Oh GO the pale fox _ M. Griaute ag G. DieTeRLeENTHE PALE FOX Marcel Griaule and Germaine Dieterlen Translated from the French by Stephen C. Infantino, Ph.D. renard pale Paris, 1965 Continuum FoundationTHE PALE FOX Copyright © by Continuum Foundation 1986 First English Edition Originally published in French as Le Renard Pale by Unstitut d'Ethnologie, Paris, 1965, Al ights reserved, No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, except for the inclusion of brief quotations ina review without permission in writing from the publishers. Address inquiries to Continuum Foundation, P.O. Box 634, Chino Vzltey, Arizona 8632: ISBN 0-9391 1802-5 Manufactured in the United States of America ‘THE PALE FOXTABLE OF CONTENTS List oF FIGURES List OF PHOTOGRAPHS 2 INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION 1B ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1 ForEwoRD 19 IrRopucTION 5 ChapreR I — AMMA 1. Avista, Creation and morphology of the signs. Classification and multiplication ofthe signs. From the sign to the drawing. Representations. The rele of the signs a 2. FIRST GENESIS. Creation of the sene, Creation of the “est world.” Destruction of the “first world.” 110 3. AMMA’ EGG. Second genesis; first yale of “Amma's ege,” Opening of “Amma's eyes"; second yala of “Amma's eps, Representations uy 4, CREATION OF THE PO. Creation of the po. Creation ofthe eight seeds. Gaba and anu. Fermentation. 130 CREATIONOF THE NOMMO ANAGONNO. Ana's double placenta. ‘The egg of the nommo anagonno. Formation of the nommo anagonno. Multiplication of the fish. . ANMAa’s WRK. Development of the “second world.” Cuarrer II — OGO (OG0's REVOLT. Ogo’s first descent. Formation of the Bart, Repre- sentation of Ogo'srk. Ogo's reascent to the sky. Creation of the sun and of the turtle agunuru, Theft of Amma’s seeds. Re- integration of the elements of creation in the po pil. Ogo's ‘second descent. Representation of Ogo’s second ark. Ogo's sowing, Crushing of the placenta by the nommo itivayne, The sene na and the work of the spid 198SOT — SACRIFICE AND RESURRECTION OF THE NOMMO Page 1 TatAsCULATION oF THE Nosamo. Amma's choice ofthe sacrificer sind the victim, Separation of the souls of the victim. Emasculation of the vieti. 28 2. 0608 CIRCUMCISION. Ogo's second reascent. Ogo’s circum- cision, Ogo's third and final descent. The transformation of Ogo into the Pate Fox. The divination tables of the, Fox. 268 3. SACRIFICE OF THE NOMMO, Slaughter ofthe victim. Division of the victims body. Projection of the parts of the body into, space 305 4. Tue NoMno’s RESURRECTION, Outlines ofthe sacrifice and the resurrection: the altars of the febe dala and of the line of blood; representations: a) the lineage, b) the totemic clan. Value and function of the Nommo’s sacrifice and resur- rection, 38 5. THE CREATION OF MAN. The clavicle. The anagonno bile and the anagonno sala, The spiritual principles. The Smith, Griot, Yasigui, Death: the anegonno alagala, The placer of the resurrected Nommo and the kivu turtle. CHAPTER IV ~ WORK OF THE PO PILU The elements of ereation and the female po pilu. The Nommo swallows the male po pilu, Classification of the elements contained in the female po pil. Representations. Craprer V — THE NOMMO'S ARK The contents of the ark, The descent of the ark. The ark on Earth. Representations of the Nommo’sark. The resurrected Nommo fis the water. The stars and calendars. 446 Cuaprer VI — THE CLOSING OF AMMA’S CLAVICLES Descent of the gaba and the anu. The signs in Amma's clavicle Amma closes himself again. 52 List oF ANIMALS Liyr oF PLANTS List oF HEAVENLY BODIES APPENDICES 548 LIST OF FIGURES Page Fh. fon of Amma tie 2 Fe2SWon ofall weld sigs e pitare of Amma* S Fo 3 ‘Theo suidesgns % Mest Paes of aster sigs” 7 Fe-3 ~ Sgn of te house & Fhe. ¢~ olution of the sigas ofthe hoor % To-s_ Sign of the Nommo' tomato A. Sign ofthe tomato, B. Desomp- Gstion of thesignC. Example of he progression of the bottom line of Ot Fs ala and tome of the house 3S Fe. 0 Figure of sigs draw ends the scat of Arms mrmy doy 10 tre 10— Theoretical diagrams ofthe cased pane of the door of the Hogon of frou: A the 266 primordial sgn: B the wero sins the d bana cate sory engraved pon & wr Pic “Theoretical diagram of the 266 signs drawn on the ground of the “il ofthe ancestry. ne mia 108 fg, ton ol he "set of te see un Fults — Ams work withthe gene explanatory fire. us Fee Figure euscued under the lar-of the Fox the pala of the sone andthe "hands" of the Fs us 1.1 Pst at of Ami eB," amma ahs By fro — Opening of Amma sees” 5 Fro, 17 Second ya of Amma’ m7 Frets — Amma making the worl nthe Rody of theo pit @ Fi. 9 — Diagram ofthe four elements ofthe seve seed in the four corners of te sanctuary 13 Fig.3) “oof th fo elements ofthe sme seed passing into the po pu 13S Fe.21 ~The bury ol the po piu te Ec 22 — Drawing ofthe mulpeation ofthe “woe of de po pl in Fic.23— &. The seven vibratuns ine Ue po pt: B. Arata ton, ry Flo 24 — A. yao he po pis Bs tome C0 ‘i Fhe. 2s sole and na of the emie yo se Ms Fre ae — ton and of he ere a Hs Fo 27 Pagar he sees: Anam B, ora C. mB. re 16 Fi. tof the amu rs Fie.2 ~ Sign of ecmentation 2 F10..0 Inthe mde, “Amow's messenger": ro ihe let, the bummo “Amina toring two pois ote Fig toy ofthe mou and son, Separated by a sera tine 1s Fa Ss Diagram of the placenta in xix registers o of the fit round vation tabi a : 64 THE PALE FOX Fic, 22~ Sign ofthe foundation of Amma's star ofthe Bins 158 Tho. — yal of tho #8 of the nom angeonno 10 Fic. ~ ton ofthe eB of te nom anagonna. 19 Fic. — buramo of the nonimo anagonna 165 HIG. — yalrof the nowmo anagowna 18 iG. — tomy of the mommo anagonno. 0 FH: 3 fom of te formation af the 22th ofthe sommo anagonna. "7 $c.» — Toth of the momo anagonso ‘ken inthe clement “earth” explanatory figure). m Fic. «1 bummo of the sorogu of the nommio anagonsa. mn iG. 41 — fon ofthe four ommo ane on. m Fic. 2 ton of the multiplication of the aommo anayonna, m Fic, 0 — Drawing af the grest Nonmo, norma die 583 Fig, 4 — fon cf the nom tray. 12 {5 — Drawing ofthe nommo htiayne cs te Drawing of the o namo, ss 4 The fork of space (explanatory gure. ss 4 fon of the mask ammo f, "Arama door” In Fic. amma fone 10 Fic. Drawing a “Amma seat spinning space 191 iG. st ~ Drawing ofthe fourteen superposed worlds (or spaces. 192 Fic: Drawing of the end of creation by Amma 198 Fic. 3 — The kenaga mask (explanatocy fare). 196 Fic, 3 — A. Ope it his placenta (the yala representing him prefigare bis forse form ‘ofthe Fox); B. Outline of Ogo's Brst urney! C. Stripes of Oxe's hacen, 0 Fic $s ~ Descest of Ogo's ark and of the barankamaca dullogn 553 iG. 4 — Drawing of the some “spinning the word.” 5 Fig. #1 — The ath of the Fox. Fit io, se — Figure of Ogo's ark in Wazoub 23 Fig. — Basket ofthe beans (layout and crow section) 215 ic. «0 — Wooden drum “witha navel explanatory figure ais Fic. 6 — on of the tearing ofthe sun by the Fox's chs. 216 io. 2 tome ofthe eration ofthe turtle 219 Fic, Work of Amma creating the turtle (explanatory figure): above, fom Teo ight the turtle dhe ii su, the sting sun Below. center the midday Fic. 62 (on of Amma transforming the placenta ofthe Fox ino arte Foss — Drawing ofthe turtle aun Frio. ~ fon af the female po pit Fic, «7 ~ Designs of Opo's second ark Fic. - Sign of Amma's hand Dow Fic. — The domma mask. Fic. °9 Figures of the seme: A. fomu of the four elements of the sene seed Tk. ron of the sene seed; C, drawing ofthe tree ofthe sene seed Fic. 7) — on of the germination of he sone. Fic. 2 Drawing ofthe spider dada yur geze geome. Fic. 78 — Work of the spider inthe sene Flo. 31 — A. Diagram of the cave of the Fox. Fic. 4B. Drawing ofthe parts of the Fors placenta rock drawing) (H. 19 em, Fig. The bumno ofthe round divination table. 6.78 Map ofthe Ogol villages: Sseibution ofthe principal altars LIST OF FIGURES fio. 7~ Theocetial diagram of the akars Joeied on the debe dala aud on the roe athe By % ro. Sn tom of the contents of the sacrificed onumo’s semen. cs drown under the altars ommold ana (A) and onimolo ya ff ' fi Sign of he hunting Fox Pia yom ofthe Bar's ecumeision Fem - Drawing othe Por'screumesion Fa — toms of the ak sounding the pags Frost — Ven abi. Figs — fom of Mars rd Fi so — tome ofthe separation ofthe tia Fre 2 nes representing Ogo's circumcision drawn onthe divination tables {ss fr itr Fam tom ofthe prevented arigs Fc msm of he ao tolo of the sm ado Si He 53— fom ofthe ercumesion ofthe Fexby the nommotivane, Eom septs tentom:thesun and the Pox foreskin; Amma's womb, the Fox andthe se the moma Sa ro dh igure of the tnnstomnation of Oxo into the Fos. Fo. % — igure taken from the Dandoulos totemie sanctuary: A, bummo of the pa the fel: the divination tbl, fro 90 8. The ow andthe Nommo unde the su Fc ai Rock pining ofthe eave ty name komo docu Flo aot Cremmetion of the cave coy mama Kom don Fo. se The divination table Feo Explauatoy igre ofthe drawing ofthe pier. Fae Oui ofthe path ofthe san nthe double msn Fe — The double instruction abe (example) Fre. Bigwig of the slaughter of te nome and of hs passage into the +r: prawing ofthe route ofthe Blood ofthe surfed namsmo become re, yal wl foo and is halio. 114 — yal and tons of of Bara nesnew for lft righ Fic 15 — Drawing ofthe four kikin of body othe grains FG. 16 yal ton, and hoy of tans Fic. 18" — pala, tonu and Yoyo the tole dull iG, 118 — ala to, and toy of the Pela, Fic. 19 — Yale and tons of enepirine fofo P of Camus Minor. Fig, 139 — ala and toma of yara too {ook Aves) io. 1 — Figure of igibie Fig. 2) — Design ofthe giana iG 12) Design ofthe Second story ofthe sian Re. 2s ~The iron ano io, as — The gobo Bio. 177 — tom of the amon. Fic. 12s. sont ofthe creation of woman and iG. 12) Looation ofthe seeds inthe clavices (theoretical figu f he in, of man and woman, Fig. 11 tom ofthe anagonn bile 16.182 —tomu ofthe anagonn sol JG. 13 fonw ofthe seven aticult os ofthe anagonno sala Pex 9 som ofthe creation ofthe Sma a a Bish FG 156 — fom ef he yeast euntiner af the Nomms. Fo, t) — tom ofthe ki turd Fic, Lr —toy ofthe kira tril FIG, L8 tomu ofthe female po ii Flo. 9 - “Auma designer of things" Fig, la — soma of “the pling of Fic 141 — font ofthe "mage of the st yagex. ic. 122 — Cawinding of the elements io. 14 — Figure drawn under the primitive granary IG. 25 — Drawing of the swallowing of the fonio by the fish, Fig 16 - Drawing of tne bed ofthe fish Fic. 1 — Drawing of the "rays of the rhombus. Fic: 50 — Layout of the sanctuary ofthe Mand fio. 1st Drawing of Ammo’ egg and of the whi ‘ofthe sanctuary ofthe Mand totem of Orosongo. Fic, ts2— The female po plu spinning the world around Fig. 1:3 — Figure representing the ark with sixty compartments Fic. ist Drawing ofthe knots that attach the rope of the ark Fic. ss ~ Theoretical reconstitution ofthe ark. Ft tm — The ark seen i the form ofthe faze basket. iG. 157 — tome of te ark of the world Fig. ne. Theoretical diagram af the distribution of the earthenware f the ‘ins ofthe Zuma and he Pundo of theoander of the lneapein che kana of the Fis, mt — Sonematie drawing of the basic! mages representing the creation iG. na Drawings ofthe anapono: femal on he elt, make on he tight 6 calahash of woman inthe sanctuary.” Fig. 102 — font ofthe unwinding ofthe elements contained in the po, Fic. 17 — fom of che things which came out ofthe body af the po FIG. 16 — fom ofthe “objects of the bins hidden i tes em py sanctuary. tem of Orosongo andi 1g made on the plaorm LST OF FIGURES 1 Paiasng called anima bara oa the celing ofthe vauk of Yougo vam ol the whirling ofthe descent of the ak Fis Wo gases representing the descent ofthe ark on the fade of the io. nr The four variants ofthe sre mask (hypothetical figures Ye. i — sal, tome, and oy of e pe to, Fin tus A dom of the stata of the Nommo's foot: B: Variant 1h immo ofthe sat elbed foto demboto. 1 a Braue tthe nec tig Fs wa Bran Stra the sharing ofthe mest of de tebe (Upper fro tater of Ocango, Fo es — Material of Orosongo, ©. 10, 1 — Game of ¢ Fits ry igure drawn atthe founding ofthe gras ho AT fi F 1 — Dabgsamn of one ofthe sides ofa Dogon granary and its decors 2 horse's hantess; B: yor dommoto. + Map of Debo, Tra Hibore showing the position of the twenestwo stones of the s0%0 tne Gona hot The pond of Dons at Sarg. Fla. La Drawings made under the sogo of the pond of Dona Sige ofthe Poestar. apofhe skyzin the center ofthe Chariot of Orion: A: tar ihe Belt ‘sig tlo (Sirius) E:enegiinetolo| Pol Canus Minor): T: fara Pr0eyon) 1 Yolo duno (the Pleindes, ic. 1» Diagram of the field called emma na minne, framed by Stones representing the Chariot of Orton. Fe eA: pol: Bene vaio, . fe. tet ~The six postions of Venus onthe divination table. Pics? The yal ofthe si pettions of Venus Be Fe Fig Fie. made them cone out. Ths ~ yal Of yas under the sogo of Ka fhe Amona inthe form of cord Towering the Koro Kus Iho tome of Amma creating the ene superposed word The Drawing of the center of the formation of Aatina’s word img of what Amma kept (after having) created things and (having) Fc. in Drawing of Amma who has sa dows and closed up after he ha Bio. Fi. Be Finished molding the world {19 Design of the Hogon’s dwveling to — Bonnetshaped yeast conta. "Drouin of manna amma Below Gwhich represents} Amma who brought peste Int the word 464 0 5 488 493 6 s ” so sos 507 3 os os 529 60vu Ix LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS ‘Ongnonio,Inngkownoe, Ambara, Yea Manda of Orcsongo, Nommo of Nandowli, Dowgodyé, Amadigné Paral anaves and dwelfings locality of » Dogourou. 2. Songo (photograph J. Rove he altar to Amma in the ginna of Dodiou-Orey (Lower Ogol Shelter of men, toguna, and altar +o Amma at rd; The altar ‘to Asmma in the givaa of Arsaba (Lower Ogo 1. amma day. tothe background, the last constructions to the nowt of Lower Ox: 2. Altarto Amma and totemio sitetuary of Keke Kono: 3. Keke Koma cave (south part} first dwelling of the Dyon of Sang 1. House of the Hogon of Arou-near Tb. Tvichromatic paintings ex cule atthe time ofthe bute photograph by Mi ibaa Totemic sanctuary of Mands ot Orsxaog, Trchromtasic paintings and basrlite produced at the time ofthe upu. At the eer is series of dumm, done vertically in black. 1. Cave sete Kommo: the four boulders pices before the opening resent the four clavicle of Amma” 3. Cave tate kowtmo: white paint representing “the po coming out of Anume's ines, The arks ofthe Fox: The woolen drum, koro m bogi, called “with # nave,” symbol of he fist ark; 2. The tax basket, symbol ofthe second ark10 THE PALE FOX 1, Cave and fi joumboulow at Yougo Dogorou; 2. Rock shelter demme togolu komme near Barna (San PLXI J. Volpes pallidus. 2. The table of divination: in the center one exh istnguish the traces ofthe animals paw (phewsuragh J. Rouch). PL. XII 1 Annual sacrifice om the Jee of the Fox: in front of the altar the smoothing mescumients called "bands of the Fos”: 2. The lables of divination PL. XIII altars ofthe lee data and of the “path ofthe blood”: 1 ant. The lobe atthe center of the lee dala, PL XIV Arrange stones and sogo representing the various positions of Venus Venus don ast of Lower Opol: >. Venus die font, at 8 location called Tenné, south of Upper Ogol: 3. Venvs yapun dia mmarkeiplace of Sanga PL XV Trichromatic painting ofthe J. 1951.2. The same pain 1951 the palatng has undergo PL_XVI * 1964 photograph 3. Rouch) Since an irmpoream © fhe chameleon.” Great vat at Song PL XVII Carved wood as statuettes represening 1e'The Nommo before the strife: the shape othe abject stresses andeogyny (Collection Lobby 2. The resurrected Nommo ents self Amma (Collection Ration. Photograph José Oster). 3. T resurected Nommo. The two dsproportionitely long arms hesde th torso symbolizes descent Earth, whichis represented by the block n which he stands. Beveathinisthe “hoe” ofthe Fox thea the fourteen worlds" of sar ina spiral of Amma over wtich spans hsrule shown ty the grooves cut into the wood — Yamoy totem of ii (MI Royol de TAMngue centrale, Tervuren PL. XVIII “The 10 great Nommo of the sky, To the left, the momma de, t the right, the momma titans. (Mxée de Bamako, NO, A101) PL.XIX The Nommo's Ark ano Ritual platter ofthe ima (Mu 2, Ral pater af the inna (Muse ‘de FHomme, Na. © 6093. 493) Bamako, No. A 84) ww {IST OF PHOTOGRAPHS PLXX Ark of te Nommeo Z 1 The tase basket on the terrace of a house of Gogol: 2. Twe sual x (inp) Mlste de Bamako, No. A97 ¥ the ark at Laks Dio: Phe table ocaed at the top of Meus Gourao represent Nommo's ark "during the deseent”: 2, The stone dru of the cave (PGaorao: 3 View overlooking the village of Marks de Gourao an the most distant poin on the ake where "Faro'ss iplocated wos PL.XXUL The Nommo's uk on the Earth, at Sanga T'Sionearangemcrs representing the su ih Sn the Bele tet) sce ren tse pollo komma: 2 The polo mn mo eable, south foe. 08 Pp views The sg de amd behind it the 2. The x rine fr ght of the reek table separating Dona from gu. The Gone 2 Pt Carved wooden doe fromagranary of he Hogon'sdwelling Musée de es 18 aoe No. A 68INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION ur attention was first drawn to the Dogon and their remarkable cosmology in 1972 when we receixed Hamlet's Mill by Giorgio de Santillana and Hertha von Dechend as a Christmas present. This fasci- nating work included several related diagrams and an excerpt from the troduction to Conversations with Ogotemmmét (Dieu d'eau},an account ‘of Dogon religious ideas imparted by one of the elders to the French ethnologist Marcef Griaule. Although our interest had been sparked, for various reasons we did not pursue the matter until several years later when we acquired a copy of the book. If feft us eager for the elabora- tions published in a subsequent work co-authored by Marcel Griaule and Germaine Dieterlen, Le renard ple, which had appeared in France in 1965. To our surprise we then learned that in the intervening years it had never been translated into English. We borrowed a copy of the Frerich original from a university library in Southern California, and as ove perused the text we became more and more convinced that a classic report of this caliber should definitely be available in the English lan- guage, Since it was evident no one had thought the enterprise worth- while up to that time and, therefore, it was doubtful someone woutel in the future, we decided to explore the possibilies of producing an English rendition ourselves. Tt must be said at he outset that our intentions might have remained unproductive without the help ~ moral, financial, and otherwise — of Hugh and Ruth Harrison, who have also continued to stand by through endless delays and setbacks We wish here to express our deep gratitude to them both, fewas at Hugh Harrison’s suggestion that early in 1980 the Harrison-Moffett Publishing Group was formed by the Harrisons, my husband Blair Moffett, and myself for che purpose of publishing The Pale Fox. We sought 2 lic wgreement from Germaine Dieterlen, the heirs of Marcel Griaule, and the Institut d'Ethnologie in Paris, as joint holders of the rights to the original work. This contract was signed.4 THE PALE FOX inthe fll. Toward the end of that year the Harrison Moffett Publishing Group was melded imo the Continuum Foundation, a non-profit eom- ‘munications enterprise, Translation work was begin by Stephen C. Infantino in the summer of 1981 Ieis beyond dispute that this translation of Le renunt pale will be of value to those English-speaking scholars who are notsufficiently fluent in French to make use of the original. However, weleel certain it wil not be consigned to oblivion in university libraries across the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and elsewhere, but wil appeal to many among the general public who have a specific area of interest, such as arehaeoastronomy, Black studies, mythology, oral taditions, or com- parative religion Additionally, The Pale Fox may find an even wider audience, for the Dogon have been inthe limelight a number of timesduring the ‘seven ties, mainly in television programs. In part, these cettered around the “Sirius mystery,” the puzzling fact that the Dogon, with no more aid than the naked eye, have known of the existence ofthe wo companions of the star Sirius — a phenomenon that has generaly been explained away by attributing Dogon astronomical knowledge to outside, prefera- bly recent sources.