The Dozos

Truly protective, they also play a social role as traditional practitioners.

Dozoya (being a Dozo) allows individuals to possess a large amount of knowledge covering almost all aspects of life (the art of hunting, natural medicine, mysterious powers, metamorphosis, invulnerability to metal weapons) and respect for ethics and social codes of conduct.

Basically, they are traditional practitioners. Their entry into the forest enables them to understand all medicinal plants. The duration of the stay in the forest for the training to become Dozo can be up to 3 years. They also protect the environment by preventing excessive logging, bush fires and stray animals. Finally, they are hunters, but hunting games must follow the rules. Therefore, Dozo has a traditional structure much older than the administrative structure. However, they respect the authority of the country.

There is special music and dances for the Dozo. The musicians are Dozo griots who sing the praises of the hunters, glorify their deeds. Usually these musicians play ngoni (a kind of harp), use spherical drums and a metal castagnette played with a similar stick.

The different rhythms are the result of many dance steps. Some songs are popular and all dozos can dance. On the other hand, some are particular and may remind the march of certain wild animals, only the dozos who have killed these animals are allowed to dance these steps. Among these steps, there is the "lanaya", reminiscent of the panther's gait, the "sogogogbankélé", dance of the one-horned animal (the rhinoceros). There is also the dance of the hippopotamus, the buffalo, the lion, the elephant, etc...

The brotherhood of the Dozos also has masks that occur in certain ceremonies, such as funerals. The heads of these masks are in animal form and carry a piece of cotton cloth.