Fetish

The Dogon are divided into four large groups commonly called tribes. They trace their ancestry back to four ancestors, the brothers Dyon, Domno, Arou and Ono, who left the mythical land of Mande and came to the present-day settlements. After the migration, each of the brothers settled in a different area and founded villages, giving rise to many successive generations. The consequences of this can still be seen today. The descendants of Dyon and Arou inhabit the areas along the Bandiagara Escarpment, the heirs of Domno live in the lands situated in the northeast of the Dogon country, around Douentza and Hombori, while the descendants of Omo can be found in the plains. Another important element of the Dogon social structure are the families called binu ture. These are endogamous groups whose members share a mythical relationship with the founder of the family and a guardian animal. The myths concerning the founding of the lineage usually describe the story of an alliance between the guardian animal and the founder of the lineage. The symbol of this agreement is duge, a type of amulet that is a sign of protection. The amulet is worn by Binukedine (the leader of the family, who is also a priest of the Binu cult), as a tangible, visible proof of the family members' connection with the supernatural world. The guardian animal is treated with respect by the members of the family, all of whom are forbidden to hunt or eat its meat. The family consists of several lineages, between which marriages are contracted. Membership in the lineage is inherited from father to son and links the Dogon to a strictly defined group of lineages that exchange wives, descend from the same ancestor and share the same guardian animal.

Ewa Prądzyńska