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The Dogon people
The Dogon people are believed to have been the original
inhabitants of the Niger river valley. They have been
the subject of a multitude of anthropological studies,
and their artwork is prized by collectors all over the
world. For thousands of years, the Dogon inhabited
villages cut into the cliff faces of the 80 mile (200
km) long Bandiagara escarpment. Although most of the
200,000 Dogon have relocated from their protective
cliff dwellings to the plains below, the ancient
villages still dot the cliffs and the newer villages
are fascinating destinations in their own right. The
best and most popular way to tour the Dogon villages is
to trek along the escarpment, usually in the company of
a guide.
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