Mali: Dogon Country – Dogon Villages
Dogon Country is an area in central Mali that lies on top of the Bandiagara Escarpment, a plateau that rises nearly 2000 feet above the surrounding flat lands. The area is home to Dogon people, who escaped forced Islamization several centuries ago by climbing up the mountainous plateau and establishing communities here. Culturally, traditionally, linguistically – Dogon people are very unique and different from the rest of Mali and the broader Sahel region, and as such the entire area and villages and culture are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The houses are constructed from abundant rock and smaller houses with conical roofs are granaries. Some of the house doors have absolutely stunning elaborate carvings. The Dogon villages are self-sustaining through agriculture and the onions they grow (which visually seemed like garlic to me) are sold all over Mali and beyond. Walking around these remote middle-of-nowhere villages, you feel like you travelled in time centuries ago.
