Figure - man

The Dogon are people living in the south-central part of the Republic of Mali. Its number is estimated at 500-600 thousand. The largest concentration of their villages is found along a 150 km stretch of the Bandiagara Escarpment. The Dogon are a patriarchal society, in which the dominant, responsible role is played by men. Their tasks include managing the people, directing religion and the economy and politics. The men's world is divided into four hierarchical, hermetic groups, further divided internally into several subgroups. These include young, teenage, circumcised men who do not yet have any experience (commonly referred to as apprentices), adult Dogon, full of vitality and burdened with responsibility for their families (teachers), older family leaders, on whom the duty of passing on traditions rests (guides), and the oldest men with a great deal of knowledge, who are already close to the category of ancestors. The group of men commonly called teachers is divided into two subgroups. The first, comprising Dogon aged 36-44, is called inew na, which translates as great men, while the second, integrating men aged 44-52, is called ine na ginru du dan meaning those responsible for families. The Dogon men aged 36-52 are mainly focused on the needs of their families. They need to gain authority and provide for the economic resources needed to support their wife (or wives) and children. Although the family comes first in this age range, men also experience difficult decisions and choices in which they are required to put the interests that are crucial to the whole community ahead of personal gain.

Ewa Prądzyńska