Introduction / History

The Dogon built their first villages in cliff side caves to protect themselves from nomadic Fulani slave raiders. Isolated and distrustful of outsiders, they grew into a scattering of micro-communities, eventually each with a distinct language. They speak 20 languages but cannot understand the tongue of another subgroup. One of their subgroups is the Tombo.

The Dogon peoples live now in a dry, a remote savannah area in central Mali, stretching into Burkina Faso. Their territory includes a rocky plateau in the west and a sandy plain in the east, separated by a 400-700 meter high sheer cliff.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Life in the bare rocky cliffs is harsh. Most times, they brought in soil from the plains below and collected pigeon dung from the cliff face for fertilizer. After colonial times, the Fulani have left the Dogon alone. Now the Dogon tribes have spread out from the cliff onto the plateau where they grow onions as a cash crop. Others live in the plain where they grow millet. They also grow rice, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables and raise livestock.

What Are Their Beliefs?

For centuries, the Dogon have resisted Islam. But as society modernizes, they increasingly decide that animistic religion is no longer adequate. They have grudgingly accepted Islam for lack of an alternative. In a few villages, they have seen people live out genuine Christian faith. Such villages usually have church growth, even when the mosque is nearly empty. Most Dogon subgroups have a gospel witness, but the Tombo are primarily Muslim.

What Are Their Needs?

Most Dogon subgroups have a strong gospel witness, but this is lacking among the Tombo. They need people who will live out their faith and lovingly make disciples.

Prayer Items

Pray for Holy Spirit led workers to go to the Tombo Dogon people of Mali.
Pray for spiritual receptivity and an understanding of their need for a righteous Savior.
Pray for Tombo Dogon disciples who will make more disciples who will make even more disciples.
Pray for the Lord to show himself loving and powerful by providing an abundance for their crops this year.

Scripture Prayers for the Dogon, Tombo in Mali.