The Dogon are best known for their religious traditions, their mask dances, wooden sculpture and their architecture.
Dogon art revolves around religious values, ideals, and freedoms. Their sculptures are not made to be seen publicly, and are commonly hidden from the public eye within the houses of families or in sanctuaries. The importance of secrecy is due to the symbolic meaning behind the pieces.
A toguna, or palaver hut, is a public building erected in the center of the village by the Dogon people in the West African country of Mali.
Togunas are built with a very low roof, with the express purpose of forcing visitors to sit rather than stand. They are used by the village elders to discuss problems of the community, but can also serve as a place for customary law.
