out or absorb the Tellem into their social and
political systems.
Although the Tellem do not exist as a separate
culture and their rich legacy has been absorbed
into the Dogon culture, it is important to see them
as predecessors to one of the most unique human
cultures. One can see the exuberance of contem-
porary scholars with Dogon culture through a
reflection of the Tellem contributions in the sculp-
ture and rituals of ancestors known as Dogon-
Tellem waternommoforms.
Remarkably, the Dogon have never disavowed
the inheritance they received from the ones who
came before them to the areas of the Bandiagara
cliffs. Like the Tellem, the Dogon have long
resisted outside religion, preferring to hold onto
the customs and traditions that have been passed
down from one generation to another. At the core
of their values and social stability is the accep-
tance of the centrality of the Tellem in their world-
view. No one can escape the intricacies of Tellem
philosophy and the convergence of the two ideals,
the Dogon and the Tellem, in the cauldron that
was war, interaction, and ideology. Keeping the
Tellem inheritance bequeathed to them as a key
component of their response to outside religions,
the Dogon have become one of the most visited
communities in Africa.
Molefi Kete AsanteSeealsoDogon
Further Readings
Asante, M. K. (2007).The History of Africa. London:
Routledge.
Scranton, L. (2007).Sacred Symbols of the Dogon.
New York: Quality Paperback.
Vanbeek, W. (2001).Dogon:Africa’s People of the
Cliffs. New York: Abrams.
TEMNE
The Temne people are located in Sierra Leone,
West Africa. The Temne are 1 of the 15 ethnic
groups residing in Sierra Leone. They represent,
however, about 30% of the population, and thus
constitute one of the two largest ethnic groups in
Sierra Leone (the other one being the Mende).
They are a dominant presence more particularly in
the northern province. According to Temne oral
traditions, the Temne came from the Fouta
Djallon region of the neighboring Republic of
Guinea prior to the 15th century.
The Temne are primarily farmers. Their main
crop is rice, although they also engage in the cul-
tivation of peanuts, cassava, oil palms, and fruits,
and they raise chickens, ducks, sheep, and goats.
Fishing also constitutes an important activity
among the Temne, who reside in the coastal areas
of the country.
Temne religion is predicated on the belief in
Kurumasaba, the Supreme God responsible for the
creation of the world. Kurumasaba, like most of its
African counterparts, is not involved in the gover-
nance of the world. This task is left to the ancestors,
who serve as the privileged intermediaries between
God and the living. As a result, the ancestors are
propitiated through numerous rituals, including
sacrifices and offerings. The ancestors are expected
to protect the living and send them many blessings,
in particular children. Procreation and marriage are
indeed of paramount importance.
In addition to the ancestors, there exist other
spiritual entities that may be helpful or harmful to
people. Therefore, they too are offered sacrifices
in an attempt to appeal to or neutralize them.
Witchcraft, a force to be reckoned with, is particu-
larly feared. Consequently, precautionary protec-
tive measures are often taken, such as the wearing
of protective devices (amulets) made by diviners. In
addition, special divination techniques are resorted
to in order to help identify a witch. “Swearing
medicines” will bring about sickness and even
death to a person involved in witchcraft and theft.
Special rituals and ceremonies mark life’s
important moments as one transitions from one
stage of one’s existence to the next. Of particular
significance are the rites of passage that take place
at the time of puberty, when adolescent females
are initiated into the Bondo (also known asBundu
andSande) society and adolescent males into the
Poro society. Both institutions have the responsi-
bility to educate the young women and men about
the most serious aspects of life, including religious
and sexual matters, and to make clear to them the
social norms and expectations of their community,Temne 653