Danse des Masques en Pays Dogon

"In my creations, I am always inspired by the African traditions in general, and by Mali in particular. I give them a contemporary aspect by the means of technology. In my creative process, the aesthetic and poetic aspect is determining.

Danse des Masques en Pays Dogon shows one of the important ceremonies of the Dogon people of Mali. During this ceremony, we can see the Dogon traditional dance and songs, which are very poetic and mysterious. The masks outing takes place during the burial ceremony of a patriarch. In order to accompany the dead to the kingdom of dead, the forest spirits appear to pay them homage through this ritual dance named 'Dama', which permits an easier path to join the land of the ancestors. Accompanied by songs and tambours, the dancers bear different masks representing different members of the Dogon society, from the carpenter to the virgin girl, besides some neighboring animals in their sacred condition, such as the antelope, ape and hyena. By the end, one of the dancers throws seeds on the ground, calling children to dance in front of the ancestors in order to ensure the future.

I use the poetry of their images to create another poetry in my work. I am interested in the big diversity of the cultures of Mali, customs and Myths. An artist is generally inspired by the everyday life of his society but also by his dreams. His work can break up of the sociocultural context in which he lives."

Tiécoura N’Daou in a statement to PLATFORM:VB (July 2015)