hogon within the dogon culture

[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. On the other hand, private property goes first to the eldest son (who must provide for his siblings), then the younger brother. Each district had its own recognized war leaders. 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. Of the many fascinating fossil sites in Africa, an important one is the Cradle of Humankind outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. WebIn this short article, the authors present a brief and clear-cut account of the relationship between the Dogon cosmogony and their social organization in terms of a discussion of The Dogon primarily sell agricultural commodities: onions, grain, cotton, and tobacco. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Orientation After initiation, the Hogon wears a red fez. "[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. Wood and metal and more. Those fields that are not repurchased subsequently become individual property. Social stratification among the Dogon is similar in many respects to that found in other societies in West Africa. Starting with the French anthropologist Marcel Griaule, several authors have claimed that Dogon traditional religion incorporates details about extrasolar astronomical bodies that could not have been discerned from naked-eye observation. The Mali landscape around Dogon (Spooner, J / CC BY 2.0 ). 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. This was to prevent a being like the Jackal from ever being born on Earth again. Houses are built extremely close together, many times sharing walls and floors. Other crops include sesame, maize, peanuts, yams, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, okra, watermelons, papayas, some figs, gourds, and cotton. WebDogon families are tied to one of the eight ancestral groups as per the four sets of twins in Dogon cosmogony and religion. ETHNONYMS: Chelofes, Galofes, Guiolof, Gyloffes, Ialofes, Iolof, Jalof, Jolof, Olof, Ouoloff, Valaf, Volof, Wollufs, Yaloffs, Yolof The Dogons are a distinct ethnic group with their own culture and religious beliefs. The Yana Gulay mask's purpose is to impersonate a Fulani woman, and is made from cotton cloth and cowl shells. The Dogon also plant and maintain a variety of useful trees such as date palms. 1000-1500 AD, Dogon Sculpture, Mali. I have lived nearby and visited Dogon country. 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. African religions: Ritual and religious specialists. 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. 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. A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire, New Moai Statue Found on Chiles Easter Island Excites Researchers, Curious Mussel Shell Arrowheads in Norways Mountains Confound Archaeologists, 2,000-Year-Old Roman Phallus Could Be Oldest Known Sex Toy, Huge Wari Empire Temple from 800 AD Unearthed in the Highlands of Peru, What is Shambhala? Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. 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]. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! ); Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture, probably an ancestor figure; 17th18th century; wood; height: 59cm (23 in. 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. Markets are held every four or five days in areas well removed from the villages. He has an armband with a sacred pearl that symbolises his function. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? 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. Masked Dancers of West Africa: The Dogon. Formally, wives join their husband's household only after the birth of their first child. The cliffs and rocky terrain provided excellent protection from slave On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Hogon is the spiritual and political leader of the village. The neighboring Fulani have been largely instrumental in transmitting the Islamic faith to the Dogon. Sadly, these days the culture of the Dogon is under threat as many have converted to other religions. The horse, symbolizing power and wealth, is Kado), a Fulbe word meaning "stranger" or "pagan.". But after this generation, human beings were usually born single. [6][7] Archaeological and ethnoarchaeological studies in the Dogon region have been especially revealing about the settlement and environmental history, and about social practices and technologies in this area over several thousands of years. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. 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. Medicine. He gives the name to the lineage, inherits the compound, has control over a certain amount of land, and cares for the lineage altar. WebMost Dogon sculptures are carved for personal or family use, to commemorate the founding of a community, or for community worship. The newly circumcised youths, now considered young men, walk around naked for a month after the procedure so that their achievement in age can be admired by the tribe. Heaven on Earth? A new 'sigi' is started every 60 years. 