Dogon Door - Tall

Our Price: $1,895.00

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Item Number: ED01EMW

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Dogon Door - 77 1/2" x 33"

In the country of Mali, particular to the Dogon people, the father of each family dutifully constructs a Dogon Door for his daughter after her first menstruation period. The making of this door celebrates and acknowledges her newfound womanhood. The young woman does not relinquish her possession and retains it after marriage. In Mali, the men believe that when a woman is menstruating she is unclean. Thusly they will not eat food cooked by her hand nor will they engage in any type of sexual activity with her. A wife lets her husband know of her condition by putting her Dogon Door outside of her quarters. He then goes to another wife. The rich tradition of the Dogon Door is clearly represented in this piece. The carved dancing and working figures are in good condition as well as the breasts, which always symbolize womanhood. Slight variations might occur.

Traditionally the doors served as markers for granaries and served also as indicators as to a persons status in the village or occupation. The rows of repetitive carvings of human figures are the Dogon ancestors. Some doors will detail carvings that represent dancers wearing towering "Kanaga masks" and the rabbit eared "Walu" mask. Others doors feature zigzag lines in bas relief around the frame that symbolize the Dogon serpent ancestor "Lebe."

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