Figure - man

The statue represents a figure covering his face. These types of statues are placed on altars that bring rain, called andugo. These altars are places of sacrifice to the Nommo deities who are considered the rulers of water, overseeing all bodies of water, rivers, streams and rain. The timely start of the rainy season and its abundance are very important for the agricultural Dogon, as their crops and entire existence depend on it, so the Dogon devote much effort to currying favour with Nommo and thus ensuring rainfall. The rain, and the lack of it, is the background to many fables and stories. One of these is a story explaining the reason why bats sleep with their heads down. In mythical times, a bat and a god lived in great friendship and helped each other in every difficult situation. Once, in the middle of the dry season, the bat's mother fell ill. According to the fortune-teller to whom they went for a consultation, only water from the first rain, that is, the herald of the rainy season, could cure her. The bat trusted that since the rain was sent by its friend, the mother would recover quickly. God was indeed very concerned about his friend's mother's illness and promised to bring healing rain. The next day there were clouds and thunder, but not a single drop fell. The mother's illness worsened. The bat turned to the god again and the god repeated his promise to bring rain, but it did not come despite the clouds, wind and thunder. The bat's mother died. All the bats gathered in one place and, outraged by the god's attitude, broke off their long friendship. Still offended, they do not even want to look at him, so they sleep with their heads down.

Ewa Prądzyńska