article
Dogon restudied: a field evaluation of the work of Marcel Griaule
Current anthropology • 32 (2) • Published In 1991 • Pages: 139-167
By: Beek, W. E. A. van.
Abstract
Van Beek was unable to corroborate in the field Marcel Griaule's epic monographs on Dogon religion, ‘Dieu d’eau' and ‘Le renard pâle,’ written fifty years before. He argues that these texts were a product of Griaule's fanciful imagination and personal mission to find a coherent and profound system of thought south of the Sahara. According to van Beek, the Dogon he interviewed do not attribute nearly as much significance to the water god, Nommo, the fox, or the star Sirus as did Griaule. Van Beek considers Dogon myths a bricolage which Griaule tried to fit together into some magnus opus. This document includes comments by other anthropologists. Mary Douglas argues that the esoteric and occult knowledge of Dogon elders related in Griaule's work could easily have been lost over the last fifty years as their authority and power wanned.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2000
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Western Africa
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Ian Skoggard ; 1999
- Field Date
- 1979-1989
- Coverage Date
- 1979-1989
- Coverage Place
- Tireli, Bandiagara, Mali
- Notes
- Walter E. A. van Beek
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 165-167)
- LCCN
- a 63000576
- LCSH
- Dogons (African people)