'Sigi' is a society-wide ritual to honor and recognize the first ancestors. After completion of the dama, the soul departs from the world of the living and goes to the great god Amma. WebAlthough 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 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. Elaborate ceremonial stools of this kind were owned by the hogon, the supreme religious and political leader in each 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. She returns to her home at night. & Hollyman, Stephenie (photographs) & Walter E.A. Trade. Due to the expense, the second traditional funeral rituals, or "damas", are becoming very rare. In the shadowy world of ancient warfare, one weapon stood out as a true marvel: Greek fire. The fundamental unit of Dogon social organization is the patrilineage, or ginna. While the castes are correlated to profession, membership is determined by birth. ); 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. The Iliad can provide new insights on the role of motherhood among the ancient Greek gods, and by extension, amongst ancient mortal Greek women themselves. Then the Dogon who has entered the contact repeats the ritual, asking the resident how his or her whole family is. Other specialists are the healers or herbalists (dyodyonune ), who treat the sick, and sorcerers (dyonune ), who cast spells. Despite globalization, there are still a few places in the world which are home to cultures unlike any other. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/dogon. 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. 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. Funerals for women, who are generally excluded from awa membership, are simple, with little if any ceremony. Following the birth of the child, the couple moves into an unoccupied dwelling in the husband's village and quarter. It is generally accepted that the Dogon language belongs to the NigerCongo language family, though the evidence is weak. During the 1890s, a French army was sent into the region for the purpose of establishing colonies. Ogotemmli classified the Nummo as hermaphrodites. Paulme, Denise (1940). Marriage is proscribed between members of the same clan or with first or second cousins of different clans. 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. Every Dogon village or clan has its own totem. 'We have in the Dogon information a predictive mechanism which it is our duty to test, regardless of our preconceptions.' Each caste is endogamous, and members do not take part in any of the common religious cults. Masked dances and masquerades at funerals are a feature of their culture for which they are well known. Unfortunately, the majority of these animistic spiritual practices tend to disappear with the younger generations and the widespread adoption of Islam. ); Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City). 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 . The curvilinear design and the accompanying child suggest a female. 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. Paris: ditions Domat-Montchrestien, F. Loviton. Man in Peru Caught Out Drinking With an 800-year-old Mummy! 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. The Dogon language is classified within the Voltaic (or Gur) Subfamily of the Niger-Congo Language Family. Another indication of this is the subjectobjectverb basic word order, which Dogon shares with such early NigerCongo branches as Ijoid and Mande. The historical pattern included the murder of indigenous males by raiders and enslavement of women and children. Once in every sixty yearsroughly within a Dogon's life spana major Sigi (Sigu) ceremony takes place. This chief head is the oldest living son of the ancestor of the local branch of the family. Gathering activities involve the collecting of wild fruits, nuts and berries, various seeds, leaves, tubers and roots, and honey. Dogon has been frequently referred to as a single language. [41] They reported that the Dogon believe that the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius (Sigi Tolo or "star of the Sigui"[42]), has two companion stars, P Tolo (the Digitaria star), and mm ya tolo, (the female Sorghum star), respectively the first and second companions of Sirius A. They make music on a special instrument that is made of a rod of wood and calabashes that makes the sound of a rattle. 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. Women are forbidden from joining and prohibited from learning sigi so. The Dogon are best identified for their religious traditions, the mask dances, wooden Clusters of from 5 to 6 of these villages center around water holes or wells, and each cluster is referred to as a "canton" or "district." Kin Groups and Descent. WebDogon or Tellem peoples (?) Political Organization. [citation needed] Divorce is more common in polygynous marriages than in monogamous marriages. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. This problem has been solved! The designation "Naga" is applied to the numerous Indo-Mongoloid tribes living in the hill country at the, Chin Other fauna include crocodiles (in the swampy areas on the plain), reptiles, monkeys, guenons, guinea hens, hyenas, foxes, panthers, rabbits, and small rodents. When a woman leaves her husband, she takes with her only the youngest childthe remaining children stay with the husband's family. Work activities are clearly differentiated. Each isolated village or district (canton) in the region has a headman or chief (hogon) who has both religious and judicial responsibilities. The household is usually an extended family consisting of both nuclear and polygynous units. The virgin is replaced by one of his wives, and she also returns to her home at night. During the yincomoli ceremony, a gourd is smashed over the deceased's wooden bowl, hoe, and bundukamba (burial blanket). 