Carved wooden seated figure by the Dogon people

Where do you think your ancestors reside? In a place called heaven, like so many have been taught? In the ground, like the Bamileke people of Cameroon believe? Perhaps in outer space, as the Dogon people of Mali believe? It seems every culture across the face of the earth has a story to tell about where they come from – and where they’re going – and these beliefs have given birth to some of the greatest art ever produced by mankind.

This wooden statue has been repaired multiple times using iron strapping

This week’s New Arrival features an ancestral carving from the Dogon people. In 1978, the Dogon were “vindicated” when scientists discovered the place in space they identified as their ancestral home, an invisible star system hidden behind the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius. In response, the Dogon continued doing what they had always done – producing statues and carvings of their ancestors.

Look closely at this statue. It has been repaired multiple times, its withered and weathered frame held together at critical points by iron strapping forged by skilled Dogon blacksmiths. This is a statue that beat the odds to keep itself and its story intact.  It stands as a steady reminder that we all have a story to tell about our origin and destiny – as well as the journey we take connecting all the dots in-between.

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