Opinion on Being Hogon of Dogon

The Dogon are a tribe in Southern Mali that have a rather unique culture that they
have held on for close to three thousand years. Even though some Dogon have become either
Muslims or Christians, the vast majority of the community’s members remain practitioners of
the tribe’s traditional religion. It is a religion full of rituals that are centered on the tribe’s
origin myths and other mythologies that are little understood by outsiders because of extreme
secrecy of some of the rituals. A central figure in the tribe’s religious as well as secular life is
the Hogon.

I cannot imagine living the life of a Hogon among the Dogon. It is certainly a position
I would never wish to hold. One becomes a Hogon either through elections by leading
members of the community of through inheritance. Election or inheritance is just the first step
towards becoming a Hogon. One only assumes the duties of the Hogon after a brutal six-
month initiation procedure. During the six-month initiation period, the Hogon neither shaves
nor washes and no one is allowed to touch him. I cannot imagine going for that long without
washing. It is difficult to withstand the discomfort of such an undertaking.

After the six-month initiation period, the Hogon wears a pearl bracelet and red cap.
He then starts his official duties as the community’s Hogon. The duties including performing
various village rituals including those related to fertility of women and of the soils. He
performs these duties while living alone as the Hogon is not supposed to live with anyone. He
also has to remain celibate. Thus, apart from leading rituals that venerate ancestors, a Hogon
is also supposed to ensure that villagers have successful harvests and the women get children.

The Hogon shoulder heavy community responsibilities while living very unfulfilling
and lonely private lives. Since things like fertility of a woman or success of a harvest are

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essentially beyond the control of a single man, it is unlikely that the Hogon always gets
things right. I certainly cannot manage to withstand the pressure of having to meet the
community’s high expectations for matters that are in effect beyond the control of a human
being.