Mali Mali – Interlude – The Forgotten Fox…

Having trekked back up the escarpment to Sanga from Ireli in Dogon territory, GP took us (well, we stopped at) a series of cleared pits (looked like grave really, or vegetable plots) that held special significance for Dogon people. Legend held that many hundreds of years ago, man and fox were best of friends. The spiritual leader of a village enjoyed a particularly strong bond with a fox, who imparted to him secrets of the land and wisdom. The years passed and food grew scarce – so scarce that the pregnant wife of the spiritual leader demanded he find some meat to feed her with. When the man returned, having not found anything to hunt, the wife insisted he kill his friend, the fox. The man protested, but the wife redoubled her efforts to convince him and forced the man to choose between her or the fox. So that night the man went to see the fox to kill him, and the fox, expecting him, said to do what he must – the wisdom of the fox would remain, but man would no longer see him. The man killed the fox and fed his wife.

Ever since, the people of Dogon – and others – come to these plots where the spiritual leader will inscribe their problems using sticks and patterns in the sand.  Then, just before dusk, he will scatter peanuts over the plots as a gift to the fox.  In the morning, the pattern left by the footprints of the fox will solver the problems of the villagers, translated by the spiritual leader.  Neat huh.