* Our translation is meant also for those individuals ‘For those interested the Sirius enigmas, we referhere tows statements hy Griaule and Dieterlen whieh, although rarely mentioned, ae quite pertinent? 1. In 1951 they were shown a cave in bl in which the kanoga masks for tha area were sored. I isthe Dogon custom to earve one of these masks fr each Sig ceremony held {every snty years and related 0 Sirus and its sompanions, At tha time, there were nine ‘masks, while the place of three more that hal crumbled to dustcould easily be recom nized. This would date the ceremonies back 10 the thirteenth century. ("Un Systeme Soudanais de Sirius” oucnal dela Socigté ds Atricanistes, TomeXX, Paeicue 1, 199 pp.27394) 2: Ina Keture given in 1970 Les Cérémnies Soixantenaes de Sige chez les Dogon Arica, Journal of the International African [nstitute, Vol. XL, No. L.) Germaine Dieterlen referred to a very aged Degon man who had paripated in three Sigui ‘ceremonies: the most recent in 1969, the previous ene that took place around 1908, and ‘once in 1849 or shorly thereafter, when he was stil in his methers womb, for even the "unborn are consided io have attended if thei birth takes place within nine months ater the event ‘The first Western report about Sirus being a binary star came in 1844: the companion eas subsequently sen through telescope hy Alvan Clarkin 1842 INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION 15 who have been stimulated into further inguiries oftheirown, forit offers original source material (now in @ form readable by all) which not only puts the question of the Sirius system intoits proper setting and perspec~ tive, but, more important, presents the fullest recording to date of the cosmology of the Dogon — their spiritual hentage of many centuries. Furthermore, it confronts most occidental readers with a Welianschau ung fundamentally different from their own. The subtleties of thought and consistency of development of the Dogon wisdom may lend credence to Professor Griaule’s own opinion that it equals the traditions of the classical Mediterranean cultures. However, there is a crucial difference: the Dogon are a fing society; their body of myths, instead of being the static lore of an extinct people, is the most active driving force of their existence. As is so amply illustrated in The Pale Fox, every aspect of individual life and of social institutions is modeled on their cosmogony in al its phases and permuta- tions. In contrast to our own society which is almost wholly profane, the sacred being allotted a cireumscribed and limited function, for the Dogon there is no schism between the sacred and the profane, As the universe is God Amma's creation, indeed, ’s Amma, it is sacred with all it contains {rom the infinitesimal to the infinite. Thus, while to most of us the grains that make up our daily bread are merely the impersonal product of agrobusiness, to the Dogon they are lives endowed with a soul to be preserved between the harvest and the next seeding. Allied, moreover, to the “grains” that played a role in the creation process, they are both nourishment and sacrament. The stars and galaxies are viewed by few people in the West as more than accumulations of chemical compounds sweeping in their orbits through an empty space. To the Dogon they are inspirited components of dynamic whole among which there is a constant exchange of energies: for like the ancient astronomers/astrologers, such as the Chaldeans, Chinese, Celts, Mayas, and other Amerindian, the Dogon are scientists and hietophants at the same time and thus concerned with both the physical and metaphysical realities of the universe. Man, in the framework of Dogon belief, isthe microcosm. Asin many other cosmogonies, his body actually provides the imagery in which the intricate creative processes are expressed. The comparison of the human body as microcosm with the universe as macrocosm, is a classicalie THE PALE FOX ‘method of teaching, because the human being is held to contain an expression of all the forces and energies of the solar system and the aniverse. If the Dogon speak more in sexual teenss than do most tradi- ‘ions, it is because they regard the reproductive organsand functions as sepresentative of the cosmic generative and creative forces, Because it has taken much longer to produce this book than intially Projected and costs have meanwhile risen appreciably, it has been necessary to take all polychrome drawings accompanying the text of the original and group them in one place in this English edition. Also, it Proved to be technically and financially impossible for us to maintain the diacritical marks emplayed in transiiteration of the Dogon lan- guage. Faced with the choice of omitting these or not being able to Publish, we opted for the former. The small percentage of readers to whom they will be of interest are referred to the French original. From the beginning it has been an important consideration with us that, through Marcel Griaule and his team of co-workers, a group of Dogon elders deliberately sought to make their systems of belief known to Western people we fee this tanslation ia direct extension oftheir thrust Ida P. Moffett ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ‘Our special thanks go to John N. and Sarah B, Mitchell, Oscar Vioward, Louis M. Moore, Robert Murray, Elizabeth Pegues, 0. Donald Smith, Jr.,and Sohn Warder for their enthusiastic, sustained assistance. Under the able direction of Sohn Mitchell, these leaders and membersof {he Black community in Minneapolis organized themselves as an ad hoc ‘eommittce to seek funding for the production of The Pale Fox, since Continuum is not an endowed foundation. Because of the committee's success we can here acknowledge signifi- ‘cant fund grants from the Honeywell Foundation, the University of Minnesota Foundation, and the Jostens Foundation, all of Minneapolis; Irom the Minnesota Historical Society of the twin city of St.Paul. In lildition, besides their time and effort for the ad hoe committee, John, tnd Sarah Mitchell, O. Donalé and Helen Smith, Jr., and Louis M. and Harriett Moore made personat financial contributions toward our pro- duction costs Important help to the ad hoc committee and thus to this project has heen given by Dr. Frank B. Wilderson, Jr. Vice-President for Student Affairs and Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Dr. Wilderson was instrumental in introdue- {ng to the committee Dr. Lansiné Kaba, from Guinea in West Africa, Who is the Chairman of the Department of Afro-American and African Studies, and a distinguished Teacher-Award Professor of History, at the University of Minnesota. Drs. Wilderson and Kaba contributed informed guidance and counsel to the ad hoc committee. AL a time when obstacles to publication appeared formidable, we received much-needed encouragement and useful advice from Arthur M. Young, Director/Founder of the Institute for the Study of Con- sciousness, Berkeley, California. We wish to express our appreciation to Mr. Young for that and for continuing to he arr interested friend of this project. To all of the persons and institutions named here, Continuum Foun- dation extends warm gratitude not only for theit material support but llso for that extra dimension of value and meaning which theis parti pation has imparted to this bookFOREWORD Intensive studies of the Dogon of the Bandiagara cliffs (Republic of Mali) have been conducted by expeditions under the direction of Mar- {el Griaule since 1931. Interrupted during the war, they were continued ‘gain in 1946, Since 1948, all have been funded by the Centre National ale la Recherche Scientifique. We wish to thank here all the organizations that have supported our efforts and made this publication possible: The Ministry of National Education The Centre National de la Recherche Scien The Muscum National d'Histoire Naturelle The Musée de Homme The Institut d'Ethnologie = The International African Institute The General Government of French West Africa: the High Commis: sioners, Governors, and Administrators for having graciously re- ceived us and for their support in the Sudan until the independence. ~ The Institut Francais d’Afrique Noire de Dakar ~ The Centre IFAN de Bamako. Since the independence, the government of the Republic of Mali hhas helped us to pursue our task. We thank them for their support: ~ The President of the Republic of Mali and his government in partic: sla: ~ The Ministry of National Education and the Institut des Sciences Humaines of Mali.THE PALE FOX instry of the Interior and the Ministry of Information and “Terlum for facilitating our travels and sojourns and for backing WW With their authority, as well as the Governor of the Mopti jwgion and the Administrators of the Bandiagara region. ‘The investigations undertaken among the Dogon since 1931 by the members of the Griaule missions have been conducted principally in te villages in the Sanga region. Until 1939, the numerous visits at different times of the year have allowed exploration in nearly all loca~ tions in the plateau and cliff regions: almost every village or district chief was questioned, Since the end of World War If, these investigations have been repeated regularly every year in the Sanga region; at different intervals in the communities of Iréli, Yougs, Arou, Orosongo, Nandouli, and Songo. We herewith wish to thank all our Dogon interpreters, informants, and collaborators isted below, including those who passed away before the publication of this work. A special mention must be made of our main interpreters: Ambara Dolo, who has worked with us since 1931. He has not only tcanslated the statements of the informants, but also supplied a great deal of iformation that revealed profound knowledge of Dogon religious and social structures. He has produced and commented om very many of the ritual figures reproduced in this volume. Ammdigné Dolo, who has translated and collected a great deal of information and has pacticipated in the collection of snatecials (plants, fabrics, pottery, etc.). Koguem Dolo, presently a lieutenant in the Army of Mali, who has taken part especially in all the inquiries conducted by Marcel Griaule With Ogotemmeti POREWORD a All three men have, at times, accompanied us on our savels through Mali in the regions of Lake Débo, Mopti, Diafarabé, Ségou, Bamako, Kangaba, ete.) and have taken part in parallel investigations among the heighboring populations ~ Bozo, Marka, Bambara, Peul, and Malinké which have proven 10 be valuable (0 the knowledge of Dogon Institutions. We would like to add the names of those main informants who, since 1948, fave supplied and commented on mast ofthe information recorded in The Pele Fox with remarkable ability and untiring good will Ogotemméli, Ongnonlou, Yébéné, and Akoundyo Dolo of the Sanga region, the priest Manda of Orosongo. ‘We must also mention Douneyrou Dolo, now deceased, who was thief of the canton of Sanga, and his sons Laya and Ogobara, who have always helped us under all circumstances. We also thank Apourali — who takes care of the safekeeping of our material in Sanga — Mégnou, Ana, arid Denla Dofo, who devotedly served our cause during our stays. For their patience, perseverance, good will, and zeal to instruct us, all ‘our Dogon ‘Each sells his own products: the women sell grains and other plate foods, wood, indigo cakes; the men sell meat; the Fulani women brings the products of their herds. At the market, regional merchants or traders sell manufactured impomy items, sugar, salt, and dried fish from Mopti. They buy local products for resale to the Bozo of Mopti. who transport them by dug-out canoe f@ ‘more distant markets. The exportation of packed dried anions const tutes an important economic resource of the Dogon: merchants tran port them by truck as far as the Ivory Coast aié Ghana complex at first glance, is in fact rigorously divided fous opposite and complementary social groups: the mascu= Waid is opposite the feminine, the initiates are opposite the Mates, the differen classes of afe separate and distinct, ee. Thus iva complex system of different types of social relations, through I the respective statutes of its members ate lived and expressed. jer scale, the Dogon, as farmers, are opposite the caste hers (artisans, griots), with regard to whom they maintain a stciet but with whont they live in symbiosis from a viewpoint of ‘onomic, and religious complementarity jounwhile, among HE DSgoHifas elsewhere the socialypolitical, and! le organizations are interdependent with the system of beliefs, iy in function of # genesat apprehension in their sovial life, of He iutuiral world, the world of the living, arid that of the ancestors. stablishment of a settlement, the land regulations and every= thats connected wich iwardOeOuRRe: Inchided INS UnTtATy f ofie can neither buy nor sell land where an ancestor ofthe tribe for lineage has setiled: Each one, according to his rank in the Iijerarchy, has the right to develop a parcel of land of which he has Srary possession or usufruct, and the allocation of which adheres (ct rules within the lineage at the time when its chief succeeds his ied “brother” or father. LTS. ‘The principal cults are devoted to: 1) the Supreme god Amma, creator of the universe; 2 the first living and moving creatures created by Amma, i.e, NOIR Oiitor ancestsS SHAM co whom Amma entrusted a part of the Dihogement of the universe, specifically to the first three, the| NORIO! Phe NemimoRiiayie. and o¥Nomms. The first|two!reside witha THE PALE Fe Amma in the empyreal sky. The third is the “father” of map. He wi ‘sacrificed to heaven to atone for the misdeeds of his cwin, the) four Nommo, shaper of the Earth, who had fallen and been transformed into, the Fox; later resurrected, he has ever since resided W'tKE water, his dona; 2) the “anicestors”of the fourlineages, the “sons “of the sacrificed any resurrected Nommo, respectively Amma Sérou, Lébé Sérou, Binow, ‘Séroit; DyongowiSérou, and their female twins; together they are sym- bolically considered as the apicalmeight ancestors” of thelfollr DOuOm tribes By strict division, these mythical beings are, under “Amma’s eye," responsible for the working of the world. They are the guardians of life, holders and protectors of the spiritual principles of man and of grainy the basis of human sustenance. The agents of the principal cults are their witnesses: they symbolically represent some of these personages and, at the same time, are ministers of the cults consecrated to them, Allfeutts, regardless of their specific character aGUress themselves first to God Amma, then to his three deputies, Celestial and terrestrial ‘and this pertains to all levels of territorial and social organizations lineage, clan, village, or region. As for the three Monitors, they are distinguished according to the status or role of the mythical personality in question and to the size and character of the group. For example: the lineage and clan worship the sacrificed Nommo as the holder and: protector of the spiritual principle of man and grain; the whole village ‘worships himt as the reorganizer of the universe that was distyrbed by. the misdeeds of the Fox, and as the protector of all its inhabited: territory. This being said, thesextremély/eompiex Bingu cults devoted t6)itie, sacrificed Nommo, but on the level of the totemic clan; each clatr corresponds (0 one of the parts ofthe dismembered body, while all the lans together represent the entire resurrected body. ‘The Lébé cult is devoted to the ancestor Lébe SéroulWho. in thé bewinning, was responsible for the integrity of the cultivated land, and Was sacrificed on Earth for reasons similar to those which necessitated the sacrifice of theNommerin Heaven: in this case worship is rendered (on a territorial basis (groups of villages, regions) ‘The Society of Masks, Which includes ali circumcised men, worst throughits dignitaries, the ancestor Dyongou Sérou, hunter and healer, DUCTION Wied following the violation of a prohibition, As a result of this “leath appeared in the terrestrial and human world. This cult les the inhabitants of only certain regions of the plateau and cliffs. {ull is devoted to the ancestors of every lineage in the house that she first to be built and is the main one in the quarter where the Jpn question fives and where the altars chat have been raised are the auiblity of the patriarch who oceupies the dwelling. ile FO, witness ofthe “ancestor” who formed the Barth, casedow othe ion of the universe. By les, he Fevealsto men their destiny. In every village the diviners, who ‘a society of their own, are the ministers of this cult. Social organization is based primarily on a four-part system, not que to the Dogon, who consist of four principal tribes, as do other es ‘The four great Dogon tribesare called Dyon, Arou, Ono, and Domno. \coretically, they are considezed to be the replica of the four mythical Jineazes of humanity's four male “ancestors,” respectively Amma Sérou, ‘Lébé Sérou, Bmou Sérou, Dyongou Sérou. The word ser means “witness”; Wc term symbolically relates to the functions of those in charge of the [Present main Dogon cults. LINEAGE, GINNA, AND THE CULT OF THE ANCESTORS. “The heart of Dogon society isthe extended family, rogu or ginna, both patrilinear and patritoral Each village is compased of a certain number of exogamous extended Jincages grouped in neighborhoods; each ineage has collective rights to sltivation areas : “ig “The togu originally referred to the four ‘ancestors’ and their wives, descended from the same ‘father’ and inhabiting the same house, gina 1. Ch. G. DIETERLEN, Mythe et organisation sociale au Soudan francais p41 ‘ni Ba and G. DieTERLE, Koumen, Texte iniiauigue des Pasteurs ext . 