The Dogon people of Mali
The Dogon community in Mali is among African communities with a lot of mask ceremonies commemorating events such as funerals and initiations. Called the Dama, the mask festivals are said to be inspired by the appearance of the brightest star in the sky, Sirius.
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The festival is preceded by an initiation ceremony where young men go into seclusion and during their revelation into the society, they wear masks and become eligible for the Society of Masks. While the Dama varies across different villages in the country, it is usually conducted in April and features a ceremony to celebrate people who died within the past year.
Most Malian natives take these festivals with utmost respect and anticipation and may take even a full month to prepare for it.
