Why are the Dogon (an indigenous West African tribe) erecting ancient Egyptian temples deep in the heart of Togo? For the Dogon people, the answer reaches back thousands of years, to a history the modern world has largely forgotten.
By Djedka Zeshera
Why are the Dogon (an indigenous West African tribe) erecting ancient Egyptian temples deep in the heart of Togo? For the Dogon people, the answer reaches back thousands of years, to a history the modern world has largely forgotten.
That history is now taking physical form. Het Aishat, meaning House of Aishat (Isis), honoring the goddess known for her powers of healing and magic, is a living Kemetic temple complex constructed by the Dogon people of West Africa. Envisioned by Dogon master priest and healer Neb Naba Lamoussa Morodenibig more than 30 years ago, construction began in 2014 under the guidance of his son Neb Naba Iritah Shenmira. Spanning just under 75 acres of preserved land and housing 30 structures, the center welcomes people from across the globe seeking deep cultural immersion and healing. It also generates meaningful economic opportunity for the surrounding community, employing builders, healers, and craftspeople.
The Dogon, found throughout West Africa, primarily in Mali and Burkina Faso, gained widespread recognition for their role in identifying the Sirius star system centuries before the invention of the telescope. But what fewer know is their direct connection to ancient Kemet, the civilization from which much of their astronomical knowledge finds its origin.
According to Dogon oral history, their people migrated from the valley of the Pharaohs during times of invasion, carrying their spiritual and cultural practices with them to preserve a way of life under threat. Their oral records indicate that Kemetic spiritual tradition, born on the African continent, is the common root from which all Traditional African spiritual practices have grown. Kemet, they assert, was the foundation of an entire continent's spiritual identity, with names and language evolving over time, the underlying philosophy and practices remaining close to their origin. Those traditions were deliberately hidden to protect them.
Though the names of their divinities have shifted across time, the characteristics have remained the same. The Dogon have continued to maintain temples to honor these Gods of nature, and cultivate an active, living relationship with them, quietly, across generations.
Togo holds particular significance for this work. It is the ancestral homeland of Neb Naba Lamoussa Morodenibig, his mother's lineage rooted here, his father's in Burkina Faso. It is also a place where traditional African spirituality has remained exceptionally strong, with ancient Kemetic ceremonies such as the Opening of the Mouth ceremony still actively practiced today.
Het Aishat opens its doors to outside guests during specific times of year. At other times, the center remains closed to the public, dedicated solely to those undergoing their initiatic process through the Dogon mystery schools.
To learn more, visit https://www.kebtah.org/our-impact
