Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dogon
The Dogon, who live along Mali's Falaise de Bandiagara (Bandiagara Escarpment) , are
among the region's most intriguing people, having unusual belief systems, masks and cere-
monies.
The Dogon are traditionally farmers, and work for both men and women is a central fea-
ture of Dogon society. Crops such as millet and onions are planted in the fields below and
atop the escarpment and on terraces created on the lower slopes. Unsurprisingly, many Do-
gon now choose to farm down on the plains where water is more plentiful.
Although Islam and Christianity have taken hold among many Dogon, traditional belief
systems remain at the centre of Dogon life. Rituals surrounding masks, ceremonies, sacred
spaces and the Dogon relationship with the natural world are among the most intricate in
Africa.
