The Singing Prophet of the Dogon. A Nineteenth Century Voice on Dogon-Fulbe Relations and his Legacy

Abstract The Dogon in Mali cherish a tradition about a nineteeth-century poet/prophet called Abirè Goro. As a blind singer, he roamed the area of the Bandiagara cliff and composed poems that are still part of the funeral rituals. This string of songs, called baja ni , forms a treasure trove of historical information about the relation between Dogon and Fulbe at the time of the Macina realm. Also, Abirè issued prophecies about the demise of the Fulbe that take on a new relevance in the present Dogon-Fulbe conflict, linking the future of the Dogon to Mande traditions.