Togu na, Dogon men's meeting house, Ogol du Haut village, Mali

"The togu na is a basic element in the Dogon village, not just a physical building but as an associated reference point to the whole village. The togu na is a meeting place, a place for teaching and working, for rest and conversation. The considerable modifications in the type of togu na as well as in the close relationship of the building with the outside, correspond largely to the three areas of the Dogon land: the highland area, the rocky belt, and the plain. Only the roof remains unchangeable as far as its material is concerned and the way it is built which suggests a ritual involving the whole community." [Spini T. and S., 1977: Togu Na. The African Dogon House of Men, House of Words. Rizzoli International Publications]. During his trip to Mali, Elisofon visited the Dogon people in Sanga (Sangha), a group of thirteen villages lying east of Bandiagara at the top of an escarpment. The most important villages are Ogol-du-Haut and Ogol-du-Bas. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for National Geographic and traveled to Africa from January 19, 1972 to mid April 1972.