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Dogon traditional beliefs The Dogon are well known for their traditional beliefs, which today are best preserved in the inaccessible escarpment (falaise), where Islam has spread more slowly than on the plateau. Dogon traditional beliefs have been studied intensively since the 1930s, most notably by Marcel Griaule and his collaborators and disciples who primarily worked in the village group of Sanga.[19] Three main divine beings exist in Dogon religion: Ama (or Amma), the sky god, Nom(m)o, the water god and Lewe (or Lebe) the earth god. Ama, the main god, is the creator of humans and all other life on earth. Since he intervenes actively in human lives and can act in negative as well as positive ways, most of the sacrifices performed by the Dogon are directed towards him. Nomo is most feared among the gods, which seems strange as the Dogon live in a region with restricted access to water. The main village altar is dedicated to Lewe, who appears in the shape of a snake (Van Beek 1988). Lewe's main priest is the hogon, the oldest man of the village.[20] The Dogon narrate that the hogon, living in an isolated house outside or on the edge of the village, is visited by Lewe during the night and licked clean. A range of spirits is associated with Lewe, such as the the yènèü, spirits of the trees and the yèbä (or yeban), spirits of the bush, as well as the atüwünü (or andoumboulou), small black creatures of the bush who are said to be the first inhabitants of the region.[21] The dama is a major ceremony in Dogon rituals concerning death.[22] The first funeral, during which the body is buried, takes place a few days after a person has died. It is accompanied by singing, dancing, as well as by mask performances. The dama, the second funeral, is a final farewell. It is often celebrated on behalf of several dead at one time, since it requires substantial financial resources to cater for the many participants. Frequently, several years or even decades can elapse between two damas, which are usually held after a good harvest. The mask dances are performed by the awa, the mask association, and form an important part of the dama. About 78 different types of masks have been reported, which can be subdivided into six major categories: birds, mammals, reptiles, Dogon and non-Dogon characters, and objects.[23] The best known and most popular mask is the kanaga. The development of the dama ritual mirrors changes in Dogon society.[24] Today the ceremony takes place later in the year just before the start of the rainy season, due to recently introduced intensive gardening during the dry season and absences of participants of the dama because of migrant work. The mask performances are also subject to change: some masks are abandoned and new ones are introduced under the influence of a changing world view. The impact of tourism on the mask dances is considerable, with special public mask dances staged at the demand of tourists, and the fabrication of masks for sale.[25]
Mask dances form part of another important Dogon ritual, the sigui, which is performed in a 60 year cycle. The sigui marks the replacement of one generation by another.[26] The last sigui was celebrated between 1967 and 1974. The ceremony commences in the village of Yougo-Dogorou and subsequently moves in westerly direction to other villages.[27] During the dama and the sigui the dancers are addressed in the secret language of the masks, sigui-so.[29] Although similar masks are fabricated for and used in both ceremonies, a specific mask is made only at the occasion of the sigui: the Great Mask. This 'mother of the masks' can be up to 12m high and is kept in a specific cave close to the village.[30] Dogon culture is cumulative, new elements being easily incorporated and combined with existing customs. This is also true of religious ideas: variations in religious concepts between villages frequently result from the selective incorporation of ideas from outside, often from Islamic and Christian sources. In some villages these external influences have replaced traditional religious beliefs completely or partially, while in other villages they are incorporated only into certain rituals. | |