10.” THE PALE FOX {fontraction for gin na big house). As.a result of this common origin, the Dogon claim tobe all descended from the’same vogu’ anu umoyh the ‘only togu’ /fogu turn); the cerm, in its strictest sense, presently, Plies to all individuals belonging to a common exogamous family and related to the same ginna. Because of the development ofits branch inna may be subdivided into several smal families (tre ogy) spaialy ‘srouped in dwellings around she ‘big house’ and dependent upon jt." The term ginna designates the members of a lineage as well a4 the welling of its founder and the land thats the common property of the group. By extension, the term also designates the “neighborhood,” that is to Say, the group of dwellings built around the founder's house, which ths assigns a common residence to the lineage. Thus, each village is composed of a certain number of exogamous extended lineages, grouped in neighborhoods; each lineage claims collective rights to cultivation areas, ‘The administration ofthe ginnais the duty ofthe ginna bana, patriarch of the lineage, the oldest man of the oldest generation of the common, ancestor's descendants, In his decisions and actions, the ginna band ‘must keep in mind the opinion of the membersot te ineage: nevertheless, his authority is incontestable. (Atthe time he takes office, he makes a redistribution of property: he takes possession of the ginna, leaving his old house to the one who comes after him, Then he redistributes the lands aocacding toage, dows to the youngest, because the property is inalienable and is passed on Within the familial group. He must reside in the founder's house, which contains the altars consecrated to God the creator, Aiima, to the sacrificed Nommo, ilather of man, "and o the ancestors ofthe lineage vagew). He manages ‘te material and spiritual well-being of the group and ensures the ‘worship of the community of which he is the priest. He gives the ewborn their names, is responsible for the consecration of ee pottery oF the dead in the altar ofthe ancestors, forthe regular performence of ‘Scrifies to their souls, and for the rituals during the agricultural year: Parification before seeding, offerings ofthe first fruits, and closing of the harvest ceremonies (winter solstice), 14 G. DicTERtEN, Parenté et mariage chez les Dogon, p13 and Lid, B RODUCTION 4 in his lineage, an individual is always situated in elation to four ora fone tcredont sections, Snel when pling ie 8S co asin be pene poe he persons rain ise sis Mall i ste ate ome and drink." This steuture corresponds othe Dogon esablisi- nt of a system of kinship and marriage extending over five genera: jons for the four mythical lineages. stor marriage, the Dogon presently practice a geseral exchange gong the four original iribes, Exogamy is the rule within the parental ‘group, the ginna; the ideal mate is the daughter of a maternal uncle. This and other customs ac indicative ofthe presence ofa astem of kinship through the women in which the maternal uncle plays an impor tun role. iage is called ya di, literally ‘taking wife.’ The polygamous (work wif). The erm alludes to the payment he anc must ake to his envi igen, Women maid afevarsae cae ahs pra we becuse they ar ster engage orhave bon dre fom thirst stan, Nopaymentistobe made tos parentinlaw by the husband of ayakeew whois called anakezu,"> ‘ The settlement of the family group on the land and the sharing of the sos associate withthe saving of wives Although 8 marsied woman remains a member of her clan and of her father's gima and enjoys a certinatonomsdaingher etre te Dogon maria is never: les sly enable the wie at et pregnnsy is inte into her husband's ginna 80 as to ensue the legitimacy of the child she Ge past, a young woman remained in her father’s bome until the birth of her third child. She then left her family 40 go and live with her hand, ev her Sabon wile ahr. Presemly, hisrule no longer strictly observed, and the woman comes to live with her husban much sooner. ’ Upon the death of one of the spouses, the widow or widower may 25.. DIETERLEN, Parenté et mariage chez les Dogon, p11, 16. dem, p13. 17. Lem, p. 192.” THE PALE FOX remarry after the last funeral rites /dama) haveteen ites /dama) havedeen performed. The Dogon practice ve levirate, eae ke ya ei*merage of inheritance” its purpose is to ensure continuity of the exteded family by mal taining vhe wife and childcen of the deceased inhefaer'sginna. The Widow, however, is free to rafuse this marriage animarry the man of her choice, even if he is of another li i i lineage, but thedildren re bers of their father's own lineage. apne THE CLAN AND THE INSTITUTION OF TH: BINU. ‘The Dogon claim to be equally united by a more extensive kinship than the preceding one, which applies to memlers belonging to one ae eee that may inctude several ginne “The institution called bin (literally: left and zturned) 2 wed) presents th characteris of oti el, a nae, «pelion et. a) Related to the same totem" may be either tk members of a large common patrilinear or patrilocal ginna (lteraly: ee (literaly: big house) or the For example: in Sanga (the double village of Op), the descendants of the four ginna, Pamyon, Do, Guinna, and Tatis, who occupy four sectors, have Tiré as their totem. i ‘Only the giana is exogamous: a man of the Do ginna may marry & — woman of the sante clan as himself, but belonging to a differemt o es of both sexes of the same bi observe the same 1S) Mati women or itrodncedi'on ce ne al es wusband’s ginna during ther fst pregnancy s0 xto ensure the leyti- ‘macy of the child they bear; but they remain mmbers of cheir own lineage and maintain their relation to the paternal han, 4) The priest is the only one who bears the name of the totem. He is, 18. Therm totem is meant tod i Thee is meant to designate the insinution ofthe}, vin he Hesaons imo yi se re nef he nto of hs xteneh pe ino ‘manifest and promo the existence of eategories and correspossnces, clasifiatons in ‘every way comparable to those analyzed by C. LevESTeaus in his fil works on totemism (Le Tosstsme aufourd Pui und La Pons sauvage PRODUCTION by esponsible fr the sanctuary, small building containing altars and ext pects and generally placed inthe courtyard of the particular ginna. By Wintue of his office he has the use of a field, connected withthe sunctuary, fut he must also set aside from the harvest those grains needed for the formance of rites (sacrificial porridges, communal beer, first fsuits, irc). Hes skilled in performing rites involving particular individuals of the clan (pregnancies, assigning a name toa newborn child, purifications, tte.) aswell as those of collective interest (plantings, successive ceremo- ties for the desaeralization of the harvest, etc.). He observes the pro! tion of the collectivity as well as seven other ones connected with fis office (the same for all totemic priests). 'At the death of the priest, the family head of the gina that.contains the sanctuary (which remains closed) takes care ofthe performance of the indispensable rites during the entire interim, until another member of the group proves himself qualified to take office. @) The binu are male or female, Their characteristics as well 2s certain of their roles within and outside of the elan vary in accordance with these representations. ‘Example: the priestsot the male totems, but never those ofthe female totems, would intervene in wartime ) A totem may be ‘shared’ when the members of a village hay= become too numerous and one group decides to leave and found anew fainna, At that time, the ritual objects within the sanctuary are divided: the pat thats removed constitutes the material ofthe sanctuary bil: in the courtyard of the new ginna, Such a case is Tare at present, but ‘cooured rather frequently in the past during the settlement and migrar tions of the Dogon on the cliffs. The new binu may: either keep thame and prohibitions ofthe original bin, or separate itself completely in appearance (in the event of a muisuuderstanding), by adopting & different name and different prohibitions. But the members will always now the origin of thet bin." ‘From both the mythical and the religious point of view the institution of binu represents the worship of the collectivity of man's mythical ancestor @ nomimo, who was sacrificed and resurrected, because all, ‘bina stem from the first one, which was overseen by one of the epony- 19.6. DIETERLEN, Note sur le ttémisme dogon, p- 30607.46 ‘mous ancestors, Binou Sérou, “witness of the Binou,” This first bimu ‘was divided among the twenty-two males of the fifth mythical generation thus resulting in twenty-two basic Binou of which we have the nomenclatere, with the Hist of corresponding prohibitions and with the distribution within the present four great tribes of the Dogon. Itisin the image of this first mythical “partition” ~ a replica of the twenty-two Brinciples or “articulations” recognized in the resurrected body by the Dogon — that the division of a clan takes place at the present time. such as we have just described above, The prohibition of a binu (animal,’ plant, or object) ~ which was revealed o the clan through the intermediary ofa distant, quasi-legendary ancestor ~ “is considered as ‘evidence’ of the cosmobiological corre. spondences that exist between the parts of the restrrected body, the Stellar system, the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom, etc. It is a summary of these relationships, ® THE TRIBE, THE INSTITUTION OF THE LEBE, AND THE HOGON. Formerly, the mouthpiece of government in Dogan society was the council of patriarchs, placed under the authority of the Hogon who, as the political head also administered justice and maintained order throvgh the intermediary of his delegates, who were especially responsible for Policing the markets: price surveillance, proper course of teansactions, etc, Fines were the sanction and, for more serious crimes, exile, or slavery. In the event of murdet, the culprit was permanently excluded from the group, conskiered dead, and his belongings were divided ‘among his heirs. Among the Dogon theft is severely punished, In the Past, a thief caught in the act could be killed of led before the Hogon, who would impase a heavy fine upon him. If the fine was not ‘paid, the: thief could be sold into slavery The Hogon has remained the religious head and, by virtue of this, has great authority: he is priest of the lebe, which isto say, he is responsible for the worship rendered by all the Dogon to the mythical ancestor Lébe Sérou, sactticed because he had violated a prohibition, so that the stan ‘ed to the cultivated earth might be purified. 20.6, Dives, idem, p, 108, THE PALE FOX TRODUCTION as “From the standpoint of social organization, the four mythical line- jes are the symbol of the four present Dogon tribes. Amma Sérou, sbé Sérou, Binou Sérou, and Dyongou Sérou are the ‘apical’ ancestors the Dyon, the Arou, the Ono, and the Domno, respectively. “The Arou tribe, representing the lineage of LEbé Sérou, appoints ‘one Hogon, priest of Lébé who represents this mythical ancestor. He Holds his seat in the village of Arou-near-Ibi, and his authority is fe particular by all the members ofthat tribe, no matter what their place of ‘esidence. This dignitary is generally considered the political and reli- flous leader of all the Dogon. “The Dyon, Ono, and Domno tribes appoint several Hogon. whose. thority extends over different parts of the territory of the particular tribe. For example, the Hogon of Sanga is the leader of all the Dyon of the many villages that make up the region.” “The positions of Hogon of Dyon (Amma Sérou) and of Ono (Binou Sérou) are beld by the eldest man of the territorial group in question; the Hogon of Arou (Lébé Séroup and of Domno (Dyongou Sérou) are lected among the younger members of a particular territorial group. Thus, Dyon and Arou on the one hand, Ono and Domno on the other, ‘ogether constitute two cortiplementary and parallel groups with regard to the choice of the tribe's principal leaders. “Each Hogon is assisted by a council, which meets for all decisions of common interest and for community ceremonies. The way in which the council is made up is related to social organization and varies according to the tribe: among the Dyon and the Arou, these dignitaries, seven in number, are the eldest men of the region under the Hogon’s authority The Hogon of the Ono and Domno are assisted respectively by three or four notables. . ."" The Hogon ranking highest in the sacerdotal hierarchy is considered God Amma’s representative on earth and, of course, representative of the celestial supernatural forces which assist him, He is called amma seru, “Amma's witness.” He is at the same time the priest of Lébs. This: cult, whose sacrificer is its principal officiator, is devoted both to the sacrificed and resurrected Nommio and to tie artostor Lébé Sérou. 2. We should mension that the Arou of Sanga, a mimority inthe region, recognize the _ahoriy of the Hogon of Dyon for certain eresonies regarding the territrial callect 122.G, DIETERLEN Pareaid et mariage ches les Dogon, p. 13250 THE PALE FO. Analtarof the lebe is erected in the residence ofthe Hogon, who may. no longer leave the sanctuary after his ordination, Corresponding to this, another such altar is situated in the main square of the village on a Platform, which is the image of the “sky” where the primordial sacrifice {00k place, by way of testimony to the supernataral powers that hold the spiritual essence ofthe seeds. The Hogon is the safekeeperof the purity ofthe cultivated land, zubay mine, “earth of the day fthefish,” and of the seeds; he must aiso observe a great many prohibitions, Hes assisted by dhe priest of the region's principal totem, who is hs sacrificer and who officiates in his name during agrarian ceremonies. OTHER SOCIAL GROUPS, We have seen that each individual descends from a fis vidual de from a lineage, fogs, from a ginna, and from a totemic clan, binu. He also belows to other Secial groups, established by village 2ad region, themselves placed under the authority of azeligious leader, the Hogon, Asis the case with the system of kinshi s inship, the system ofageclasses and the Society of Masks give the Dogon ther structural amework, Each individual is admitted or introduced ritually into these associ tions after circumcision, which forms one of the fundamental steps in life: the operation and succeeding rites bring about the permanent fixing of the spiritual principfes of body and sex of the adokscent, His Persons stabilized: he will, when the time comes, befitfor procreation, At the same time, during the retreat he receives the beginning of an education that will later permit him to play his role and fulfill his functions in the heart of his society. AGE CLASSES, Each group of graduated, circumcised men composts anage class, tonno, The membersof a zonno must help each other forthe wst of their lives. From an economic point f view, they are a sort of wonrenunerated work group, that tills the fields, repairs houses, etc, for indviduals or for the community. They are thanked with offers of dink atd meals. The members of the tonto sometimes maintain a dwellag, dunt, bull in each neighborhood, where they meet after those wor hours to which their elders are entitled. They may spend the nigh thew and also « PRODUCTION ‘ ive their friends and the young girls of the village. The latter, too, grouped in age classes in accordance with the time when they were ised “Theoretically, each Dogon group isdivided into seven age classes, the irety of which is represented by the Hogon, who is beyond all classes, to speak. These eight strata of men are the symbol of the eight westors. But these, in turn, have eight elders as their substitutes in ‘such village, who must possess the knowledge in ts entirety and who act 4s body in the course of the different ceremonies, This means that if the whole group is represented by its leader, the seven groups and their Jeaders, in turn, have a chapter of eight notables as their deputy who, ta certain degree and under particular circumstances, act on behatf of the whole. THE SOCIETY OF MASKS, AVA. In certain regions of the cliffs and plateau, each circumcised man becomes a member of the ava or Society of Masks. He must carve (or have carved for him) und wear the mask of his choosing in order to dance during the funeral rites. ‘The ava is a male association charged, among other things, with the worship rexclered to the first dead — the mythical ancestor Dyongou Sérou — represented by the “great mask” mina na, which isthe collee- tive property of the village. ‘The presiding dignitaries of the ava are the ohubare, recruited from among the inne pursof each lineage in turn atthe time of the sixty-year ceremony of the Sigui. For three months these dignitaries go into retreat and receive instruction: they live in the bush in the eave that has been assigned to the newly carved mask where they are taught by the elders. ‘They memorize especially the incantations and texts in the “Sigui tongue,” sigioo, which tel, in a very abbreviated manner, the story of the ereation of the world and of the appearance of death on Earth and in the human world. Until the performance of the rites of the Sigui sixty years later, it will be their duty to worship the ancestor Dyongou Sérou through the intermediary ofthe great mask. keeper of his spiritual principles. Nextto the olubaru, in charge of the calt for the first dead, all men qualified to wear a mask perform a similar service for each man who has92 died. Rites performed ci during which the mask: ii must be accompanied, led, or directed ositing of the funeral earthenware in the famil ing his passage into the rank of ancestor. They are, however, re 7 veVer, represented in the ava by adignita Oman f Sia” consecrate atthe time ofthe saty-yoor soe n the religious plane, the yasigine +e rhe religous plane, ine represents yasigui, the twin of one ofthe ong rst created by God, acauserofdisordercantasundey cna funeral eespatte the Fox. However, the yaxigne, who attends a ny cites orks Wheres pays the role of the mythical anceace a Place where the masks are kept nor learn the All men quatife attaen is re etka the mask must dance a the funerals and pec dur nd of mourning” rites, or dama. Tih Participate inthe sites relaive to the spiritual principles ofthe dene VARIOUS ASSOCIATIONS, Weshould point out the existence of certain in individual may be introduced by virtue of his practealaaey tat DUCTION inages:thisis her main role. She is essentially Hier children, she also takes care of the food for her husband and Jife household. In addition, she devotes herself to agricultural | the products of her harvest or the cotton she has spun she sells for profit woman participates in the entire religious life, except for any- Jnyolving the Society of Masks. She receives a training and an Wlon similar to that of the men, but administered exclusively by itn, This instruction, of which wS'know very litle, is stil an object ther in-depth study, “The woman also enjoys a relatively great measure of freedom, and ‘has control over her personal goods. She is held in esteem and pect by all, : ae ik PERSON. ‘The notion of “person,” dime. is very elaborate, A man is constituted 8) a body /gozw); b} four “body souls”: one couple of twin souls of ‘opposite sex, kikinw say, “intelligent souls”; and its reflection made up ‘ia comparable couple, kikinu burnmone, “errant souls”; c) four "sex ‘ouls” grouped like the preceding ones; d) « composite vital force ‘Jiyuma), characterized as a fluid circulating conjointly with the blood in the veins. An important part of this force comes from the nani of the Particular individual, which is to say, from the patrilinear ascendant ‘who, following his death, appeared before the Nommo to ask that he be jyanted his souls;* e) the symbol of the basic foods placed in the clavicles, compared to two granaries, each containing four seeds. 