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Cliff paintings Bandiagara escarpment, Mali, June 1998 Photo ©1998 by L. Lee McIntyre |
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Cliff paintings Bandiagara escarpment, Mali, June 1998 Photo ©1998 by L. Lee McIntyre |
This description doesn't seem quite right -- is that really what these patterns are? These are some of the patterns painted on the walls of the rocky caves where young Dogon men are initaited and learn the stories of the creation of the world and of the Dogon ancestors. These are elements of secret initiaory languages shared by the many peoples in the area who speak languages in the Voltaic or Gur family of languages, including the Mossi, Gurinsi, and Bwa. These same patterns appear in several variations on the masks, textiles, pottery, and other art forms of all of these people.