Off to Dogon Country for a few days, so I leave my pack behind @ Macks & we're off initally to the gateway town of Bandiagara. That is after we wait for the taxi to fill up. And wait. Our Guide, Seydou starts to get a little twitchy with the late start so we contribute to buying the last seats in the van so we can be on our way. Then we get another battered car out to our drop off point in the Dogon, (say jiggy boom bow) where inhabitants are strongly animist. Great traditional buildings here.
We have a 7km walk (scramble downhill for half of it) to Kani Kombole for a great lunch & siesta, followed by 5km walk in the afternoon to Teli where we stay the evening, sleeping on the roof of an encampment building ( no sign of any rain for the last decade here. If life in Bamako looked poor, and Sevare even poorer, then here in the Dogon it's absolutely subsistence.
Women pound millet, as they have done for ever. Women draw water from a well so deep it takes 2 to haul up the bucket. No electricity. Other than trying to support themselves, our tourist dollar brings in much needed income to a select few. I promise myself to never complain about work again - these women do it oh so hard. But it is VERY picturesque, with its troglodyte Dogon cliff houses in the escarpment that is around 500m high.
We have a 7km walk (scramble downhill for half of it) to Kani Kombole for a great lunch & siesta, followed by 5km walk in the afternoon to Teli where we stay the evening, sleeping on the roof of an encampment building ( no sign of any rain for the last decade here. If life in Bamako looked poor, and Sevare even poorer, then here in the Dogon it's absolutely subsistence.
Women pound millet, as they have done for ever. Women draw water from a well so deep it takes 2 to haul up the bucket. No electricity. Other than trying to support themselves, our tourist dollar brings in much needed income to a select few. I promise myself to never complain about work again - these women do it oh so hard. But it is VERY picturesque, with its troglodyte Dogon cliff houses in the escarpment that is around 500m high.
Next day we walk 5km to Ende for lunch, meeting up with various other tourist, including an aussie, Dominique after our Guide leaves us over lunch, so he can pick up on his social life out here in the Dogon. At Tireli we do get to see part of a renactment of the famous mask dance, which is a very improtant part of the Dogon culture. The real thing is not due again till 2027 - every 60 years! It was amazing though, and we were the only white tourists there amongst many african tourists! And the local kids were loving the scary masked men!
That afternoon brings a 9km walk uphill (think more rock scrambling) to Begnemato, which is perched high up on a clifftop enscarpment with spectacular views over the Dogon plains and the required great sunset. This is an interesting village with 3 communities living together here - animist, moslem & christian! Evan & I take turns to visit the Fortune Teller. I have to say It was a little bit freaky climbing into his tiny hut for my consultation, but my fortune was all good with lots of good luck (which I think I may need in the future). We both have to sacrifice chooks (that is PAY for one each) and as well Evan had to sacrifice an eggplant. lol Meanwhile out at the Fortune Teller's hut, I run into the Canadians and find out that Diego (who was not taking malarial prophylactics) has since been hospitilised in Bandigara with Grade 3 malaria but now recovering AND taking malaria meds. A very hard lesson there, me thinks. The next morning we walk 5km to Indelu, across a fabulous rocky landscape to a village where we have our last fantastic views of the plains & cliffs that we've been trekking. Back to Bandiagara, where there is a little toing & froing about money and Segou's impatience to be finished with us (read spend his money).
All in all the Dogon Country was a world apart due to it's landscape with ancient architecture, mixing it up with a fascinating animist culture & traditions with really friendly locals who seem to have found a middle path of preserving their culture & getting tourists through at a ground level, to form some sort of an income. I was really pleased to get the opportunity to travel there, and see some amazing sights especially so early in my trip.
That afternoon brings a 9km walk uphill (think more rock scrambling) to Begnemato, which is perched high up on a clifftop enscarpment with spectacular views over the Dogon plains and the required great sunset. This is an interesting village with 3 communities living together here - animist, moslem & christian! Evan & I take turns to visit the Fortune Teller. I have to say It was a little bit freaky climbing into his tiny hut for my consultation, but my fortune was all good with lots of good luck (which I think I may need in the future). We both have to sacrifice chooks (that is PAY for one each) and as well Evan had to sacrifice an eggplant. lol Meanwhile out at the Fortune Teller's hut, I run into the Canadians and find out that Diego (who was not taking malarial prophylactics) has since been hospitilised in Bandigara with Grade 3 malaria but now recovering AND taking malaria meds. A very hard lesson there, me thinks. The next morning we walk 5km to Indelu, across a fabulous rocky landscape to a village where we have our last fantastic views of the plains & cliffs that we've been trekking. Back to Bandiagara, where there is a little toing & froing about money and Segou's impatience to be finished with us (read spend his money).
All in all the Dogon Country was a world apart due to it's landscape with ancient architecture, mixing it up with a fascinating animist culture & traditions with really friendly locals who seem to have found a middle path of preserving their culture & getting tourists through at a ground level, to form some sort of an income. I was really pleased to get the opportunity to travel there, and see some amazing sights especially so early in my trip.
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