Nanga Dama Dogon in Mali

The Nanga Dama Dogon have only been reported in Mali
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

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 Nanga Dama.

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.


Isolated and distrustful of outsiders, they grew into a scattering of micro-communities, eventually developing 20 different languages.
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 the 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 Nanga Dama are primarily Muslim.


What Are Their Needs?

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


Prayer Points

Pray for Holy Spirit led workers to go to the Nanga Dama Dogon people of Mali.
Pray for spiritual receptivity and an understanding of their need for a righteous Savior.
Pray for Nanga Dama 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, Nanga Dama in Mali.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Dogon, Nanga Dama
People Name in Country Dogon, Nanga Dama
Natural Name Nanga Dama Dogon
Pronunciation NAHNG-gha DAH-mah DOH-gon
Alternate Names
Population this Country 4,800
Population all Countries 4,800
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 20581
ROP3 Code 116860
Country Mali
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 14  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Mopti region: Douentza circle, 9 villages northeast of Bamba town, southwest of Debere town.   Source:  Ethnologue 2018
Country Mali
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 14  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Mopti region: Douentza circle, 9 villages northeast of Bamba town, southwest of Debere town..   Source:  Ethnologue 2018
Map of Dogon, Nanga Dama in Mali
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
10.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
90.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Dogon, Nanga Dama (4,800 speakers)
Language Code nzz   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Dogon, Nanga Dama (4,800 speakers)
Language Code nzz   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Dogon, Nanga Dama

Primary Language:  Dogon, Nanga Dama

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Started

Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Photo Source J. Drevet - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group location: Ethnologue / dogonlanguages.org. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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