Observations placeholder
Ogotommeli - Feet and shoes
Identifier
004917
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
In this context leather is being used as 'skin', or physical covering for the soulA description of the experience
Conversations with Ogotommeli (An Introduction to Dogon Religious ideas) – Professor Marcel Griaule
The first sandals were cut out of the used skin of the bellows of the smithy
‘it was the Great Nummo who suggested leather, because the skin had held the fire stolen from heaven at the time of the smith’s descent’
Skin was thus proof against fire. It was itself fire, or rather it was inoculated against fire. It was the ideal screen between the foot and the soil to be protected. Thus ‘leather sandals’ enabled those who possessed celestial attributes to walk on the earth without injury