As a matter of fact Dogon Culture operates almost on its own. Adding value by the population to its own history, to their family altars and to their buildings remains intact in spite of all the setbacks regarding harvests and tourism. The communal approach of villages and of families regarding the repair of the past or of the alert of a threatening loss is present everywhere.
The Hogon for the restored house in Arou.
My doubts are cleared up when I see that in the village of Yendouma Ato the most beautiful family houses, both of the Tellem and of the Dogon, have been restored. A new Hogon lives in the village of Arou! Also here everything has been restored under the inspiring guidance of Keneko Dara, MCB and Createrre. Also in Koundou Komokan all has been realized by the local population with the financial support of the son of Asama Dara (born in Koundou Dogomo). He works in Paris as a surgeon, but he has not forgotten his past.
First results of the recovery in Yendouma Ato.
In Touloy, near the cave that has been visualized so well by Herman Haan in the 1960’s, a number of Tellem houses has collapsed as well. The population of Pégué would like very much to restore these monuments! So this is not an idea that came from far away, form ‘Europe’.
All the Tellem towers Koundou are aangeheeld again.
For this reason alone, the restorations of Yougho and Nando will materialize. But on such locations this required almost the impossible caused by the problems with the accessibility and water in the villages. It is for this reason that we will build a large and new water-basin of 1.200 m3. In Nando we started the construction of a road of 860 meters up the hill. These two interventions are conditional to the facilitating of the restorations, but certainly also to daily life.
Jurriaan and Amatigue visit the first part of the second dam in Yougho.