defines eight separate chambers—four on the
ground level and four on an upper level—one for
each of the eight grains of Dogon agriculture. In
accordance with a classic Egyptian pyramid, access
to the granary is through a small doorway that is
located two thirds of the way up its north side.
Insiders and OutsidersLike many of the ancient religions it resembles, the
Dogon religion as described by Griaule is an eso-
teric tradition characterized by both public
and private elements. Consequently, the myths of
Dogon cosmology exist in two primary forms—
first, as public, almost fairytale-like myths known
to most Dogon members; and, second, as a private,
much more detailed body of myths, known pri-
marily to the Dogon priests and trusted initiates of
the Dogon religion. According to Griaule and
Dieterlen, the purpose of the public or exoteric
myths is to establish in general terms the major
themes and symbols of the deeper mythological
storyline. The private esoteric myths expand on the
public myths and provide important clarifying
details about the cosmology that are reserved for
initiates and carefully shielded from public view.
Access to the deep knowledge of the Dogon
tradition is theoretically open to any member
of the group. In fact, according to Griaule, the
Dogon priests are actually required to answer any
orderly question truthfully—one whose content is
appropriate to the initiated status of the person
who asks it. However, if a person asks a question
that is deemed to be out of order, the priest is
required to remain silent or even to lie, if neces-
sary, to protect the inner secrets of the religion.
This feature of the religion, as reported by
Griaule, accords with other esoteric traditions,
such as that of the Maori of New Zealand, which
are based on cosmological symbols that are simi-
lar to the Dogon. According to Genevieve
Calame-Griaule, the daughter of Marcel Griaule
and author of theDictionnaire Dogon, the word
Dogonmeans “to complete the words” and “to
remain silent”—the two primary obligations
incumbent on an initiate in the Dogon religion.
Anthropologist Marcel Griaule was prone to
ask persistent and penetrating questions. As his
knowledge of the Dogon tradition grew, those
questions began to intrude more and more on
material that is traditionally reserved for initiates
of the Dogon religion. This prompted an elder
Dogon priest or Hogon namedOgotemmeli to
seek permission from a Dogon council to instruct
Griaule in the inner secrets of the Dogon religion.
The diary, of the first 33 days of this instruction,
is recorded in Griaule’s Dieu D’eau or
Conversations With Ogotemmeli.Creation Myths
Dogon cosmology, which in Griaule’s view forms
the foundation of the Dogon religion, describes
how Amma created the universe and matter and
how she or he initiated the processes of biological
reproduction on the Earth. The cosmology is
couched in many of the archetypical themes and
symbols of classic ancient mythology—the cos-
mogonic eggs, spiraling coils, clay pots, horned ani-
mals, and serpents that are commonly found in the
myths of many of the most ancient cultures. Like
these ancient cultures, the Dogon myths describe
creation from water and define the four primordial
elements of water, fire, wind, and Earth.
The Dogon creation myth begins with a
primordial body calledAmma’s Egg, a conelike
structure that is said to have housed all of the
potential seeds or signs of the future universe.
According to the Dogon priests, some undefined
impulse caused this egg to open, releasing a
silent whirlwind that spun and scattered the
seeds of matter in all directions and to all cor-
ners of the universe. The stars, the sun, and the
planets were thrown out like pellets of clay. The
Dogon conceive of the sun as a clay pot that has
been raised to a high heat.
Amma’s efforts to create matter were founded
on a primary component of matter called thepo,
from which all things are made. According to
Dogon myth, all matter is formed by the continu-
ous addition of like elements beginning with the po.
One purpose of the esoteric Dogon myths, as
outlined by Griaule, is to define the descending
components of matter as they were created by
Amma.
Amma’s work to create life began with a failed
attempt at intercourse with the Earth, equated by
the Dogon with incest or masturbation. This216 Dogon