Geography - The Dogon People of Mali

From : Biblioteca pleyades.net

So the other day while I was researching Mali and the problem of keeping the country together  faced by the government, I was fascinated by the Dogon people so tonight I went back and started researching the Dogon. The above map shows the area of Mali where the Dogon live. Some background from Wikipedia:

The Dogon are an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of the country of Mali, in the West of the Continent of Africa, south of the Niger bend, near the city of Bandiagara, in the Mopti region. The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000[1] The Dogon are best known for their religious traditions, their mask dances, wooden sculpture and their architecture. The past century has seen significant changes in the social organization, material culture and beliefs of the Dogon, partly because Dogon country is one of Mali's major tourist attractions. Complete Article. 

From:Choices-10 Extraordinary and fascinating Cave House

The Bandiagara escarpment lies at the heart of the land of the Dogon. From Land of the Dogon at African Natural Heritage:

The Bandiagara escarpment, Land of the Dogons, is one of the most impressive geological, archaeological and ethnological landscapes in West Africa. It is a ‘mixed' site, listed on both natural and cultural criteria. It is characterised by a 150km-long sandstone cliff, with a rocky plateau on top, and a sandy plain below. The plateau varies in height from 100 m to over 500 m and is broken by ravines, gorges and rocky passages connecting the plain with the plateau. The escarpment itself is rich in plants and vegetation types which have been destroyed by man in more accessible places. These are mostly relict humid species sheltering in the ravines in an otherwise arid Sahelian climate, including several endemic species. The area was occupied centuries ago by the Dogon people, who have retained their traditional animist beliefs, culture, and unique architecture. The cliff protects beautiful houses, granaries, altars, sanctuaries and communal meeting-places which for centuries have been the heart of traditional Dogon culture. (Read more at African Natural Heritage)

 The map at the top of this post came from the site Biblioteca  pleyades.net. The site tells more about the cultural history of the Dogon people:

Because of these inexact and incomplete sources, there are a number of different versions of the Dogon's origin myths as well as differing accounts of how they got from their ancestral homelands to the Bandiagara region. The people call themselves 'Dogon' or 'Dogom', but in the older literature they are most often called 'Habe', a Fulbe word meaning 'stranger' or 'pagan'.

 Certain theories suggest the tribe to be of ancient Egyptian descent. They next migrated to Libya, then somewhere in the regions of Guinea or Mauritania. Around 1490 AD, fleeing invaders and/or drought, they migrated to the Bandiagara cliffs of central Mali.

 Carbon-14 dating techniques used on excavated remains found in the cliffs indicate that there were inhabitants in the region before the arrival of the Dogon. They were the Toloy culture of the 3rd to 2nd centuries BC, and the Tellem culture of the 11th to 15th centuries AD

A 'Togu Na' - 'House of Words' - stands in every Dogon village and marks the male social center. The low ceiling, supported by carved or sculptured posts, prevents over zealous discussions from escalating into fights. Symbolic meaning surrounds the Togu Na.

The Dogons have a unique distinction. Supposedly when they left Egypt and migrated to Mali where they brought with them sacred knowledge in the form of oral traditions - perhaps handed down by the ancient priests of Egypt. There are oral tradition about interaction with Amphibious Gods who came to Earth from the star Sirius (now called Sirius A).

Dogon astronomical lore goes back at least 5000 years. This knowledge most likely dates back to the time of the ancient Egyptian priests - who stored their knowledge as their civilization was destroyed. This knowledge was too be part of our collective unconsciousness - to be remembered - to be brought to the public - when it was time for humanity to make great changes. These changes are reflected in all ancient prophecies. The information is about creation by Geometry - Mathematical patterns or formulas. We sense change in our thinking and our souls. We dream unusual dreams about changes and look for Magic in our lives, movies, books, TV shows. We experience beyond third dimension. Read more

The Dogon are well known for their tribal art like the one above, you can check out information about the Dogon Primordial Couple at Artenegro:African Tribal Art. So with this post I hope I peeked your interest in this fascinating cultural and your now following the links and learning!! I know I'm going to read more about the Dogon and Sirius!