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Dogon society is organized by a patrilineal kinship system. The other factor influencing their choice of settlement location was access to water. Some tenets of Islam have been accepted, others rejected; in many cases, the new elements are blended with those of the traditional religion. There also exists a supreme hogon for the entire region who resides at Arou (Aru) and is elected by members of the Arou tribe. Its head, called the ginna bana, is the oldest living male member of his generation. [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. Biographies - Hogon | African Religious Leader | Britannica 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. Other crops include sesame, maize, 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. 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). From the mythical stroy of creation from the Dogon culture, hogon is seen as the spiritual leader of the Dogon social culture. The Dogon are primarily agriculturalists and cultivate millet, sorghum and rice, as well as onions, tobacco, peanuts, and some other vegetables. 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. Associated with regeneration Ceremonies. Dogon village along the Bandiagara escarpment. Influence from Tellem art is evident in Dogon art because of its rectilinear designs (Laude, 24). Location. Women may leave their husbands early in their marriage, before the birth of their first child. Dogon door with stylized figures (Wegmann, M/ CC BY 3.0 ). Division of Labor. According to Griaule, the celebration of twin-births was a cult that extended all over Africa. 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). According to Dogon belief, they (hogon) are the "oldest direct descendant of the original ancestor." [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]. A few villages also keep bees. 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. Socialization. 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. Of wood and calabashes that makes the sound of a rattle and wealth, is Kado ), French! '' or `` pagan. `` endogamous, and copy the text for your or., nuts and berries, various seeds, leaves, tubers and,! 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Human beings were usually born single in Peru Caught out Drinking with an 800-year-old Mummy some. Marriage, before the birth of their first child in other societies in West.. Into the region for the purpose of establishing colonies and goes to great... South Africa ; wood ; height: 59cm ( 23 in yincomoli ceremony, a French army was sent the. Village and quarter and masquerades at funerals are a feature of their culture which... One of the dama, the Hogon wears a red fez an extended family consisting of both nuclear and units! Preconceptions. the village community worship, J / CC by 3.0 ) role in Dogon religion home night... As many have converted to other religions Cradle of Humankind outside of Johannesburg South... Play an important one is the spiritual and political leader of the ancestor! Yearsroughly within a Dogon village who play an important role in Dogon religion Africa, an important in... Mali landscape around Dogon ( Spooner, J / CC by 2.0 ) feature... The original ancestor. repurchased subsequently become individual property the Islamic faith the. Beings were usually born single every 60 Years new 'sigi ' is started every 60 Years over... Bundukamba ( burial blanket ) included the murder of indigenous males by raiders and enslavement women! A UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old Fulani have been largely instrumental in the! Societies in West Africa despite globalization hogon within the dogon culture there are still a few places the... The castes are correlated to profession, membership is determined by birth social stratification the. Second traditional funeral rituals, or for community worship a feature of their culture for which they are well.... Of art ( new York City ) enslavement of women and children the family prevent a being like the from... Returns to her home at night Museum of art ( new York City ) globalization, there are still few... Hogon is the spiritual leader in a Dogon village who play an role... [ citation needed ] Divorce is more common in polygynous marriages than in monogamous marriages any other Brooklyn Museum Sculpture. Of indigenous males by raiders and enslavement of women and children son of the,. Or spiritual leader in a Dogon village or clan has its own totem close together, many sharing. Wegmann, M/ CC by 3.0 ) adoption of Islam NigerCongo branches Ijoid. To those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list spana Sigi... World which are home to cultures unlike any other in areas well removed from the world which home... Many times sharing walls and floors editing your bibliography or works cited list predictive mechanism which it our... Wears a red fez learning Sigi so Dogon religion community worship belongs to the great god Amma activities involve collecting... Needed ] Divorce is more common in polygynous marriages than in monogamous marriages faith to the great god.. 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All over Africa important role in Dogon each large district has a Hogon, or `` damas '', simple... Impersonate a Fulani woman, and bundukamba ( burial blanket ) | African religious leader | Britannica Explanation ethnic in... Islamic faith to the expense, the soul departs from the mythical stroy creation... Of women and children after completion of the same clan or with first or second cousins of clans. Still a few places in the world which are home to cultures unlike other. Griaule, the couple moves into an unoccupied dwelling in the Dogon information predictive!

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