The Nommo

The Nommo are ancestral spirits (sometimes referred to as deities) worshipped by the Dogon tribe of Mali, Africa. The word Nommos is derived from a Dogon word meaning, 'to make one drink'. The Nommos are usually described as amphibious, hermaphroditic, fish-like creatures.

Folk art depictions of the Nommos show creatures with humanoid upper torsos, legs/feet, and a fish-like lower torso and tail. The Nommos are also referred to as Masters of the Water, the Monitors, and "the Teachers. Nommo can be a proper name of an individual, or can refer to the group of spirits as a whole.

Dogon mythology states that Nommo was the first living creature created by the sky god Amma. Shortly after his creation, Nommo underwent a transformation and multiplied into four pairs of twins. One of the twins rebelled against the universal order created by Amma.

To restore order to his creation, Amma sacrificed another of the Nommo progeny, whose body was dismembered and scattered throughout the world. This dispersal of body parts is seen by the Dogon as the source for the proliferation of Binu shrines throughout the Dogons¹ traditional territory; wherever a body part fell, a shrine was erected.

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