One of Mali’s most visited
areas, the area known as Dogon Country is a rather geographically isolated
area inhabited by about 350,000 Dogon people.This airid area is located
near the eastern edge of Mali near the Burkina Faso border. Until the
end of the colonial era, the Dogon were one of the few African peoples
who had most successfully retained their culture and traditional ways
of life. Even now, despite the presence of Islam and Christianity, Dogon
peoples have largely held onto their animist beliefs.
Once the residence of the Tellem people, the Dogon moved into the Bandiagara
escarpment around the 14th or 15th century. At first sharing the escarpment
with the Dogon for a few centuries, the Tellem were pushed out and migrated
to Burkina Faso. The tiny buildings of these short people can still
be seen, perched safely in higher parts of the cliffs. To reach the
tiny, isolated villages of the Dogon, much of the travel must be done
on foot or in some cases, a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Hardworking and proud of their culture, the Dogon are well-known for
their products. Farmers produce sweet onions and other crops through
irrigation on tiny patches of land amidst the volcanic-like rocks and
cliffs. Some of the blacksmithing techniques perfected by the Dogon
are still unable to be duplicated. Carved wooden sculptures, masks,
and doors are highly sought after by collectors. Elaborate masked ceremonies
are performed by specially trained men.
Photos
of the Dogon people and their villages
Dogon
Masks
Dogon
Travelogue
