Figure - woman with child

Dogon art abounds in depictions of a woman and child. Symbolically, they refer to maternal love and female fertility, highly valued in Africa. According to Dogon beliefs, during intrauterine life, a human being resembles a fish and, thanks to that, can safely and adequately develop in foetal waters. A human throughout his life is a developing Nommo. At each life stage, a different part of the water deity develops in him. During infancy - the head, when he starts walking and becomes independent - the liver, at the time of engagement - the feet, and after marriage - the arms. The older man is already a perfect Nommo, representing humanity and the whole universe. A woman's infertility is a significant problem, but sometimes a wife cannot wait to have a child because her husband neglects his duty and avoids approaching her. The situation is described in the legend of Ogodouo and Yakoullo Bassim. Ogodouo had 77 wives. All of them were pregnant, except for one, whom he disliked. The childless, despised wife used a trick and drank her husband's urine while lying unconscious drunk on beer. As a result, she gave birth to a son, whom she named Yakoulli Bassim. Unfortunately, resentment towards his wife transferred onto his son, and Yakoulli Bassim had to fight for a long time for succession with his 76 brothers and his father's recognition. Undoubtedly, the Dogon do not link pregnancy to the consumption of urine. The unusual mode of conception highlights the supernatural qualities of the child, who met all the complex tasks set by his father and emerged victorious from every trial.

Ewa Prądzyńska