Mali conflict: The Dogon find refuge on ancestral land
As the conflict in central Mali escalated, the Dogon people fled the Mopti region that had been their home for around 700 years. The southward migration took them to their ancestral land of "Mande."
A new life in the old land
Like thousands of other Dogon, Isaie Dignau left the region of Bandiagara in central Mali over the insecurity caused by the ongoing conflict. He found refuge with his family in Nana Kenieba, a village some 150 kilometers (93 miles) south east of the capital Bamako. According to Isaie, Dogon griots had predicted this migration to lands once called "Mande" hundreds of years ago.
The homecoming prophecy fulfilled
According to legend, the Dogon are originally from "Mande", the region of the Malinke people. Some time between the 11th and 13th centuries, they were forced to leave amid the Islamization of West Africa. After a long migration they settled around the famous Bandiagara clff in what is today the Mopti region. Now, due to the jihadi threat, they are returning home.
Mali, an endless conflict
The Dan Na Ambassagou hunters are the main Dogon militia in Mopti. The conflict in Mali began in 2012 and in 2016 it spread in the central part of the country. As tensions among ethnic groups rose, self-defence militias were formed. The intercommunal fighting is caused by lack of fertile lands and water in an area affected by jihadism.
The consequences of conflict
Mali is facing a serious humanitarian crisis in regions already underdeveloped. Food insecurity affects up to 1.3 million people. Some 347,000 people were forced to flee their lands. Many have sought refuge in neighboring countries but most are internally displaced and sheltering in the south of Mali and refugee camps close to urban areas.
The Dogon in Mali's conflict
Many Dogon are directly involved in the conflict. Seidu Doungo fought with the Dan Na Ambassagou in the Koro region. In 2020, he decided to lay down his weapons. His family was threatened by raiding jihadis and he no longer hand a source of income from their land. When Seidu heard about Nana Kenieba, he decided to leave Koro to find peace in "Mande"..
The hospitality of others
The majority ethnic group in Nana Kenieba is Malinke. Segou Keita is the village chief. He has welcomed Dogon who return in accordance with the ancient prophecy. The community supports them financially and includes them in decision-making.
Fair distribution of land
Inside the central hut of Nana Kenieba, Isaie Dignau shows some villagers a map where the plots of land are located. Since 2016, around 400 Dogon families, mainly from Mopti, have settled here. Each household received two hectares of land and food.
A secular ethnic community
Dogon is a secular ethnic community, where people are free to profess Islam, Christianty and ancestral belief. The village has two mosques and two churches, with corresponding Koranic schools and catechism classes, a sign of a new-found climate of openness.
The fear still lives
The peaceful environment of Mande seems far removed from the conflict in Mali. The community lives in fear that the jihadis could arrive and start a conflict. In Nana Kenieba, villagers have organized patrols that keep bandits out for now.