2), The ividua's spiritual awiones is profcted in the symbolism of numbers: the wumiver 7, which represents the person i the um of3(the mae sex ~ penis and vesicles) ste feminine sex — the four labia), which also represer the two kiki of opposite es. A man repeats the ritual gestures sree times, a woman four times. 24. The word nani designates the ascenden as well as the descendent inherit the ile Jovce: forthe purposes of this presentation, we will designate the first one by nani stor) and the second by nan (descendant "The notion ofthe claviles as containers of the symbols of food isnot uniquely Dogon, but i widespread over a great numberof other Sudanese peoples. The content ‘varies sccording to their essentia function: hence, the Bou fishermen have the symbal of ght fishes inthe claviles cf. M, GINAULEand G. DIETERLEN.L “Agriculture itwelle des Bo.THE PALE jODUCTION he “forbidden name,” bey dama, frst given by the totemtic priest, on him the &skinu say ya, which resides with Nommo, but at this ‘he fish form to take on the human form. brings to the newborn child the “seeds of the clavicles. The clavicles are consi ame he will use in daly life, by toy, “seed name,” given by the les are considered asthe support ofthe shel ’ ‘ ey Are noe definitly stated uni Cet ickeleroe ee Bist the item, conten be newborn the kikinw say ana, med, that is, theoretically for the 2 ppc: i ‘wo. These various qualities make th the “mother's name,” aa boy. given by the patriarch of the mother's essentiatfo0d of the Dogon, which i al Family, confers the ki burumione ya on him; this soul, giving plants. The eight symbolic see within the body of man conceive: i four elmer, cart, water and fue) aea a resent like the eight ancestors whose which varies according to sex, function both in the universe and in society the sume seeds as their parents, f io) poston ora boy an arn ose the father aren a dominant It's the same for a gil, the sexes of the souls in question being and of diferent “sex.” the boy firs inhen eat Stk cht in number wersed: thus the boy dama bestows upon her the kikinu say ana of her his father, which are the same as tho daughter the : Riesices his given names, a Dogon as the right to bear several mottos: those of her uterine ancestors. Tine jose of his people, his tribe, his region, his wlage, and his quarter. Mature the presence ofa doable fen yng Snbolism of 2 biological Finally. he inherits the personal motto of his nari (ancestor). Allof these ‘A person esotly ean satin i dinate, Bor ena 4 hg ono preg ; being eh hs a ashes ated (n Dogon terminology), by The body souls, placed under che protection of tie mythical and aS hs” The scene Samed the motos which ce Ancestral personalities which are the relatives of the bearer, are associ- Menta acts which cones gone eeu of fist names ‘led with the collective family altars; they are, in part, beneficiaries of Social status. Most often, a Dogon, J i ihe rites of which they are the object, especially at the time of the sort of nickname), which are assoct stbeinga {onsumption of sacrificial victims, The two kikinu say of sex are perma- ih sociated with his body souls. If its @ Henly “fixed” after male and female circumcision and before marriage. They take part in worship rendered om the individwal altars, Awtogato lind dabie, consecrated at that time by the fathers of the respective betrothed. The life force, nyama, benefits from all the contributions due to these ibe by D. PAULA. Ongonizaton Jifferent sacrifices, offerings, and consummations. Far aguas, Les Ames des Dogon. p 15S. fe: B hus the constituent elements of a person (souks, body, life force, ey nd ches es Dagon: 3a te lavieular content) are in constant relationship: the movements of the jon and D. Litcitr2, Les Formas life force and of the seeds of the clavicles, which are able to eave and ‘integrate their bearer, are associated withthe movementsof thesoals; lo the bearer when he lives in his own region, leaves him and remains ds stand for the organization of the sanctuary during all of his journeysaway from the famitial Whe kikinu bummone ana resides with the Sorbidden totemic animat hin dama? i is elated to the nickname, fonno boy oranuge boy, @ 1 of friendship given to the child by his friends in his age group “Arcs ho ae relied rain do pabSee. Gost Rae duce Clon senepen dane onan 2 te analogy between the human clavicle and the ee ro Fern Petra no teats 77 The sf te ping soca et Dagon.) igh miles or on the fathers side ‘t names have been descr Hl: G. DIETERLES, Les es Na ‘moos, f. §. de Ganay, Las Propitivoires ches tes Dogonst = THE PALE. DUCTION their very complex study extends beyond the framework of this: For example, we have seen that, during fife, one of the body sot ‘kikinu say) of the same sex as its bearer gives life to him, whereas ‘other remains in the power of the Nommo; thus the Nommo protects th man at the same time he directs asst controls his actions. He does, however, send back this soul during certain rituals marking the pa from one condition to another, especially during male or fe circumelsion, marriage, and ordination into some social or religious office (chiefdom or priesthood), The simultaneously physical and spiritual constitution of a person, such as has just been described, applies to the majority of men called: innew omo, “\iving men.~ Certain individuals, charged with defined religious and social functions by virtue of their status, are called ixnew ‘Puru, “impure men.” The inne puru is incomplete: he has seven seeds in his clavictes instead of eight; his kikinu bummone ya of the body tesides permanently in the totemie sanctuary and does not accompany him on certain oevasions, as isthe case with the inne omo. This condition isnot ‘due to biological conditions of birth, but rather inherited from the nané ancestor) of the particular individual. * ‘The concept of the person's the basis or the representations and rites which accompany and follow the individual's death. Their purpose and ffectis to first regroup certain elements which have left the body, them to accompany them, each of them remaining afterwards ina particular Place. ‘Asa matter of fact, “upon death, the constituent elements of personal- ity separate. The nyama escapes from the body and becomes an active force which is to be directed by funerary ritual; it will be transmitted according to the rules fo descendants born in the extended paternal family of the deceased, who will become their nani ancestor). The souls too leave the body: under the Nommao’s conteol, they will serve 1 advance those of the children who will be the nani (descendants) ofthe deceased and who will seceive his life force." ‘The ancestors’ cult directs itself in a precise manner to certain ele ments of the being’s spiritual principles ~ the kikinu say of sex — which called” ducing rituals, performed on one: ‘of the arity: re - fated in the principal dwelling of the lineage. is itis their intermediary that the life force which rinsed the « as progressively transmitted to certain epee ae a Sr etranamision ~ which ensues conuinalyof the Meenas india presereing in bis Pero lll of his spiritual principles merse. = (GON THOUGHT. rican soci have analyzed al cies African societies, the Dogon know and a dn orpeinga an! things which surround theny ke others ty hy Mrcmpsed to make asjnibess ofthese. Having observed and sed saving within range of thei perception “they have comsrucis Jhdivenous explanation of the manifestations of sae sites fy: ol ology, geology, astronomy, anatomy, ané Peta, es, clos ad poll stucie crf aoa vam ete} The Dogon possess “systems of signs OF ae ee ding several mousands. an astronomy and calendars. & pa al sytem, extensive pi iological treneics, and a systematic pharmacopoe sises the smallest twig and the tiniest animals the SP The dragontly are considered ofthe same impor ‘Kooditions of life to which man is subject are inser Mere he De os etm has been given to tim to know that which is not himself" 1 WS is conceived as a whole, this whole having been thought, real I, | \ i rie 2.24 Spoons, Todonen deen foci DA 3.0. DIETER Tempra ds Mos Grn Son ones {2A Ba and G. DIETERLEN, Koumen. P93. 28. G. DiPTERLEN, Porenté et mariage, pp. 111-13, 29. dems, p11.‘that.can be broken up and linked together + cial eee ncibles atthe base of Dogon social organization are tations ty ant ie classifications, which inefude all natural mas Well as those of their own invention, These classified : upon the sue pring life of the indiviials oe insu ecm concepts, proceeds by analogy and tant eure At expression opens and closes a se underscore the presence ofa symbol: aduna sa used by them inthe sume way we say “symbolcaly™ 1e function of the symbol stn ean rie eee Pringiples establish the categories and Sin an entre soa fener eee eS hy ‘ay st Only a small quanti, be replaced hea et bib Bs td as ch of bevel een one grain of ‘female sorghum ina plate of rice the many sorts of beers used both in the relationships ‘problem lecolor tacked 38:6. Dorrie, des nésatats dex Misons Grau aw Soudan Francais, p. 139, JUCTION it hottom of a robe suifices to put oneself in @ favorable, ere. the symbol plays the nan to collect materials and actions in his m {umiliarized him with the games of abstraction. The succession of will have led him from the prepuce, symbol of the female soul, Jieard symborof the prepuce, tothe shawl ya nuaan symMbOTOE the | (o the drawn sign of the shawi, symbo? of the shawl itself, and to those figures traced haphazardly in the center of the family ‘before seeding, which symbolize al! known signs including, among. that Of tie stave. Thus he will have learned that with the help. ie.{rawn carelessly but purposefully, a long series of ideas or wked "> am a ‘A typical example of the usage of symbols is found in “the immense lem of drawn signs expressing the sum of Dogon knowledge. Com-_ f of owenty-two ee sof rave Semon OST gach of 1¢ head 6f a list of twenty-two pairs, this construction of SSe5 all possible beings a conveyor of knowledge, It will is extreme and has tried, so to speak, t6 codify it ‘By means of drawn signs, classified and grouped intoa hierarchy, the ‘ost intellectualized production of the symbol, tye Dogon expresses hut between Sicius and sacrifice, marriage and eggplant, there are Slosely felt, efficacion and that che distinetions we make between “Tics of religion, crafts, or germination, or between the motions of the Stars and structural changes within certain animals are useless. “The value and efficacy of the symbol are such in this system, that the Dogon declare that tis ot the thing itself, bt “the symbol alone which is essential" Thos “. . . the thought of the Black world is oriented towards 32. M GarauLe, Réflerions sur des symboles soudanei, pp 2425, 35, Idem, 9.26. 36 dem. p.7 and p28 37, no dume vo numa kugo vor, Literally, “that word of che work sles the hea the ‘ain thing)” (Wazoubs dalee)0 THE PALE. % Knowledge which may sometimes be confused with am adeqi should the word myth be understood in its understanding, but which is most often a ‘sophy. "This thought makes, es, ae acillike cr fartontio, mmewadt ahem poet ieee the universe an orderly whole, where the notion of law icc Bf, forthe Blacks, only a means by which to sxplsin something: than that of pre-established harmony, incessantly troubled and conting consciously composed lore of master idess which may not be ally reordered. Each part ofthis entirety epitomizes the whole. There ‘within reach of just anyone atany time, Certainly it constitutes nether subject nor object, only things linked in one domain, as area Bip sh knoe ast aera erateoondag Se ees of the preceding principle, the Black mind establishes a network Be to the average nian, It concesls clear statements and coberent equivalences between all things by means ofa system of symbols whi fiw reserved for initiates, who alone have access to the ‘deep by harmorious interplay nd impercepibe shifts leads ners ae ledge." The myths present themselves in layers, ike the shells of a to the erat of weaving, from the garment tothe creative word, froay and one oftheir reasons for being is precisely to cover and conceal and, and, in 4 more genesal way, by initiates of both sexes, prevents, synopsis ofthe following elements: 1) The make-up of the four mythical lincages corresponding to a ‘cosmogonic division (elements, cardinal points}; to the division and rlbgeitofths cultivated soil; to the fous main present tribes of the oon. 2) The development of these four lineages over live generations, Ag prosent, un individual is always situated in fefation to four generaticans before and after his own. 3) The chronology of marriages in terms of: biological conditions gf each party's birth (twin, single birth, etc.) and the order of their succexsions, the parental proximity of the partners, the position of the partners with regard to the usufruct of the cultivated soil 4) The chronology of births (twin, single, abnormal) within differe-mt oa es mates in relation to the respective positions of the pacersts in the diferent generations; the bestowal off as dete ee Paes bestowal of first names as de a 5) The determination of social and religious functions, individual ard collective, in relation to the mythical events marking the succession .of the first five generations. ‘The genealogical table covers almost all types of marriages traced bythe Dagon; eachef them hase or sverl names ard to biologie inca rank of bait nid Nocal etate orfneion of aod a 19.6. DIETERLEN, Paremé et mariage ches les Dogon, p. 308 an8 p= LS, Th San isa combination of seds, symbols ofthe life forces. He is also supplier of 00 inthe act of clivaio he puts the setms of his claves ine wl,» Sower of Wit the peasant reaps his owa life ar symbolically stores it within his person for feteaminations Hesalivng field anda animate granary forthe coming nd gong of 41.6, DinreRLin, Tendaces de Fethmologie francais. 9.24 Fhurvest end the sowing” M.GRIAULE, Coanaissance de homme not, p21. wTHE PALE. uals are in keeping with this conception and this “mythology of arin, is the same with the forge; the implements symbolically repre: certain organs and articulations of the resurrected ‘Nommo, humanit ancestor, considered « twin of the mythical artisan. The forge is ‘sanctuary, the (ools are the altars to the group offering sacrifices to ‘aneestor to propitiate the work performed with them, ‘The weaver has consecrated a personal altar to God the ereator, f the band of cotton he weavesis the image ofthe divine “word in that, the same time, it contains the “word” : their implications in Dogon social and religious life. . In the entirety of profane or religious material (architecture, everyday objects, ritual objects) by form, decoration, and ise. For the Dogon, as for other societies ‘of West Africa, “the les ordinary object revealsin its formsand designs the conscious expression - « « Thus, a checkered Sudanese blanket is woven designs constitute signs intentionally displayed its users and understood by the initiates; a basket intended for carrying: things represents, when turned ‘upside-down, the ark on which humanity descended from heaven 10 earth, the square bottom of the object representing space and the cardinal points.” kis, of course. the same for religious material per se. The plan and Proportions of certain dwellings, family houses, sanctua "8, €C., are symbolic. The form, the distribution of aftarsin the house in the cilage, and in the fields, demonstrate, as we shal see, the dese w represent the different stages ofthe myth on the sol, to inscribe it on the very earth where man lives and walks. For example, in the village the shape of objects placed in the totemic sanetuary and the ornaments and insignia of the priests are all based on the same principles. They are changed with the same symbolic functions, ‘4.G. Die tERLEN, Ler résultats des Missions Griaule au Soudan francais 8, francais 193-1956), ODUCTION & ley connote the elements and stages of the sacrifice that reorgan- the universe, with totemic worship being rendered to the resur- A victim. he bush, foridentical representaticgs, and for reasons of ritual and ion, raised stones or stacked boulders have been put up, generally ied in relation to each other: they are located near water supply Ws oF on steep slopes, sometimes at considerable distance from one ier, Numerous caves have been arranged as well a pise structures. whether of daily or religious use, “these almost innumerable jerials Constitute the established ‘archives’ of this people — as wslt as jonce of that knowledge. They constitute also, for the learned men, jotechnie aid." 1) ln religious life, both individual and collective. The rituals cadence Important moments of the community's life: they perform a crystal jy function in that they are almost alweys reactualizations of mythi- events. ‘The rite is projected into the myth which bears a chronological vount of all the institutions. The structure of the myth is always wed by the initiates in relation to the rites and altars or groups of 1» which are its bases. More precisely, the people's belief rests pon yearly (or seven-orsixty-year) performance of the successive rites