In the open public space between the thatched granaries and traditional adobe houses, thevillage gathers, the elders sitting in the shade. The drums start beating. Then the dancers appear, and it’s an unforgettable sight. Atop stilts and adorned with extraordinary, colourful carved wooden masks, some over three metres long, they start to move – an exciting, highly skilled exuberant dance that is exhausting just to watch. Such is their ebullience, the masquerade dance may at times resemble a wild delirium. However their movements relate to the Dogon people’s creation myths, and the performance itself is a central part of their animist beliefs. The Masked Dance of the Dogon may just provide you with your most memorable image of a trip to West Africa
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West Africa Expedition
- 26 days
- From US $9,130
- Countries Visited: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Togo
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Mali & Burkina Faso
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