The Dogon tribe lives in the West African country of Mali near Timbuktu. They inhabit the Mali region south of the Niger River. The Dogons are believed to be descendants of the Egyptians. In 1000 AD, resisting conversion to Islam, the ancestors of the Dogon migrated to Mali. According to stories passed down over centuries, there were god-like beings called Nommos who once came to the earth thousands of years ago from the Sirius star system. They were fish-like in appearance, and were described as creatures of the sea who could also walk on land. Unlike our usual conception of mermaids, the beings—both male and female—were described as ugly in their appearance, with lizard-like greenish skin.