Facing Change

The Dogon people live in West Africa. They make many different kinds of masks that differ from village to village. Some masks are twice as tall as a man. Others look like cloth bags covered with shells. Some have tall, thin wood pieces on top. Some are simple wooden faces.

Masks are especially important for rituals that honor the dead. Dancers perform in masks when someone dies. They dance on the roof of the person’s house to show respect for the dead person.

The Dogon also wear masks to dance at festivals. Doing so helps keep Dogon traditions alive. That’s important to many Dogon, since the world keeps changing, and they don’t want their ways to die out.

The Dogon wear masks at festivals. The masks are an important part of their tradition.