Funérailles du hogon d’Arou, principal chef spirituel dogon et intronisation de son successeur au Mali, à Bandiagara.
En 1984 mourait le dernier hogon d’Arou. Des problèmes économiques et des désaccords religieux ont empêché la célébration immédiate des funérailles. Celles-ci n’ont eu lieu qu’en juin 1992. Durant trois jours et deux nuits, les hommes du clan d’Arou et les familles voisines sont venus rendre hommage au défunt. Durant la cérémonie, chants, danses, prières et sacrifices se succèdent.
Six semaines plus tard, l’intronisation de son successeur a lieu. Il est choisi en fonction de son lignage et de son âge. Les cérémonies d’investiture durent trois semaines pendant lesquelles le hogon effectue une retraite de quinze jours dans une grotte isolée.

Réalisation Nadine Wanono, Philippe Lourdou. 1997, 1h23 min.

Auteur : WANONO Nadine
Réalisateurs : WANONO Nadine et LOURDOU Philippe
Prise de vue : WANONO Nadine et LOURDOU Philippe
Ingénieur du son : GAUTHIER Pierre
Date de production : 1992/1997,
Durée : 1h 23
Support diffusion : Film 16 mm, vidéo
Version : Français/Anglais/Allemand

Producteurs : La Sept-Arte / Sodaperaga / CNRS AV /CNRST du Mali
Diffusion : Prêt, vente de vidéocassettes CNRS
Commentaire voix off et interventions en son direct (langue dogon) sous-titrées.

Distribution : Documentary Educational Ressources aux Etats-Unis, Boston USA.
http://www.der.org/films/in-the-shadow-of-the-sun.html

Diffusion : Arte en 1998

Sélection aux festivals :
1er Prix au Festival du film Ethnographique de Grenade, Espagne
Bilan du Film Ethnographique, Paris
Festival du Film Ethnographique, Göttingen, Allemagne
Festival du Film Ethnographique, Williamsburg, Etats-Unis.
Festival du Film de Londres, Royaume-Uni.
Ethnographique Film Festival à Aarhus, Danemark

A film about a Dogon funeral and enthronement ritual.
In Mali, 800 kilometers northeast of the capital of Bamako, the cliffs of Bandiagara stretch about 300 kilometers and reach a height of 300 meters. It is here among the Arou, one of the four tribes of the Dogon population, that Amma, Lord and creator of the world, chose the supreme religious chief who was responsible for fertility, rain and order on earth. The chief priest, called a hogon, resides with a few members of his family in an isolated sanctuary given the name of his cast, « Arou », a sanctuary embedded in the cliffs, sheltered from the eyes of men. In 1984, the last of the Arou hogons died. At the bequest of the elders, his son, Ogomale, accepted the offer to replace his father temporarily to avoid leaving the position vacant. Due to economic troubles and religious discord, the funeral was not set until June 7th, 1992. For three days and two nights, the men of the Arou clan and neighboring families came to pay homage to the priest. Six weeks later, the nomination and the enthronement of the successor are organized. After his enthronement the hogon will spend the rest of his life in the sanctuary of Arou, and he will not be allowed to leave under any circumstances.
The film is beautifully shot, with the intense colors of the region coming into play, adding to our aesthetic enjoyment of this film. The filmmakers have worked closely together, and with, the famous French filmmaker, Jean Rouch, since the 1970’s. This film reflects their intense engagement and in-depth knowledge of the people and events they have chosen to film. This is the second film DER has recently acquired about the Dogon culture in Mali.

Directors: Nadine Wanono, Philippe Lourdou.
France, 1997, 1h23 min.

Film Festivals, Screenings, Awards
ARTE TV Broadcast, Europe, February 1998

Cinema’ du Reel, March 1998

Gottingen Ethnographic Film Festival, May 1998
ICAES Conference screening

RAI Ethnographic Film Festival, England, September 1998
First prize of Ethnographic fîlm festival of Grenada. Spain

Dogon language with English subtitles and voiceovers.
Titles and credits in French and German with English subtitles.

Keywords
Dogon (African people) – Rites and ceremonies – Funeral customs and rites – Religion – Priests