as “Well as on the proceedings within a particular rite (preparation — ning ~ execution — closing). ‘The cetebration of the sowing — a spectacular event involving the “Whlire population of the region — has been noted and described, but has ‘oi been clarified. In fact, it can only be understood in relation to the “Wovessive rites of desacratization ofthe harvest. These numerous rituals, erformed by different groups according to social context, are related Wo each of the seed’s spiritual principles — it has eight “souls,” as does shan. The purpose of the rites is to liberate these, that isto say, torender Ihe harvest edible, by placing each of the grain’s spiritual principles Under the protection of the supernatural powers, The following year ‘uring the celebration of the sowing, these same powers are asked to fend back the “souls” of the seeds. Thus the “millet cycle” ends and 15.6, Drevin, Tondances de lethnologie francaise. p28cs bogins ‘The design and the parallel sequences of the myth must be the same concepts. ‘One repeats the corresponding rite when officiating in function of an episode of the myth which is parallel to a preceding one. An infinitely slighttdifference within the ritual the use ofa different grain for brewing the beer, for example) alone wil reveal the heart of the matter, namely, the resurrection invoked and represented by the fermentation and the ‘cult ~ aswell as to which of the myth’s personages the rite is addressed: the whole thing is conveyed by and to the officiants and beneficiaries of the rite, who represent the very first ones. 11 also happens that a superposition is produced: thus the ceremonies of the Sigui, the primary commemoration of the revelation of the ‘word,” also commemorate, by adjunction with another sequence, the appearance of death in the human work. In the course of these rites, established texts, prayers, invocations. or the recitation and chanting of songs are introduced. Most of them ftesent episodes of the myth in a very synthetic or deliberately obscure manner, relating one or two of its sequences: all require a gnostic knowledge to be understood in their deepest sense, ic. the meaning by which such invocations and chants “act” intrinsically i the ritual. For example, the prayer called amma boy, “the name of God,” recited st the time of the second weeding of the Hogon's field, constitutes an initiation ‘ext and is intelligible only if accompanied by commentaries. Gesture is an integral part of the rites: the steps of the participants, the gestures of the performers, constitute the recalling of mythical events; the spiral outlined by the dancing of the entire social community around Lébé's altar on the day of the sowing celebration recalls the internal spiral of the elements of the “word,” that is to say, of life inside the first seed. ‘The center or axis of the rites, in almost every case, is the blood sacrifice. Now, for al initiated men, no matter what the place, purpose, ‘means, olficiants, or subject, every sacrifice repeats the mythical sacri. fice of the reorganization of the universe, the subject of the main 46. G. DIFTERLEN, Testes sacré d'A/tique Noir, p32 and f. or like the prototype, simultaneously frees the life forces of the victim to purify lover or whoever is weakened and therefore threatened by mistakes, pts, and the violation of prohibitions. It brings about the revivifica- ‘of the whole, the resurrection, that is to say, & total renewal, life in indamental role of ritual figuses drawn by the Dogon should be ned here: a theory of the function of graphic érawings is explained the first chapter of this book;" for each being or object, the Dogon axuce four successive figures. They are placed at different stages in the most diverse places: on the Jjround, when sanctwaries and dwellings are established and when an is erected; on the sanctuary walls and on the facades of certain s during the performance of rites (annual ot occasional}; on the walls of caves or rock shelters setup for initiations and ritua) purposes. ‘There, the rock paintings are witnesses: in abstract or realistic form hey celate mythical, protohistorical, even historical events; likewise, Whey are associated with the rites performed in those places, relative to the events and personages evoked in those rites. The position of the figures indicates systematically whether they have to do with mythical ‘events having taken place in the “sky” (drawn on the ceiling), or those having taken place on Earth (drawn on the wall or floor). 5 Thus, for lack of a current system of writing, the Dogon have multi plied the uses of drawing and paintings, and with these figures have Inscribed their entice cosmogony in a durable fashion. INITIATION. How is this knowledge taught to man’ In different ways, depending ‘n the people, but which stemeverywnere from what one callsinitiation Imay be collective as among the Bambara, by the individual's progres- sive admission into different associations or societies, male ot female according to the individual's sex, to which he gains entry by successive degrees: orit may be individual, asamong the Fulani, Among the Dogon this knowledge is acquired in successive stages or “words more and “- inp Tan i See also. DIE TERLEN,Blsons er emblomestotémaiques es Dogon, pa,s THE PALE FO) IRODUCTION 69 more both explicit and complete,” For the boys, this begins aft sides, the instruction demands a permanent effort of anyone wish- circumcision, fist collectively during the retreat following the operation, io be initiated. 1 fe isto learn what will be told or communicated to At that time, the boy is introduced to the existence of a system but im spontaneously, he must want to educate himself and to understand; superficial way; he is rarely told more. After his return, the circumei himself must question his father — or his mother — his maternal boy is introduced into the community life of men, He witl be able to. ile, and finally the learned elders of the group who, if he proves ‘and hear many things, to participate in activities from which he had thus self worthy and manifests the necessary patience and perseverance, far been excluded. From then on, he will receive from the elders of I answer all his questions. The answers themselves give rise to other lineage or clan — usually beginning with his father — certain teachin estions necessary for a complete understanding. Ifthe candidate does {to which he must listen and which he must absorb, A actively participate in the exchange, itis because: This knowledge, "is also acquired through the individual's personal cither he has understood what he was previously told, but does not experiences and through the functions he performs in the heart of eeive the continuation of the problem; society.” The exercise of family authority or of the priesthood, the or he is not yet mature enough to understand it in its symbolic degrees he attains in the associations of which he is a part (hunters, pre ea Rare a diviners, “ritual thieves,” te Society of Masks, etc.), work together so as nse to permit the integration of these traditions, ‘The individual's penetra: Jn both cases, the instructor is required to remain silent. He must wait tion into one or another of these groups or associations is accompanied Bethe other to come. back at his own initiative! perhaps prea to by teachings and explanations given by the group's responsible leader ‘gnother problem — to the suoject in question; he will then give an there are established texts which are commented upon, materials and Bec His soncianill sant; aijaihecimiaiiticds nests) eps ospeens, regular collective ceremonies, the symbolist: of which is explained. In Wntiring, but in a somewhat passive way; he doesn't give a lesson, but this way the apprentice diviner will learn from his elders the deeper Aaiher direets and guides a sort of investigation. meaning ofthe gestures he performs: an entre sees of the tata However, even during instruetion and ifthe student has understood sequences wll be illustrated by a series of figures, deemed! “instructcnal.™ that a system does exist, he is not giver the key to it; it is up to the drawn upon the divination tables. ‘pundidate himself co find it. Likewise, when he has eventually received Moreover, collective rites and the commentaries to which they give fund assimilated this knowledge, undetstood a certain number of sacred rise, progressively place a higher level of knowledge within the reach of {oxts, realized the meaning of ritual gestures, cte., ke himself must make everyone. Actually, they are often the occasi the connections between the different fragments or points of view, and Of recited prayers or regular invocations, the deeper meaning of which may be revealed to Produce the synthesis of the “story of the world.” Anyone wishing to learn. In addition, the part of the myth (the “story of The Dogon, who have classified everything, have established a hierar the world”) having to do with any particular ceremony is commented by degrees of instruction of the initiates. Their knowledge spans ‘pen during subsequent meetings or in conversations held in the shelter four degrees which are, from least to most important, the giri so, the cof men (doguna). Thus the storys told, bit by bit and always in fragments, ied 0 the holed, ale saat ‘One of the personal tasks of the initiate is (o make the connections and “The giri so, “fore-word,’is a first source of knowledge with simple final synthesis on his own, explanations in which mythical personages are often disguised, their ‘Actually, his “story” is much too long its meanderings and difterent adventures simplified or fantasized, all this in seemingly unrelated parts. implications are much too rich to be recounted in one sitting, or even brs sess yal eset te a ead a a divided into periods, “The bentne so, ‘side-word,’ includes the ‘words which were in the giri s0' and the deeper explanation of certain parts of the rites and 48.6. DUerERLE, Tendances de lahnologie fragace. p. 24© THE PALE FO} representations. Its coordination appears only within the greater di sions of knowledge, which remain partly unrevealed. ‘The bolo so, ‘back-word,’ completes the preceding knowledge the one hat, and furnishes syntheses applicable to greater parts of tf ‘whole on the other hand. It does not, however, contain the very sect parts, “The so dayi, ‘clear-word,’ concerns itself with the edifice of kx edge im ts ordered complexity." But initiation is not only an accumulation of knowledge, nor even philosophy, a mannet of thinking, Itis of an educational nature, for it forms or models the individual at the same time he is assimilating the: Knowledge it offers. But it is still more than this through its vital character: by making the structures of the universe understood, it progressively leads the initiate 19 a way of life as conscious and come plete as possible in nature and within his society, in the work’ as it was: wonceived and organized by God. We feel that another aspect of the effects of the instruction should be considered: it stems from a psychology of a particular nature. ‘The Dogon myth does not relate facts merely involving adventures, «ivalries between the gods, or the effects of love and hate — love of God, wickedness of the evil one ~ such as they are presented by other religions. Nor does it lead to a great detachment, this ideal being proposed to man as a final end, and in view of death or of the melting reat whole.” shows evidence of a serious examination of the very condi- and death; hence, its precise biological aspect. Certainly, the universe is treated as a whole, but also as a living body, articulated, ordered — to the extent that even disorder has its place — functional, with interlocking parts dependent upon each other. The myth presents a construction of the universe — from that of the stellar system down to that of the smallest grain, with man in between, himself a microcosmic image of this world. Itis from this perspective also that the psychotogi cai element comes into play: hence the personalities and manner of conduct of the principal agents of the myth. The emphasis is placed upon the personage of the Fox, semper peccatus semper justus. 49. M, GRIALUE, Le savoir des Dogon, p. 27. RODUCTION a dent but dissatisfied to be 50; active, inventive, and destructive fe same time; bold yet timid: restless, sy, yet indifferent, he is the ination of the contradictions inherent in the human condition. ‘eme of things, it is of course important to know end ; but its also a matter of living wacticular type of sorghum, at a particular time, for a parsicular Ialer sot of connections the act itself corresponds. But, if they know it the intellectual level, they do mot dissociate sheir knowledge of it «0 another form of indispensable understanding, such as their blood W/ organs acquire through shis communal consumption. The nourish jent is then complete — of the body and it — and the social Jtions are biologically maintained. Thus is introduced into the life of the Dogon this “fourth dimension, Jharacteristic of myth and symbolism, as necessary (o their existence os Grinking and eating, in which they move with ease and flexibility, but lio ith the profound feeling ofthe immanent presence of the invisible Which they evoke. It's fitting to tell how the investigations which made this book possible $0ok place on location. ‘The Dogon had, since 1931, answered questions and commented on ‘he observations made during the suecessive expeditions from the per- spective of factual interpretation which they cal “the fore-word,” gi Ho, that is (0 say, the first one they give to those wishing to Yearn: the publications preceding the investigations of 1947 all stem from this rst jerpretation. anrves of the perseverance manifested by Marcel Griaule and his eam; in view of the abundance of questions which became more and nore dificult (o answer without penetrating into another levels in view, liso, of the desire to understand what motivated us (which remained far from satisfied by previous discussions) in view of the fact that obviously this desire was more important to us than any other concern; and in view2 THE PALE FO} of the interest constantly shown by Marcel Griaule for Dogon daily li observing their efforts to cultivate a difficult terrain where water often lacking in between seasons; in view of personal relations whi ‘confidential and friendly, the Dogon made a decision, | ‘We discovered this only later. They themselves told us about it. Tt ‘otemic priests of the Sanga region held council Marcel Griaule. For the preliminary work, they designated one of | most qualified elders — Ogotemméli — who, as is told in the introduce | tion to Dieu d'eau,” solicited the first meeting, The investigation lasted | exactly the number of days specified in Dieu d'eau, in which the ame | bling stream of information was faitfully recounted. And each day — Unbeknown to us — a report wasmade tothe council on the progress of | instruction, | | The task was all the more worthy in that the Dogon knew perfectly ‘well that in doing this they were opening the door not just thirty-three days of information, but to months and yeacs of intensive work. They never deviated from this position and we express here all our gratitudey after Ogotemmsli passed away, other initiates took his place; after Marcel Griaule’s death they persevered with the same patience and desire to perfect the job undertaken. ‘The narrative we transcribed here stems from the interpretation of facts seen from the point of view ofthe “clear word,” so day, also called “good word,” so ezu, the fourth word. For the initiate, it constitutes “the final state of knowledge (which) is only acquired through long years of application and perseverance.” But this narration does not constitute | the entirety of this word, because “the possession of very secret general | Principles and processes of calculation is not enough to say of someone that he holds the ‘clear word,’ he must materially know all the details { involved. Thus the system of graphic signs, which includes thousands, ‘must be theoretically possessed in is entirety and not simply known in its structure and its functioning." 