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Dogon Door with Lizard - Mali
Retail: $1,895.00
Our Price: $1,695.00
You Save: $200.00 (11%)
In Stock
Item Number: ED01EMW
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Dogon Door with Lizard - 63" x 26 1/2" - Mali
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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