Figure - man

Every Dogon boy must undergo an initiation during which he is circumcised to become a real man. The most famous place where young Dogon men are introduced to the secrets of adulthood is Kondi Pégue (refuge of the circumcised), located in the village of Songho, on the Plateau, 60 km east of Mopti. It owes its fame to the cave paintings made on vertical rock. They cover an area about 37 metres long and 5-6 metres high. In Songho village, circumcision is performed by older men of the Guindo family. They claim that just before the initiation, which takes place every 3-4 years, Kondi Pégue is visited by a huge Lebe snake, preparing a place for young boys. The drawings covering Kondi Pégue are a tool with which the elders explain life and traditional values to boys and introduce them to the arcana of religion and mythology. The paintings are white, black and red. The white is the colour of the god Amma, a symbol of order and order, a sign of taming forces. Black symbolises the moon, but also disorder, while red is interpreted as a sign of vitality.After circumcision and convalescence, young men refresh the paintings on the sacred rock. Although the Shongo people are now primarily Muslim, the custom is still cultivated.After the initiation, the young men return to the village. Their return is a solemn event filled with music and singing. From now on, they are considered adults and can get married, participate in religious rituals and, together with other men, make critical decisions for the whole community.

Ewa Prądzyńska