50.34. Geiaine, Dieu deau,p. 7. S1.M. GAUL: Le savairdes Dogon, p. 2, | ‘were not limited to the investigation, but rather became more and more | | patriarchs of the lineages of the double Ogolvilloge and the principal \ RODUCTION a ‘contains, nevertheless, the essence of the broad outline of Dogon inte knowledge. ‘There is no text ofthis myth ir the Dogon language. : Cortain sequences ofthe story it relates are the subject of invocations, the *Sigui tongue,” Sig so; others of certain prayers in Dogon tongue ich are called arma boy, “the name of God”; in both cases itis a wstion of extremely condensed versions or of texts containing only lusions. The texts in the Sigui tongue, with the exception of the first ‘hres, deal with mythical events which will be the subject of the next Jiyiallment, In the appendix to this second volume we shall give the ‘ornespondences between the myth as itis transcribed in this book and ihe texts in Sigi so already published, as well as some examples of [ayers accompanied by their indispensable commentary. {has, therefore, been necessary to follow the information in order to ‘o(ell the myth. This difficult procedure offered the advartage of having carefully match the thought processes of the informants with those of the Dogon in general. es Also, the wording as it is presented reveals the manner in which the Jeamed men remember in reiation to the plenitude of information hiofore them: it also shows the way in which the myth is integrally lived byy the population, from the representations related to the presence of sn insect in the granary to those related to the performance of the most ‘vomplex collective rites. For the informants the points of reference are (vomposed of: almost all the material in Dogon use in every form and all, the crafts from which each category stems: the rites (chants, prayers, ance, gestures, ete.); the figures drawn on sanctuaries and altars; Individual and collective behavior. ‘To these points of reference — whose presence or role often relates { daily life — the commentaries are added. From this perspectivewe make some comments which, by themselves, constitute glosses of certain parts of the myth. They also describe or reveal certain aspects of the rites. Being integral to the myth, they may {ond to weight the text, but they demonstrate how much the Dogon are given to speculation on the history of creation, and to what extent their4 Kt )puCTION myths of the Dogon are presented in the first volume of The Pate Ihe story of the ereation of the world by Amma, God, is related in list segment, in the second segment is related the story of the first jain years of the life of maz an Earth. reflections that have formed the subject of this introduction, ing the social organization, Dogon thought, initiation, and the § played by myth and cosmogony in the life of these people. far from Jve all the problems posed to the observer. this first volume, a certain number of themes ave been broughtup ‘examination that have already drawn the attention of sociologists historians of religion, especially with regard to the value and func- ‘of sacrifice, the structure of totemism, and ideas concerning the ence of s supreme God and ereator, ete. Other fields require other es; for example, the important role of astronomy and, with regard {hve representations, the existence of territorial constructions (raised sand rock paintings), which concern prehistory and protohistory. A present, itis not a question of explaining the entire theoretical iciure of the system, but rather of presemting it as it appeared to us, Wiis to say, simultaneously thought and lived by the Dogon people. [Ai the end of the second installment we plan to provide the reader ith sore analyses and commentaries on various problems, Volume I Will be devoted to the graphic initiation signs of the Dogon, G. Diermrcen spirit has developed and concretely realized the consequences of sae sist speaking, they do not comprise variant in the text under such a heading. But they follow theindigenous devel ment of thought based upon mythical fas, the same vein, we give the indigenous etymo\ logies, niost pies ‘offered by the informant; they may have no value ritly linguistic point of view, but they do reve: 0 a y do reveal the Dogon made There follows a necessazy intertwinin : essary i ing of the narrative per se and. the different sspects of Dogon traditional life, ine From the investigator's point of view, the commentaries on signs ‘drawings are indispensable to the elaboration of a text, such ‘The rapid evolution of West African societies load: rican so is us to believe {the Dogon, who had, up to now. kep¢ their traditions, will adapt themseh ‘as have other populations, toa different type of life, established on oth Paris, 1963, Note Siace 1963. expeditions ted joimly by the Institut des Sciences Humaines du Mali “s)Me A, Haan atchaeologist, are conducting a systematic inventory ofthe settlements [spe Felles ofthe Clits, patieuaryin the Pegua region, This research hus brought 10 ‘yh csportans material which iat preset under stay (Mission Tellem Helland Malena, Prris.1968 knowledge of the traditions of Black African societies ‘eties is of great val {0 the history of civilization, Therefore it becomes more air wit ee Passing cay that they be recorded and published order to b served, taught, and written down in the heritage of le have lived them. SomTHE PALE FO; IATIONS ‘ol the region inhabited by the Dogon was made from Hilitivn up by the Service Geographique National at the scale H000) The map of the Sanga region, where we have indicated th Wlars and sanctuaries mentioned in this work, i Upportioned layout of the Of ‘Yhe citual figures illustrating this work have all been produced by, Dogon informants. Except for those specifically mentioned, the photo- to two parts occupied by two groups of settlements: Upper Sanga and Lower Sanga, the first on the plateau, the second on a ledge at the edge of the cliff overlooking the four Banani villages established among the boulders. This territory is inha the Dyor: and the Arou. oe Upper Sanga includes 11 villages: ~ Upper Ogol, which has four quarters: Sodamme, Guendoumraan, Pamyon and Do (Dyon). pa — Lower Ogol, which has four quarters: Amtaba, Guinna, Tabda (Dyon) and Doziow (Arou), Doziou Sangabinou. ~ Go(Arou), former village of the Sangabinou family, reconst and inhabited by members ofthat family (for more than fen veare ~ Upper Sanghi and Lower Sanghi (Dyon). ~ Upper Ennguel and Lower Ennguel (Dyon). ~ Dini Dyon). ~ Barna and Barkow (Arou); this twin Barou. — A small village inhabited by the shoemaker. itself divided imo two: Doziou Orey and. settlement has the name of Lower Sanga includes five villages all belonging to he Acou tribe: si, Bongo, Kangadaga, Dyamini Kouradondo and Dyamini Na, Which has three quarters: Kommo, Ginna, and Somina. Arou, who eame from Kani Kombolé along the cliffs, were the {inst to setile in the region where they founded Penne, now abandoned, hen Gogoli and Bongo. There they found the remains of Tellem feitlements, dwellings, granarics, cemeteries — partiewlasly at Dama, Tonlog, 1, Bara, Dalé, Amakogno, Piedonno, Degodonno, etc, where si present bones, bricks, pottery, or potsherds are still being found. The Teller had. in fact, lft the plateau to settle inthe faults and crevices of the cliffs The Dyon, who, like the Arou, came from Kani Komboté, scaled the cliffs and settled on the plateau at Yairem Kommo; then, not far from there, they founded Kani Gogouna. One lineage left the area and snigrated to the Sanga region, where they constructed dwellings and finnexesin the vast rock shelter of Kéké Kommo, where one canstillsee mains of former homes, granaries, sanctuaries, and altars (Map I Bi). From there, the same group founded Upper Ogol, then other settle- ments in proportion to the development of the fasnilies.' ‘The Arou were the first to delimit the fields; they prepared caves for purposes of rituals and initiation — particularly in the valleys of Tonloy, Kelousommo, and Iguili. The Byon also did the same and for the same purpose, continuing to etect sheltered constructions, reck paintings, rnised stones, ete. throughout the territory, The Arou originate from the Hogon of Arou-near-Ibi. The Hogon of nga is, by succession, the eldest of the Byon patriarchs in both Ogols: he must live in Upper Ogol during his entire tenure. The altar of LAbé, the object ofa collective cult, surrounded by several altars consecrated to the main binu, is situated on raised ground south of the village, Legend ~ A,amma doy: B, cave keke kommo; C, cave of the imina na of Upper Ogol: D, cave dyemme togolu of Barna; E, lebe dala: F. cave of the Sigui of Lower Ogol; G, cave soy nama kommo dou; H, cave oy namma konimo da; 1, lenu amma; }, pegu of Kangadaga: K. peg of Dina ; L, pegu of la Gona; M, polye kommo; N, pond of Dona; 0, ttiple mono of Upper Ogol; P, yapunue dya tolo of the market, 1. For the occupation of the region, cf, G, DieTERLEN, Les ames es Dogon, p.4S2andCHAPTER I AMMA the siga tothe drawing. Representations: The role of the sins. In the beginning, before all things, was Amma, God, and he rested “pon nothing, “Amma's egg in a ball” vias closed, but made of four parts galled“ chavicles,” themselves ovoid anid attached, asf welded together. Amma is four joined claves: he is only these four clavicles. It ie said: “Amma's four joined (stuck together) clavieies form (are) a ball”; and one ads: "After that, there is nothing,"* which is to say, aside from that, nothing existed. This egg, in its entirety, is compared (0 a termite hill, the base of Which fans out into several cones: it simultaneously evokes unity and multiplicity, for itis also said: “Amma's elavicles were stuck together; ‘Amma's four clavicles were like four eggs.” In their ofiginal sense, the four clavicles are also the prefiguration of the four elements, Aze nay, “things four:” water (di), air (om0), fire {yaw}, arth (minne); likewise, the ideal bisectors which separate them will ‘mark the collateral directions, sibe nay, “angles four,” that is to say, space. Thus, all the fundamental elements and future space were pres cent in the morphology of the primordial “egg. Finally, the clavicles, in another manner, by their union, recall the form 1. amma tal gun 2 ame an guyo vomo dana gunago vo; vay ta ley see. 3. The termite il penusbas several outgrowths, Very small in size, itis the workof the termite called ru penu oft ul, 4. ani guyo nay dana; ama ani guyo nay tabu yege vo.2 of cereal, particularly the yw grain, a form dese Represents it, called: “figure of the clavicies Amma's clavicle resembles the form of the yu | therefore millet’ icis white, for “Amma is all space. The name of Amm: Fic. 1 toma of “Amma's clavicles. called rem amma, ath ion; to this group, it represents the atte oo ‘Amaa consecrated forthe entre Dogon this egton from Mand (ot supr, p29) Alar consecrated {0 Arma (alta ofthe lena, bing contains al varieties of cereal gaing (FV an Vib © Pu vege vomo amas ani guyo mum 1. This ens recited during the “tha after he had wasted. Amma one i Space fourteen fold). To pronounce: the name of Amma is to preserve all reser ‘ation an safe keeping of all things” 5. amma ani guvotonu Mae wit porridge ‘ot pity and arogeu under the altar of Amey 3 tmeits foundation ig ATION AND MORPHOLOGY OF THE SIGNS. preserved the whole, for he had traced within himself the Amma had designed the ‘of the workd and of its extension. For BI sors ee ig it. The material for the design was water with else before creating it Fig, 2:-Womb of all World Signs” or “Picture of Ammai THE PALE FO; Which he traced figures in space. (ams's exis represented in the form of an oblong picture cov uses, called “womb of al world signs (ig. 2), the center of which {he umbilicus. From the meeting point of the two anes extended ‘Auersectig signs, forming bisectors marking the four cardinal dives “eight master-signs, they give soul and life force to everything,” * Each ofthe four sectors thus formed contained originally eight drewin tion, these “ten signs determine whether (a thing) is great or Sera enti. in wra, produced eight more. Thus, the oval containast iin volume.” Finally, “the complete signs of the worid give all x 844, thatis 256 outlines, towhich ‘were added 8 (2 per semi-axis) and 2 » color, form, substance.""* Thus do they allow an understanding ince eee aie SS Ake creation, for “one knows the root elem ve rise to the thing. But a thing, i {Cartieutation of the parts forming a complete and unique whole, wh § the thing set: “The sign of Amma is one (whole). (Amma) broke fe down (nto) distinct pars) he presented the image ofthe fourelemena the thing) existed (by forming) a whole.”" ; int havng sprung into existence, the thing becomes conscious of cit. "comprehends itself." as indicated bythe presenceof the hiking ‘ay, “intelligent soul,” in the sign. It does all the more s0 in that he rae ete deomposion was to go into the det a deintion, more explicitly by the separ y mot ex separate elements than by the cotal sign they latin om signs undergo the transformations and elabora ted above. They are the development ofa family c ble to thatofman and mythical ancestors: the initial peirarine ne iythical ancestors the intial pair atthe een wre ea ihc are descendants ofthe fist ten, and th mt ; irs ten, and they form a set of nan 's of relays Supporting the spiritual principles of thefts lorcover, in the Formation itself of the abstracts i ract signs that pref the word the very essence is manilest of thiscreation that inate he CLASSIFICATION AND MULTIPLICATION OF SIGNS. The 266 signs of Amma, called “mother-signs,” bummo na, are classi- fied into categories which sum up the essence of his thought, 28, emma hice omo vomani me tonne kikinu sayy kunni Kiki say an vale 10, iki so na tom dee dig tuturu to, digu dede mona turtogo inne any, 9, tomy sana fu pelley Rul sige voge og nay fu ve: 0, sine gs sum conu pelle duly sige oboce ogo kul buremo pelle bare. pe Auloy ate may spi. amma kize polo bummo kuloypeey bara pebuckadoy ule nay sieve va. Ui, Cf. p. M2. This division of signs also reflected in the social streture, The female ‘umber is wtibuted to the Dyon and represented by te figure drawn under their main stat. The male number is mentioned during the ceremony performed by the Arou and in felation to heir main ar, 24, aa ton adam ne vo “have become." 25, amma lovee hear \ogedogo tong dopa ase 25, emma ton kat dee Aone sean “one, nig the identity, tke one woul! sy “is al the sae tenc ling-ogether”: it isa question of a unity. cee neat epintoster"tisa quinoa ny cong af ser ane '#g0,yaAicene you, voy bi The lat term iterally means ‘ummm bor: toma -g0 vogoazubsgo gamma dagoe THE PALE. 95 ‘This distribution defines itself as follows: sna ue io “uide-signs” by virtue of their essence “belong” to alone, and beeause of this they are set apart vente net following signs are classified into 22 categories, cach ne families of tingthings"kize ogo pelay ley sige togudy ‘ach beara name that characterizes their conten: they wre fn ge from the inside (foundation) of each sign." Also, the Prlicraais deo podace inte berate ot he igs ist make up the universe. SIGN TO DRAWING. is prefig- velopment of the beings and things of the universe is pre only bye 26 bane od thir plication tual bye amma “Amma,” God sation and progression of the form of the sign that will lead to the vageu “ancestors” jon of the thing or being. ie Sia a eee es ina “Binou," totem Bie the sooo serie, that of the yle Saat” o “nag so “Ispoken) word” is coved ies (ah Tiere oe ea fore ceremony of the winter solstice, the Dogon ie oe ees ae ee Lari i ih es la is cree is ee mono “meeting” the “marks,” of the future dwelling. The term yala oe : dado “father come spring (sowing) ng of “reflection,” which expresses the future form of the thing dine “wintertime” rainy season sented. aude = Ihe third series of signs is that of the ¢onu, “figure,” “diagram,” of ago “father gone” autumn (harvest) nay bane “red sun,” dry, hot season vole “cultivation® gelu “ary ira “forge sot’ “weaving” (or may “pottery work” yaw “fire” di ono mine dogo Seoeee di bana “master of water," Nommo . . Fic. yla and fonu ofthe house. Each of these categories includes twelve signs. m ic outline of gen- But the abstract signs are no sometimes “periphery,” of things. The tonw isa schematic outline of gen is the sketch, the rough draft of the fay gor. The complete study {tou sums tau peliey uly sige tomutaturene sog0 doy 0 ‘eealy uf the theory’of signs and the great many bummo which have heer brought: By ‘used, and commented upon wil be the subject of volume I Mize yala hte solo aay. mulsply. Each of them, in the beginning, is considered xs having to form in its tur, a series of 266 signs. It is sid: “Two hundeen sixty-sixfo P THE PALE. 1 one of the comers of the house, . pan to ving beings, the prosess of coming int being isthe Mic semen that penetrates the woman is called {yaa if “blood ifsc child" tis transformed into the fetus which isthe ron the hel, aiton it has been completely formed, isa coy: “The four Jin of man are the yaa (mages of the four lemens together: our kiki are ike onu; aman by himself isn toy." When the ‘itelly sti itis said: “The woman's belly has drawn the child Tike manner, the succession of figures is representative of the ot grain. “Deawing the burmmo is ike (Crewing) the tile ofthe sowing the yala is ike the seedings drawing the conu like the Wiarton, drawing the cay lke the growth of the stem." And one anvng is ike the forming of the ean"? Fina ea ses the stages of creation. (That is why we give the pertinent nations here.) , ’ Mine bum lies « prefiguration of the being, notin its physical vt incofar asa materia form may beinterpresed int the image o jess and functions related to the being that i represented. soe bummo of the po prefigure its spiral movement, The image ot connote a seed, bat the internal te of that seed. ‘he bumimo of the house made of associated elements connotes «family circle” around the dvvelling’s central courtyard. ~The bo one noma anagannn cabo fhe fe he SE i umber oft spiritual prine jefuare multiplication and of the number ofits spiritual Phas the abstraction we atrbute to the bum, which saeat one with regpeat othe material realization ofthe being it designates. ionly Trendoabstaction: the symbolism encompasses characters, eas, Jynctions, and designs. TW ekki ny ize monn ay ekki nay tine ota tr yon Bee ona “fy 4s ho anay ty ola dna tude aay 1 ine Kae timnen ey vine pure sa thing or being represented. The word zonu comes from ono, “to por ‘whichvalso means “to begin,” but in the dynamic sense of the word.! said that Amma “began things,” ama kize ton, to demonstrate initia impetus he gave to creation. This idea of impulsion isnot ex ‘inmruna kize mana, “Amma created things,” whick denotes the acti undertaken and finished by Amma. The foni of the house connotes: pebbles that have been placed between the corner-stones to delimit wallls (fig, 8). ‘The fourth series consists of the “ravings,” foymu (or £03), as cally representative of the thing as possible. Itis also the thing it ‘When one has finished the building of a house itis as if one had mat complete drawing, toymu, of the house. Jn speaking of the fy and of Amma, one says: “To make the drawing to make the thing that he (Amma) bas in mind.” cis, therefore, represent the thing created in its reality. ‘The successive appearance of the spiritual principles is also str by the progressions of the figuses: in the burtma are the four kikine body, which are the four elements created by Amma from them. In _yala and the tonn is placed the life force, nyama. Thus, the nyama ‘earth isin the stones at the corners of houses which are said to “the nyama at the corners of the house,” It is said of the ¢om of th house (that is, the elements placed between the stones at the com defining the wall boundaries), that it possesses “the nvama of the fo sides of the house.” In the toymu, the living being is animated and hi spiritual principles are gathered together. The faymcof the house is the house itself containing the four elements. And as the house is inanimate being, its “souls,” kikizu, remain in the initial bummo in hands of Amma; their evidence will be the incorruptible bulb cal nono™ (a word meaning “immortal”), which is placed deep in U 4. tone is diferent from Jolo, which means “beginning” of “fist” and is used in th receding sentence 25. se yma vomorne ro Kani: One also sayskice bere vomo-neto kami “Itistomae the ‘thing he has in his womb.” 236, ge sbe mya 37. gin bonne nay nya. 138. Cl. G. DierERLN. Clasification des vigétaur ches les Dogon, 9-153.98 THE PALE. 9 The yala, on the contrary, brings into play two complementary as we have seen, first the sign and then the diagrams are different elements: the genesis of the thing they represent; whereas the drawing 1. By a dotted line - drawing it connotes the theoretical design of Sit ond therefore feadsit to itsend. Weis said: “The sign which one being represented, this theory also defining function, here associat lis) the good t0 come. The drawing that one draws is, after the with form. | the bad (which) follows (literally: ends)" This expression is 2. The dotted line is number, and this number corresponds to jented upon as follows: “In Amma's body were the signs, Amma fundamental muimerical classification of the universal elements. In the world through the addition of signs (that is, by accumulating way, the dotted line classifies the thing: ) The signs went into each thing, transformed themselves into ~ The yala ofthe house indicates the comers of the future dwells Higs, drew the departure toward the end (that is, marked the the supports for the structure. It fs made of twelve dots, the num ining of the transition), The sign is (a) good thing (always) there; attributed to uncultivated land and to the Fox. ving isa thing that has an end.” To draw is to make (something) — The vata of Amma's “egg” features within ita spiral indicating W110 be, thus marking the first step toward destruction. form of the development of life inside the “egg.” Itis made of 266 d (if he sign and the drawing are the history of the past, they are also ‘standing for the 266 fundamental signs. Juns of acting upon the future. The ritual execution of successive The conu is a diagram which connotes the being in the process it and active: it promotes the existence of the Formatiom, focusing upon the organs or elements essential to that bei represented, "re-edits” it by having it pass through its successive The /onw of the nommo anagonno connotes: W of formation (particularly on the inside and on the fagade of 4) its internal organs at the rough draft stage, ptuaries) ») the “putting into place” of these clements.