Dogon family compounds at the base of the Bandiagara escarpment, Ireli, Mali

"The word ginu stands for the house and the compound surrounding it. Walled in with a low stone fence that marks the limit but allows the neighbors and the passersby to look in, a Dogon house lies open to the rest of the world. A typical family compound has a hut for the man, a hut for each of his wives, and a fair number of granaries. An altar, tucked away in a corner of the compound, and if possible situated under an overhanging rock, serves for worship and sacrifices." [Hollyman S. and Van Beek W., 2001: Dogon, Africa's People of the Cliffs. Harry N Abrams, Inc.]. A village like Ireli, one of the larger ones along the cliffs, comprises eight wards: Nattaye, Oro, Bara, Dama, Toro, Ida, Niene and Ganie. The village at the foot of the Bandiagara escarpment is approximately one kilometer long and is divided by a steep-walled gorge accessible only by foot. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.