Book
Dogon mottoes
Institut 'Ethnologie • Paris • Published In 1942 • Pages: HRAF MS: i, 218 leaves [original: viii, 194 ]
By: Ganay, Solange de, Granka, Sherri L..
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This monograph is part of a series of ethnographic works on the Dogon of the Bandiagara Escarpment in the French Sudan based on data collected during the expeditions of Marcel Griaule (Dakar-Djibouti, 1931-1933; Sahara-Sudan, 1935; Sahara-Cameroon, 1936-1937) and Lebaudy-Griaule (Niger-Lake Iro, 1938-1939). In other sources in this file, notably 8: Griaule and 11: Dieterlen, the concepts of the soul (kikinu), the vital force (nyama), the ancestors, and other supernatural powers were explored in terms of their effects on the Dogon individual personality. Here, going one step further, the intrinsic values of the personality are discussed in this study of Dogon mottoes or tiges, a general reference to the title or proclamation of quality of an individual or object. Although the concept itself is often applied to supernatural beings, the dead, plants and animals, certain geographical locations, natural phenomena, and generally with everything that is considered as a carrier of vital force (nyama), the main emphasis in this source is on the tiges of man whether as individuals or as a group. Like the nyama the tige is a constant element which is transferred from one member to another within the nani or respondent line. When applied to humans the tige is more than a simple motto or title, but an expression of quality – an “effectual phrase” which ties individuals to one another in the past, the present and to some extent in future acts (p. 188). The discussion of the various aspects of the tige as outlined above occupies the major bulk of the source, with explanations often bordering on the metaphysical.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Cultural identity and pride
- Literary texts
- Status, role, and prestige
- Mythology
- Animism
- Eschatology
- Spirits and gods
- Sacred objects and places
- Prayers and sacrifices
- Priesthood
- Congregations
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Dogon
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2000
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Africa
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Western Africa
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- John Beierle ; 1988
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1935-1939
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1937-1938
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Bandiagara Circle, Mopti Region, Mali
- NotesAdditional notes
- Solange de Ganay
- Translation of: Les devises des Dogons
- The original French text is not included
- Works cited in the text are not mentioned in the Bibliography
- Data dealing with individual tiges have been indexed generally for Status, Role, and Prestige (554); on tiges associated with localities or tribes, for Cultural Identity and Pride (1860) and Place Names (103); in reference to supernatural beings, for Prayers and Sacrifices (782) and Spirits and Gods (776); and for animals and plants, for Ethnobotany (824) and Ethnozoology (825).
- Translated for the HRAF files by Sherri L. Granka
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 204-205)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 46035088
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Dogons (African people)