To dance or not to dance? Dogon masks as a tourist arena (Chapter 2)

A key insight from this study is the tension between traditional Dogon mask dance practices and the commercialization of tourism, particularly in Tireli village at the foot of Mali's Bandiagara Cliff. The research reveals how the 'dancing rights' associated with Dogon masks have become a contested arena, shaped by both cultural preservation and economic incentives introduced since the 1980s. By analyzing tourist interactions and mask performances, the study highlights the impact of globalization on indigenous traditions, contrasting them with earlier anthropological narratives that romanticized Dogon culture without addressing its evolving dynamics.

Beek, W. v. (2012). 2 To dance or not to dance? Dogon masks as a tourist arena. African Hosts and Their Guests, 37–57. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781782040248-005