Untitled

Untitled

Togu Na House Post

This is a carving. It is made of wood. It was made by the Dogon of Mali, Africa. Overall, it is smooth and shaped like a “Y” with a shallow curve. There are two large mounds in the center. The neck of a figure extends from the mounds to a small head. The nose, mouth, and ears are clear, but there are no eyes. Above and below this figure are rows of small geometric shapes. Posts such as these are used to support the roof of a “togu na” house. These houses are shelters for men only. In the “togu na” house, men can rest and discuss important matters of their community. Considered one of the first structures to be built in a village, a “togu na” has a low roof. The roof is too low for a man to stand in, as true conservation is believed to come from a man who is sitting. Figures such as females, animals, and males can be depicted on the posts. It is not uncommon for female figures with large breasts to be carved on posts, and other structures such as granary doors.

The Dogon

Martha and Robert Fogelman

Art Museum of the University of Memphis

ca. 20th century

Neecole A. Gregory

AMUM cannot and will not warrant and represent that it owns all of the copyrights to the artworks in its collections. It can only warrant that AMUM is the owner of the objects depicted in its catalog. Anyone wishing to use images of artworks depicted on this site should contact AMUM or independently make a determination as to whether any third party is claiming to own the copyright to the same. Please contact us if you are the owner of the copyright in any of the material that has been reproduced on this website and you believe that the material infringes your intellectual property or any other rights. The material will be withdrawn from our website upon receipt of your written objection and our initial verification of your complaint, while the matter is investigated.

78.500x16.750x23.130
wood, carving

2008.2.62