** he material used forthe figures has a value in itself; hence, the use of ‘The oy i raving which atans maximum realism, “foymu (draw for that variety of cereal grain in the preparation of the porridges and ‘ons (figure) are n0t alike. The drawing resembles the thing (re Be foc thee erosion ae the wee of ecient naan Coat sented) and the figure is the diagram of the image (symbol) of the thing.” « for figures in color, Added to the symbolism of the figure itself is ‘The independence and autonomy of the sign in relation to the drawit symbolism of the color used. Polychrome paintings, so-called toy representing the formed being are also emphasized: “The sign isand ‘variegated drawings,” attain a maximum of expression and about in the mind and the head. The words of the drawing are in body. The word (of) that which is painted is in the joints, The sign is ‘ drawing that walks about’ And again; “The sign of the Dogon (spok presence of the four elements (kize nay), which remains iraplicit in word represents things. The sign is things that move about in the worl series of figures that follow it. But all must show evidenee of the ‘The sign is the thing of all men. Commerce makes things go around seeenentsry,preumncal ol tee aun Ae tod a car eeu the world. The sign and commerce are one thing, just one word." ei toca th hing epresented: Cs al figures wl aways bs lente 44.Ch fra: p. 121, The bummo, symbol of Amma's work, accomplished in the confines 45. Ch af p. 169, 37. ‘his bosom.” is ritually executed — and generally only once ~ under 46.somele toymicle oy la oyu kite vogo-le mundi, ton hive vogo-le yay. - 1 fom a Boner geste. dig to to 4, fonw 220 vedo tononu.foymu ezu one monu dogoydo tovmoms. tonu dogo s0 koro ize tance. tonvadunore hse pala. nu nen voy Rice 0 omma azine ron tobe. ana toraegoe bara ganna gnne ga, tomu ize dede-ne sero i mec otto hr ia Bs oye dps npr tetra pre aan- THE PALE the altars at the time of their founding, or inside the sanctuaries wh none except the priest responsible may penetrate, On the other ft the toy deawings representing the realized tbing (which has) “emer from the bosom,” are made on the facades of dwellings or sanctua and may be seen by all. In addition, the drawing is washed by the t whieh “carries along (to the outside)" its form and force to “give it man” and {© promote that which it represents into reality. Example: the first year of the construction of a totemic sanctuary, priest Pimself draws the jro with the porridge of po pihr inside building. The second year, the po is drawn on the outside by 1 sacrificer; the rain water “carries down the drawing to the fields,” whi it promotes growih. Thisidea of the specific action of the sign or drawing in the futureal applies so the lines traced on the ground for divination om the tables the Fox. Iris said: “The things which one draws, one draws the drawin, in order to know the things which wit} come tomorrow (that is, in fuature).”** Finally, the graphic designs contain a teaching: the abstract sigi executed ina profane manner, but in secret (in the image of the “secre of God's bosom where it was formed), is done for the initiate; the actu drawing, which all may see, is for the neophyte. For they form a syst of archives. “The signs of things of the past each the children: the si cof things of the past, thats the road one follows; tis so that the chilece will ake again (re-make) the signs of the otd things (customs) that o draws them.” The more signs a man possesses the more learned he is: the knowl edge of the elements of creation consists not only of the knowledge 0 the sign, hut of the elements that compose it. Yet no one would kn how to invent a bummo, nor how to modify the traditional set 0 ‘ummo. To wave a new sign would be to ereate « new thing, thus to “further” than Amma. One would say of a person acting this way: “He has surpassed (lacked respect for) Amma.” amma galay.”* 51. Ase tonon, pogo kize vedo due toma ron 52.yu kz poy toraunu taqur ya hice pey tonu ozu din un ya Rize pey tonu dey ley voy toni. dey “10 learn.” 53. One may inl another person by saying to hrm: “Amma drew (designed you badly ama uy ton el. ‘of Dowiow-Orey (Lower 030) Py shwlter of men, toguns, an ates to Arana at Il 1h atari Ama in the gina of Astaba Lower Ops1) amma doy. Inthe beckground, the lst constructions ‘he north of Lower Ogol Place Vi - 21Altar © Amme and totemic Sanctuary of Kéte Komimo, te 103 f exccuting the figures, the priest says: “May the mind of Amma fi) me; may Amma place me before men, may he add more life to PSENTATIONS. ‘eonveption of creation i recalled by a figure of the 266 primordal schematically drawn under a raised stone at the time when it is #4) in a certain area representing, in the territory of Sanga, the { Ammia,” amma doy (cf. Map IL, A and Plate VI: 1). This place is slically both the “picture of signs” and the “center of Amma's 1 hilsfirst manifestation after the piccure itself (fig.9). Itissaid of this “The bummo, which are Amma himself, are the 266 0.88 ‘eflects the series of signs which repeat the successive stages ofall jiys: the bummo (are shown) by zigaagging dashes (this formation lying to the “life” of the bummo} the yala by cashed lines; the tons jyenona circle divided into four segments: their appearance, which is of form, is also that of space, for they stand for the four collateral Jeetions or “angles four,” sibe nay. Finally, the central toy where the ware linked ina zigzagsing line, thus evincing both their final stage their animation.» Jp this system of representation, the succession of figures also signi- the presence of the four elements, the bummo being air, the yala le, the ‘ome water, and the toy earth. An analogous figure is drawn Hulor the altar to Amma in the first Arou ginna, located at Arou-near- Mh), but the four segments of tonu, also oriented, present the cardinal Higections, benne nay, “sides four,” in relation to terrestrial space, ‘Whioreas those in the preceding figure are positioned according to a ‘elestial orientation (sibe nay “angles four”).” mina ka Bon mane: tana inne mone ma gira kunno, kina ts sige mane bara ©5 bummo amma ku vomorle kize sun tanu plley kuloy sige vo tole ‘The ouside cirle was mae by scratching the soil with the bark of pelt obtain the inves. the dotted line with «talk ofyayaga grass, the four cm witha stalk of ana, the Jy wits bark of kilena For the teas forthe se of these plants (wich ate agems of Juriticaton), ef. infra. p. 3. For the “mythical revelation ofthe 256 burma co man and the determination of the site ofthe amma doy. ef. volume I (2nd installment fst yea Drawn as follows: the buna in crushed pely bark mixed with water (water: the olin kilo bark prepared inthe sare way (ar: the ‘ony in yu porridge (ies the ty in14 The role of the signs is recalled ‘sacrifice offered on this altar at the tim: at the winter solstice). by the prayer accompanying ofthe gor ceremony (performs io. 9 Figure of signs drawn under the “seat of Amma" amma do ‘The patriarch who convenes the whole family the ginna, who emerged from the body of Ay sive us persons (to be born), nthe ma says: “Amma ol ady of Amma the creator. may Amma from his body there came forth 266 things; Poridge of ara gow earth ‘The four substances produce ‘hese cepresentations. stances produce four olotsao associated with ‘, 105 ‘marriage, give us children io be born; have us bear (upon our #) the casting stick (donnolo); give us the eight grains and the as the ninth; take and drink (the sacrifice); drink not the blood but that of fowl, of beasts; make that the ‘coming (out) of the W (ihe barvest) finds us (in the same place).” Then he orders the {iver to make the offering by saying: “pour” (sue). vionomy of the sign /bummo} and its character of primordial joe of the thing it designates, by a sort of manipulation of the four jonts, are aiso emphasized by the fact that only the three circles jonu and toy are drawn under the altar called anakazu dummo, of the worthy,” consecrated to Amma and placed in the central © (/ay) of each village at the time of its founding: for if the amma Jepresents “Amma in the sky," the anakazu dummo represents him futh among mankind. The stone is carved into a slight point (in the of an egg); itis quadrangular, the comers marking the cardinal tions of the future “opening of Amma's egg." ‘Moreover, the entire st of signs, in alt their forms (bummo, yala, toy, (onu), is écawn on the inside and on the fagade of the principal lemic sanctuaries over a period of sixty years, sixty being the “number {he placenta” (me fugu). In their totality they are called: “drawings of the years which come” or “drawings of all of the sixty years.” "On. fp sanctuary, one draws some things, (that) goes (i. leaves) and will Happen (up until) sixty years Now, for every sanctuary the series of figures drawn each year is “liferent. “Each year, the drawings change for every different sanctuary.”* 8 nnn amma anima manu gene go ammo neu em solu nl, goru wone Rize si “un far pele kvoy sige gy. yadionm obo, inonw emi obo donnoto en soxoro. She ngara ao kozwecuo emo, yabu ne, inne ilinono, een, ben, ba Py teat owe veh asoe picket ed ft pa ing he ‘srfice and esureetion fn the form of asnake) ofthe ancestor Dyonyon Sérou (Voll. third year. ‘Aevonting touts uit inthe public square of every villag preferably tothe noth, ft not far from the “setter of men” togiens. (0. arakuzw vedo voy ronu or anakazu pe Kuo ton 6. ina ginenekizedede tonomu,yaye anakucw ph kuloy doze (2. anak tr bin pane toni dede toni.107 104 THE PALE 5 il ala tumns of twelve elements, ‘The entire set of drawings of all the sanctuaries drawn in a single ach showing efeve columns of 14 ner connected.Y represents, in mythical time, “Amma's work of one day." “In one ha The whole set woxsuroue ey ofthe the different drawingson the sanctuary, thisis Amma's work of one utwork formed by te IME ae. The different drawings that one drawso the sanctuary each year, jgory (fig. 10 ae meas the center and unwinding, cone arsives a sixiy years, (their) entirety isthe number of Amma te anges ofa beoken sil ating creates the world." Ahe periphery. closing upon its So, for all he totems of the Dogon people, all of Amma's signs formed the world are repeated over a period of time, which conn the time o¢ duration of Amma's creation. This repetition, conside active and effectual, has as its funetion to perpetuate the being ot thing represented. ‘The 266 primordial signs ure executed on the platform of the Ho of Arou during the ordination ceremonies of that dignitary. The fg been ertrati ‘consisting of a circle (made with the porridge of yw and ara gew) in Preprint center of which are placed 266 dots, is drawn by the patriarch of d Winagwe ‘ldest family ofthe tribe which founded the village; te then has them Hogon sit upon the signs. In the past the whole sot of signs was carved on the entra the Arau chic this was the collective work ofthe oldest smiths, from among the demmene.* It was made of two panels that were jo Byy dy vi yap ssa te insieiQayiesia Pee 2, ana vey toni in ded lize anna by tur bie Yom bin gi 1 ‘akin dede none anak pol Kuly doze mana amera adino mana Sp (4. Theflguesconttut the "temic emblems” of the Dogon. The ienscorespod cooazol pe categoricsare drawn onthe respective Toyades fie ciferent totems ‘wares in Sanga, the signs ofthe eatery anima ace drawn upon the sanctuary of ‘Yebe® trem: these th category neo he antary ofthe Opin totem: thos of Tonalin ete Panel ot catego) dine athe sacar othe Tite thc of he category onthe sac Bee 2c priortil Sigs B. he we the Goummeyara ttm: thos ofthe caey ny ban on the satay ofthe Sungai » ce tote ete There te eigh permanent sigs or drawings or each totem a permtation rellings and annexes ot a ate ote the figures. Inpacts, keeping nmind the duration ofthe et of drawing speci dorsof the vasiowswengs and amnesty Oa Te ‘most often execeds the fn fhe pies administration the aplication of hin theo Jormesy used vb covered with ans seserved for 1 cannot be very ses havever in the eyes of fe wses, i Ftnan al sabe and aa go ta “bie door.” placedat the eniranee of te Set clectiveness. Cl. G. DIETERLEX. Blasons et emblémes tolémiques des Dogon, p. 4, For FP ae cigns; together the following seven show the totem ae is neNon-sthin he can, ir, p38 showed haf of the signss {8 Ongnonlou saw this oor in it place nthe village of Arou-nes-i around 1500, — Around 1988, ho saw some pies oft kept in one ofthe hie eranarien. 9 aeay, Arico {6 The dermmene ae cnoigered tobe he ony tae ths. The rs, however he ae Yo ec. Te comsrocion sprend throughout the plea, share heir skills and priveges. eur af ihe dor ofthe Hopp of ATO ot he dé Bana eseeyOy e080 family ther half belonging 0 the sine ie A cond instalienert, first ste gina wil be desceibed inte Se108 The creation and the : va an ut® creation and the picture of the signs are also commenor antually before sowing (bedo) by the following ritual. Barly in ‘morning the head of the family goes to the “field ofthe ancestors” ‘inne, and clears a neat area at the cen grea of the field on which the signs are made remains clear of fe fep.foe mal ; ‘plants a seed, which is covered with a mound of earth, this spot he then places a tazu basket ce are We central circle, not covered by signs, is the sky; around it are the Pie nce spo Pe Meal el: hen em I sre cane pts neue conti Aalccl aoa cm adam ase ean Eo phish rctnseanii eels ee henh e the center. In the course of that day, he r ah ‘selvally sown. The field is then seeded by the family; in the wintertime, ie: A ikes aig lime unc 7 . ye makes a zigzag line around! jean recognize in the empty center the spot where the signs were ILE OF THE SIGNS. 5 “Vhs, by signs, the direct expression of his thought, Amma will begin cation, the creation ofthe “world” aduno, “The bummo, whi One says of Amma that he “began things,” amma kize tono; thi N in its dynamic sense indicating the initial impetus He gave to ‘tion, as well as his intention to create. “When Amma began (fono/ Inys, he had his thought in his mind. The thought he had written (tara) is mind. His thought, it is the first figure (com).””® Bur one also emphasizes the identity of “signs” and of “words,” the ‘Yorbal expression of thought. Thus, itis said that “in the clavieles of ‘Ainma in a ball alt the things he had were signs.” But, “ifthe signs ‘tristed before the words, words and signs of Amma's clavicle are one.”"* 1: Theoretical diagram of he 26 signs drawn on the ground ‘One emphasizes this idemity in affirming thatthe roots (bases! of the ofthe “field of ancestors." nage inne tire Dogon tongue are numerous like the umber of signs.” ‘The egg with signs is called “egg of Amma guardian of the world.” rassct feat this twenty-two ines, 50 aso filth outer ele When creation wil be terminated and then destroyed one will say of intricate ange oflinesepresentingallpossiblesignsig. 1), One the empty egg of Amma who destroyed the life of the world,”” because Poa 266 (signs) are drawn in the center of the field of saa i rs." While he is drawing them, the patriarch says: “Amma, atlanta areas et ete Rive rain, give ripe millet, may the millet re-enter by the East, | pais ec emai ag 7 amioa oni guy gunna Kice fu burmo v0. i tonirgo so gine tobe. amma an guyone tomtle sole tumos. P5 dogo 20 fu dg somo vorgin. sgh 1; amma ano domi ta 23rd ign forthe sigs corresponting Yo his 77. amma aduno kina vo yammata tals kolo. ivinaton, for example inner circle, 68 Fort sag, cn... 82 sma ape aly ige49veger mina bporogone 70. amma ana di dele. yu ile dele. yu du yo. The he sa ‘tin. The psc can ade Perona sch. hos wears$0 ‘THE PALE: just as Ama began the world by the sin, itis by destroying the signs 2. FIRST GENESIS Creation of the sene. Creation of the “first world.” Destruction of “first world.” CREATION OF THE SENE, Having thought and then designed the world he wished to er ‘Amma tried as an experiment to superpose a bit of every kind substance that formes a “flesh” originating fom bis own persom, “dross” to which he added his salva, Softly kneading it with his hands, molded itinto the form of aseed, i, {one also says “of achild” i); the that ran out between his fingers formed “roots.” The result of this fis labor was the seed of the tree sene na, the first ofall plants. The work i remembered by one of the names given to the creator, “Anima kneader (amma manane). The ova-shaped seed, comparable to a “chicken! 99" (ene ral), had to contain four elements and the principle of beings. fe was largex than the other seeds would later be, particular these of the cereals Iris said that in order to create the sene na, Amma “cleared throat,” which made earth; his saliva became water; he breathed whem he returned to the sky, this being fire; he blew hard this being wind. He «did not mix the elements, but superposed them: le put down earth, then water, then fire, then air. “Amma, to ereate the sene na, superposed things separated into four.” its also said that the four elements of the seneare “the four ‘nails’ of Amma’s thumb and fingers.” A figure, called “seat of the sene in four (elements) pu? on top of each other when one bullds the Zebe altar of the Fox;”” represents the seed (the circle) and the four eloments, deliberately placed off-center (fig. 12). 