Cultural Exchange: Dogon Tribe Africa

Cultural Exchange: Dogon Tribe Africa

Date: January 2011 (Completed)
Location: Burkina Faso (West Africa)
Summary:  In 2011 we traveled to West Africa, Burkina Faso, to meet with the Dogon people. We began our journey in the Capital city of Ouagadougou and then traveled to the bush to meet with a community of the Dogon indigenous people. The community was interested in building a healing center for their people and asked us to support this work. TGG traveled to research the possibility of supporting this project. This project is currently on hold (2015) as we wait for the Elders to communicate their needs.

How many people will this project support?
This would connect Dogon communities throughout the West Africa region.

The issue: To continue the ancient ways of the Dogon this would create a place where healers and elders from many communities could meet and teach the younger generations. Also, it would create a healing center for all people where they could come to be healed by traditional elders and medicine people. This would make it possible to teach the knowledge and share the knowledge with many people.

The solution: Currently there is no such center where elders can come and live, teach and heal in one place. There are many communities that still have smaller healing and teaching centers however this would enable them to have a central healing community that serves ALL people from the region as well as allow for visitors from around the world.

Potential long term impact: The long term impact would be to strengthen the traditional ways, teachings and knowledge of the Dogon People. Allowing for Elders to share their knowledge and maintain the ancient healing knowledge and techniques of the Dogon people.

List of needs: Currently there are no needs for this project. We are awaiting the elders of the Dogon to have clarity of this project before we are able to proceed.

Volunteers needed: Currently there are no needs for volunteers on this project.

Update 2015: There has been a great deal of political upheaval in the country in the past year. Communication and travel to the region is a challenge.

by The Great Gathering
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