon culture, hogon is seen as the spiritual leader of the Dogon social culture. 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. Today, at least 35% of the Dogon practice Islam. 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. Descended from the founding ancestor Dyon, the hogon In conjunction with the council of elders, he makes decisions concerning public affairs. Within Dogon culture, an individuals status is determined by position within a family group according to rules of descent and age. Due to the expense, the second traditional funeral rituals, or "damas", are becoming very rare. 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). Universit de Paris, Travaux et Mmoires de l'Institut d'Ethnologie, 33. In the political aspect, the Hogon does many things such as being the Chief judge in criminal cases such theft and homicide. 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. 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. Then the Dogon who has entered the contact repeats the ritual, asking the resident how his or her whole family is. Members of these castes are physically separate from the rest of the village and live either at the village edge or outside of it entirely. WebThe Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. The key spiritual figures in the religion were the Nummo/Nommo twins. At present I am a Read More. 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. The vast majority of marriages are monogamous, but nonsororal polygynous marriages are allowed in the Dogon culture. A secret language known as sigi so is used by members of the men's society (awa ) in connection with religious rites. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The spread of Islam throughout Africa has brought about some degree of change in the basic religious orientation of the Dogon. Trade. The Dogon are primarily agriculturalists and cultivate millet, sorghum and rice, as well as onions, tobacco, peanuts, and some other vegetables. The escarpment is rich in archaeological discoveries both from the Dogon and the earlier Tellem society. Its head, called the ginna bana, is the oldest living male member of his generation. & Hollyman, Stephenie (photographs) & Walter E.A. A hogon is a spiritual leader in a Dogon village who plays an important role in Dogon religion. [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]. [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]. "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. Beierle, John "Dogon Individuals with high status may own a small number of cattle.[30]. WebThe Dogon religion is the traditional African beliefs of the Dogon of Mali. He wears white clothes and nobody is allowed to touch him. 32, No. This marks the end of their youth, and they are initiated. This practice has been passed down for generations and is always followed, even during winter. Religious Beliefs. Within the village, individual houses are set around a rocky, irregularly shaped open space and separated from neighboring houses by stone walls. This custom is repeated over and over, throughout a Dogon village, all day. (February 23, 2023). Wood, covered with sacrifical materials, Seated Couple, Dogon, 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. 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. 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. Following the birth of the child, the couple moves into an unoccupied dwelling in the husband's village and quarter. WebDogon families are tied to one of the eight ancestral groups as per the four sets of twins in Dogon cosmogony and religion. Kado), a Fulbe word meaning "stranger" or "pagan.". Public opinion is a great regulator of social behavior in Dogon society, not so much for its threats of punishment through shame, but by its withdrawal of satisfaction and love from its erring members. Biographies - Hogon | African Religious Leader | Britannica Other fauna include crocodiles (in the swampy areas on the plain), reptiles, monkeys, guenons, guinea hens, hyenas, foxes, panthers, rabbits, and small rodents. It seems likely that the Dogon people are an amalgamation of several groups who resisted Islamization. The blind Dogon elder Ogotemmeli taught the main symbols of the Dogon religion to French anthropologist Marcel Griaule in October 1946. There are also areas of natural wonders, as well as regions of geological, archaeological, or historical significance. The leather-workers engage in significant trade with other ethnic groups and accumulate wealth. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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]. Blood alliances frequently were contracted between the Dogon and other groups such as the Bozo. The development of tourism in the Dogon Country and the Hombori Mountains (Mali) . Dogon has been frequently referred to as a single language. Socialization. The Kanaga masqueraders, at one point, dance and sit next to the bundkamba, which represents the deceased. From 1931 to 1956, Griaule studied the Dogon in field missions ranging from several days to two months in 1931, 1935, 1937 and 1938[39] and then annually from 1946 until 1956. [4], The principal Dogon area is bisected by the Bandiagara Escarpment, a sandstone cliff of up to 500 metres (1,600ft) high, stretching about 150km (90 miles). The first wife, or ya biru, holds a higher position in the family relative to any wives from later marriages. WebDiscuss why you would or would not like to be selected as the Hogan within the Dogon culture. Morton, Robert (ed.) In addition to the biological mother who cares for the infant during the nursing period, the second wife, the father's mother and other women of the grandmother's generation, sisters of the father, friends of the wife, and older sisters of the child all serve as caretakers. However, even in polygynous marriages, it is rare for a man to have more than two wives. The Dogon primarily sell agricultural commodities: onions, grain, cotton, and tobacco. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! While the castes are correlated to profession, membership is determined by birth. Each caste is endogamous, and members do not take part in any of the common religious cults. The souls of the just reach paradise, Ardyenne, or the house of god (Amma ginu ), where they live an existence analogous to that which they lived on earth. Although some Dogon accepted the new regime, many strongly opposed and resisted it for many years. After his election, he has to follow a six-month initiation period, during which he is not allowed to shave or wash. During this time, new masks are carved and dedicated to their ancestors. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/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. While the people keep chickens or herds of sheep and goats in Dogon villages, animal husbandry holds little economic value. His saliva is the source of the life-giving humidity, and his foot must not touch the earth directly or the ground will dry up. Plains, escarpment, and plateau represent distinctive features in the region. Dogon art consists primarily of sculptures. Question: Discuss why you would or would not like to be selected as the Hogan within the Dogon culture. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Another 10% practices Christianity. Conflict. The most ancient dialects are dyamsay and tombo, the former being most frequently used for traditional prayers and ritual chants. Also regional and dialect group names: Chinbok, Chinbon, Dai, Kuku, Lai (s, Karen 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. In the 7th century AD, the Byzantine Empire harnessed the power of fire with the creation of Greek fire, a weapon of destruction unlike any before its time. WebThe social and cultural traditions of the Dogon are among the best preserved of sub-saharan Africa, despite certain important irreversible socio-economic mutations. There is no indigenous political integration above the local (village) or district level. 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. [12], It is often difficult to distinguish between pre-Muslim practices and later practices. Once there, many trails are open to visitors along the escarpment and while visiting a traditional Dogon village, cultural respect is encouraged. This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 14:24. [12] See also [ edit] Pangool Mand creation myth Samay (mythology) Zin (water spirits) Traditional African religion portal Mali portal References [ edit] "The dual soul is a danger; a man should be male, and a woman female. [44] They also claimed that the Dogon appeared to know of the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter. The appealing factor lies in many raw, visual, fetishized pursuits and compelling cultural narratives. 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