8. amona soem ¥0 ani kze bllogu may tm 29. sone na doy mone nay yuruga lobe danan. Made wth poridge of ara pit and ‘under the ahar ofthe Fox, yurigu lebe, a its foundation, and for the cseason of a ew aliination tae ut To. frome ofthe “wet ofthe seme side “Amma's oval epg it « ball” and by the Jements is compared to the creation of a nest, iiven to the seed, sene i This action is 289 ogy of the word that designates the tre i om tinue, “to superpose ial bumme and of the sone The work performed: superposition of the él jenu; hence the name wsociated with the etymol general, rims, hich comes fom Hue, Recalling both the formation of the primor cone tom i “tiie” Ae sccontingnenote ppl moe - tins nm i Scoring te nner wo sot omen tee Diner seeds ereated alterwants113 Tr THE PALE, J into the gunna (the “bal” containing the germs), s0 as 0 be ‘i is said: “Water is the food, the sene represents the first thing cre: 3 a cee a 4, clarified, and purified. by Amma." CREATION OF THE “FIRST WORLD.” Beginning with the seed ofthe sene na and the tree, which ae sad “the ereated things of the first world,” Amma formed a first un 0f this creation, carried out secretly in "Amma's clavicles,” li knowin for ic was destroyed; only its rough outline can be told, He' by planting a seed of Acacia Faidherbia (seme i. which had the the thorn of the present tree, also compared to the hand bell gana ‘which endsin a tapered point. On the tp ofthis upward pointed thorn, placed, upside down, asmallcap of the same wood by way of cover: it a mushroomiike bulge atts pole that served as a handle. This csp. inverted in order fo receive everything that was in the “sky,” and then. spill it out over the “earth.” On the circumference and on the inside the signs. He steadied it with the help of another thorn pointing d and forming, together with the first one,an axis on which spun the cap, symbol of space. The parts of the cap have the following meaning: ‘bulge is “the ball of the world,” aduno gunnu, containing the germs B ‘beings and things. The eap itself, which flares out from the top bulge, resents the “extension of the world” (aduna gieaay) (fig. 13, A\- whole thing is called “hand of the Fox,’ because the germs. in order >e projected into the world, are drawn out as if by a “hand,” which in itself a passage: one also says that “the germs were projected by hhand.” Iti also said that Amena first put the chinas of the sente one om sc. Amma’ work wih he sere explanatory Hg top of the other and in the second place the “hand” itself (fig, 13, B). made of ponnu ile aera ejresmre ih moti an ding on ote font LMA “The cap tuned slowly between the 160) A ae ee ‘on itself, and filled with germs that are fertilized by the contact between {yuit recalls this). When ee cae ‘had developed inside the the two thorns: the upper than isthe male “sky,” the lower one is the athe germawere eee A ne en ich female “earth.” Its bell shape, a symbol of the widening inherent in cap, Amma took it and turned it rehede Wp spread out :mukiplication, allowed things to descend by their own weight, in order a ET ed Subsequenly developed on their #7, playing tops with he pon ri ete eet dace ane ibapune ve tenet dance othe Es.” Foy the games of 098 Yo dogo, pp 6670. 81. di kaylego v0, sete arma kite polo mans 102090 ¥0. 12. gonna polo hize vo manu 18. The gonanais a small ton bell which is struck with a wand. ‘4, suruge nua, This cap is represented by the smoothing tool calle “hand.” used to smooth the sand of ation tables ofthe Fos (cf. nr, p. 298) ylarspinnin), 1. ifome pins it point down (regular spinnin upside down lirregar spinnin whirlgigs.cfM- GRIAULE,ns us hile the two points were rejoined. pee) si ovine ii i This is how the world firs ch is des Si 1 Se relenatonarigd che ene, pres ‘Amma placed “the Fox's h Be ent ot inten rne otra ae i ose eicosanoid Vox) respectively pointing to the north and to the south (of. fig. DESTRUCTION OF THE ‘FIRST WoRLp, But Amma had pt too many things into the frst creation Moreover titi superposition was not effective; it filed. In tack dan ning the basic element “water left the Amma's failure." Amma was not satisfied with the creation ich constituted a frst fated attempt, a f and destroyed it, keeping of this rough! only the se irae Figure eet ndr the aa oth Fon the yl es the “hands" of the Fox. hat rk, to create another universe dl Anuma decided to resume bis work, eae ‘ould have man sits foundation. This new world — already included Were to develop later, ‘These events are represented by «figure drawn under the altar to the = 40 te dosurmo pote ogor-me yung mum ‘und prefigured by, the bummo of the “womb of the world” Me fe 3 bere ie ine che eg Lara tm ke ‘Ch, 1) and depending upon the progression represented by the ser Sela ema yurigu rune loporene tobe ge pnns gan £0 0 BOY suey mum "80 dergo begomne adus me cay th me rants To eal ropa eh wed ttacon pen nd te wd ame asi se a ts tlso.the hind paw of the animal. In their entirety the six figures are rel te compre ote Gvinaon ble (hp. 25) 87.sene iyimie omy rt Ont statins ie on “nage a ranrmaiogt of the first world, “a %ue THE PALE signs denoting different stages — will be formed according to ar technique in Which the elements will not be superposed, but ral mixed and blended in a continuous movement, the condition for perfect integration. Its suid ofthe sene kept by Amma,and which will fird its place in second universe: “Phe sene isthe present witness of the former creation, ‘which is called “world which has passed before.” It will transmit to “second world” tie fundamental elements conferred upon it by Ar The sene was, ad will remain, the first plant life created by Am since the “first world” had been realized through the intermediary plant, in the second world the plant will be tonsidered just like: “person.” A sactifice will be performed anmualty on the trunk of sene nan the “field of the family house,” ginna minne, and thissacri will hold good for all vegetation. It is said: “The sacrifice off (sacrificed) 10 the sene is (valid) for all trees; the trees are lke Nommo, like a person.” When animals eat the leaves of the sene, they will assimilate dl rnyama of the tree; their excrement will promote the growth of cere and of ail vegetation. Men will absorb this force by eating the seeds fruits and the leaves of the different plants, and will transmit it cot earth and the rocks by moving about. The aged who are nearing the of their days willsleep on a board of sene. The gutter of dwellings will made of sene wood; at the funeral of its owner it will be placed next his blanket in the main square. This ritual will unite the witnesses of the former world and those of the new one, represented by the cloth, both symbols of Amma's “word.” 59, seme aduno pirane gal sere. Sentence rected during the ceremony annually per- formed by the diviners, which inchides a sacrifice to the altar tothe Fox, yurugs lee 90, auno rane gl 3 senaone rumpus pugongo Yogo immu purmoy: immu norm ta20 inne Loz0y 17 3. AMMA’S EGG Second geese st yla of “Amma's gs.” Opening ot”Amaas eves “evond yol of “Amma's eBs” Representations, OND GENESIS. nme began his work anew and proceeded with a second genesis, pa ie) om ne ste 8 0 ES, Which he would produce a second world, These seeds would 06 cereals, dene, and of fod plants: he fest and most impor Pht also the smallest — was to be the po seed (Digitaria en) Hurting from the primordial “traces,” bummo, Amma fire drew Te js yal, ofa new universe inside his “womb” or hs ese Te ion (cok place in two stages, the suecension of which shows os mrements impresed from the Degen Fa eee sion ofall things, animate : He nner. Arima rings forthe elbOre do ps second genesis are represented by bvo successive iguces: RST YALA OF AMMA'S “EGG.” : vata of Amma's egg” amma talu yala) OF 6 ‘and denotes the original thought composes undifferentiated, 1S). Itis of dots that are undi pee ponding, one to one, with the bummo he intrinsic value of Macect in his womb a the beginning, emphasizing the intrinsic ¥ Hest i onzaton oth nies Fotis i: “The hing tha Tava created tha he sent the world that is what one has counted.” ana a ur tar pee aly sie re a a Ba anon ie nope ng Ts sete protean dh hadsc) during the sacrifice offered em whe alta called ka amma,us THE PALE. io, 1: First yale of “Amma's cya” amma tal121 this figure, the “egg of the world,” still closed, is divided into four iguring the four divine “clavicles” which will open when the out of Amma's bosom. Indeed, the clavicles form the sion system of the body as a whole: “The clavicles are the ent for the body's suspension.” God will open himself up into n pairs of “clavicles,” thus emphasizing the essential value of supports for the human being; they will contain the symbols of the js of cereal grains, that is, ofthe basic elements of the second world. “The number in Amma’s egg is 266." The outline of the drawing sompasses the picture of the signs; the spiraled center plays.a role on Inside comparable to that of the yolk in an egg. These 266 yala are Ssiioned in the following manner (trom the center to the periphery 606 for the po, the other cereal grain seeds, and the sene 4 for the gaéa seeds and 4 for the anu seeds 28 for the circumference of the central circle or gaba gunnu “ball Ihe calabash” or amma kolo doy “seat of the inside of Amma” (4 for the egg itself, which will later open into four “clavicles.”** 4) The sixty-six yala of the central spiral break down as follows jenly-tw0 at the center for the po. then forty for eight seeds, at the io of five per seed, and finally four for the sene at the tip of the spiral. The po, in the body of which Amma will build the world, is here cd to be the principle and prefiguration of the seed. Therefore, says that the po, symbol of the smallest thing in the world, is “the |jroatest of the cereals.” It has twenty-two yala. At the center of the spiral of the twenty-two yala of the po, first six pala re counted (as were the firstsix bummo in the breakdown of the picture 1 Cav ete komm: the four tol our boulders paced before ‘epreseit the Tour cancevol eons the opening uni guyo gozu dele gogie vo 9 This at the time of construction of totemic sanctuary’ amma ene a ue tan Pulley butoy sige '% This igure wasdeawn wth portidge of ana gew ands pila during the foundation of the Jit alia to Aminaty the Dogon at Kani Kombo at the time oftheir arrival from Mand, ‘This altar is called: “first (altar 1) Arima placed below (ie. upon earth” (amma polo Hlonune dani. 1 was also deawn with poeridge of po plu on the rocky surface which ovstitutes the ceiling of a smail enclosure built inside the cave Kukui Kommo, a ‘onstruction which, fr iitiates, represents the fist temic sanctuary constructed by ws (vol, 208 instalment, 2nd yar) Pv 2) Cave ete komm: w nm ite pant representing ‘the po coming out of Animus clevcien123 a THE PALE, is twenty-two, ‘of the signs). These six yala are the “sex of the po”; their m Ake most ancient fort NE este S ata oi} ‘connotes the initial masculinity of the po’ sex, for three will her is your waren.” He then Poa eae nish tin the in man, the penis and the two testicles. The repetition of the nut have had some harvest, may Ama Be malt underscores another fundamental aspect of Amma's second hie sooth: may he allow towinness. In essence, the po, the frst living germ, will be twin (@ next year.” ight cereal grain seeds, five When ‘it will come into being, the seed of the male po pilu wil lene forty other yaa ssn 1 i oe ed doubled by a female seed. Moreover, Amma will confer @ double iii shem, in the following order y rnamu,*The warsber m the eight seedsis upon the po pilt: as a male, it will give its impetus to the universe; Ynmme na kolo, yt, ara, nw, ye ns 99: and five. into which the female, ata precise moment of the development of this universe, it peter they are forty." The numbers ci i aueady, he a play a role nearly comparable to that of Amma himself. down, refer tthe “sight ancestors of uma, he ‘The po will be twin because everything in this aniverse will have| iio sensu, which were Later (0 de oP each lineage." able to reproduce itself. The repetition of these two numbers in it erations tha were wosveceed cach or of ccna tinesna cee tn Gaeta Sale ae anignedie see Heel es ‘which he created. For Amma will remain present in this universe by spe newuniverseof the four elements, exeative word,of which one says: “Tise word eame out ofthe first ya Pace avin the following order: water fire, the po." y amie For Amma, in The six yala of the “sex of the po" are considered as the yala of the “s jh, and air, the last being located at Se dee ‘of the universe; they will aso be the image ofthe sex of the frst an ro insert the four elements hat Ne Oo pigked them up agai being formed in Amma's womb, the normo anagorino, symbol of fst wor formed withthe ead of the sone icht a ee ‘human fetus. ncrperated tem tothe seed of polo whieh ene eos ‘With regasd to the cereal seeds, the six yaa prefigured the six vari to emerge. Its suid: “Amima whe Te modeled this (present) ties of po. The sixteen yala which follow are the “body of the po,” fing 10 te work wich had passe neato the body of the po." {go2u, that is, the seed itself and the plant that will sprout from it get [with ho four divided things np them 0 a ey ‘The spiral formation of the yala makes it clear thar the po sill he indent value ofthese xy siraing sens “alive,” for it is prefigured in movement. It denotes the formation of Ppivna’s dynamism — is recalled dur xt “At the beginning (of ‘posed, symbolof“the smaltest thing,” as well asofthe vital force that ynetiary with a sentence ultered By TA PIM: six yala of Amma's give it an internal movement, fife. In addition, the mumber of yal Whe founding) of the sanctuary of the Dim assigned to the future seed recalls the basic number of categorie Doaly are all drawn together: classifying the sum of primordial signs. In essence, through number, th _————_ ‘po wll contain the entire sniverse conceived in thought by Amma. amen yat, deve fl bo ‘tthe time of the dineu kono, “beer ofthe twins,” a ceremony whi Pe cgagoa gn ebe mum mona pen begins the offering of the first fruits, the patriarch says: “God has giver uomec during the sowing: 00, For the “eight ancestors” and 97. vaiapoto:g0-ne so goy (or tobe), Atthe pagu ofthe Hogom tis sentence is addressed to 1. wmina ya girane aduno gal ki the altar called de lebe “lebe of the inside,” situated to the left of the door when one pit oba po gozwne kunsi ‘enters the room (kana) which is reserved exclusively for this purpose within the dignitary's 102. bin gi tolo-ye amma dwelling. The clay covers a red egg-shaped stone which was brought from Mandé. This. ‘made therm companions") Sion rpescoms po tol the tar of pe (elf pS. Forde ee vo installment somo pelley ley sige: amma diuo wvo. gape emmteg0- o, emma bage femme. nay. This sentence s pronounced by the the “five generations” ef infra, . 38. itor togu) nay dlede i aduno aaa imay gama sj pea lay sige yal, Bey vay bo Rana (itera: “hemy 125 Jon, Tis imternal spiral of the exgis Mankedon each side by two seri four ya a, vertically positioned, whic Points is assigned to the. the right. As a sign, future organization of society within a territorial fee +h support it. Each of these ee te ee eerie they atecie ane Bien sci nthe oom label Pearl di Is,” kikina, which will animate the po an pe soe roca ae age oe ae are formed. Therefore. shen nee un ofthe wage who have come th number i tiny willbe mite withthe seodof the amu andthe gabe ane ea tc ame: the men ofthe eb andthe bia their numbers Bi bothof these being “guardiansof the soulsofthe oan. the etme bom unt tem. When they are gteredtogties, fall corcal grains." Everywhere the millet fields exe ace surroul eee ore Pease te Pian SEH a aia cites i uke the wives of you fiends: do not gv an {hie ancestors see him, the lebe sees him, the binu sees him. May NS: “gaba, your number is four, en pve us the next day"; for the sixty-four yala of the egg were into the field." When sowing anu: “ant, your number steer fees of the wack Found the field at the four cardinal points:"e ING OF AMMA‘S "EYES": SECOND YALA OF AMMA'S EGG." ree, Vertical position of the Jala of the gaba and amu — fixed having thus positioned the yala for the prefiguration of the Fron tthe spiral of the 0 ~ also stand forthe future “degecy pide is the universe out of Amma's womb, Thi &) This set of three figures is enclosed ina circle, made of 128 ieee that prefigure the shape of the elabash, aba tthe sete oy ne dn TePFESEns “the seat (or the womb) of Amma's inside" ann kay ee Ser se 28 points comprise primarily 120 yalathatisosey da a oresee sity being called me tg “number of the sees ey. wean be «the futur nsion ofthe universe. Necause of cis, itis said {nmap ssdetbe Po. Opening Ane ee othe pabe and of the Btn rie at he spel ering os ax ght be sliver imma’s close HL. Thus Amma had pierced the envelope of his own womb, and his wombof ‘grains for it wll be consumed by man. The figures ‘3 see evo per opening, the gaba on the right and the ans om the Sakae Jn. The figures represem the f inside,” two per opening, mn the rs nu as eee cottonbush seed, namu na, “large cottonbt he Fach of these figures symbolizes one of the first four varieties of Tash he ees | rae eee oa ater on Earth; shey are dr ans tun, koro por, koro Kinigh, Koro kembogn) 3nd of ami = . soy ti amma" (fig. 27, mu na, anu golo, ark gonnoru, anu ‘gogobolo). Their position in The ei ‘are evidencs i. 27, A). a8 Tene ¢ of the presence of the “word” pl ee caeand their particular rein the development of hewvess ‘upon the second meivie waiter ce the “life” best pH pootce sa sn Lh a hake Senet ake “ocd tity and reproduction. tour yal assigned fo cach seed, and the twin creation of the aes bee ee ‘Therefore. they will later be symbolic sud um seeds ate rermembered at sowing time. The calabash contains peared pec) ec of mt, the mupgrt io his ph bl Jha sods for sing: anu is sown around te field “to Buard the seed ober eee coe eee Cs mown at the eastside of the field, because the ra is successively formed the eight seeds of the i «° of al the plants that can be cultivated anu is the ted by the yale outside the spiral A ea wl nt emerge from the po as did the cereals. Animes {placed them in the spiral of seeds, bus Rad rather kept them in ie thesowing seeds, dene toy, set aside inthe granary.” This ne tained in the womb-like gaba; he gaba sends were formed Iyoeds of anu and gaba, represent ‘oniy one whose parts can al 162, Tisinial position related othe ats pba Cf infra, p52. 160, Dawn with yuan oa founded fou pottigeunder the altar to Amme othe giana when esprit pricilesof the ant a he 161: Drawa sbove be entrance door Ea ate ra rere Toke deme inne nay. es he ri ede laine. pe 1 a The etc pos oh palin theese he iaaraner ridge when these ale ae founded. eee Bsn cect and ci alibe mommnagean an ent Fo oe org te development ofthe universe CI. af, eI eae nn are xno wh prea condiment wih alo seis 8 ea rat noma coment itor sds a isbese) fe n: P.3T)