Nommo

In West Africa, the Dogon people of Mali believe that the African concept of Nommo, the power of the spoken word, carries an energy that produces all life and influences everything from destiny to the naming of children. By human utterance or through the spoken word, human beings can invoke a kind of spiritual power. Nommo, the generative power of the spoken word, is the force that gives life to everything. It is present everywhere, and it brings into existence all that is seen and unseen. Furthermore, the Dogon believe that humans have power over the word and thereby can direct the life force. All human creation and natural phenomena emanate from the productive power of the word, that is, Nommo, which is a life force. Nothing happens in human society without Nommo. It is like magic in one way, but that is not strange to the Dogon because, in the thinking of the Dogon, all magic is ultimately Word magic. This is true whether the Word is manifested in incantations, blessings, or curses. In fact, if the Word did not exist, all forces would be suspended, there would be no procreation, and, therefore, there would be no life.

Although the concept of Nommo is most identified with the Dogon, it can be found in the African classical texts, with the same idea of using words to impart energy; to change forms, shapes, and conditions; and to make work easier. One could see this in the classical idea of opening the mouth of the gods; by employing certain chants and incantations, a priest was able to activate the deity. For the ancient Egyptians, Hu-sia, like Nommo, was the power of the spoken Word. Both concepts, Nommo and Hu-sia, are linked to the ethical principle Maat (truth, righteousness, justice, order, harmony, balance, and reciprocity) in its manifestation as the defender against chaos. Maat provided the ancient Egyptians with a value system by which to live, and the particular speech of the priests opened the spiritual mysteries to the people. The ancient Egyptians believed that the nature of Hu-sia was to bring about understanding and enlightening, brilliant utterances that created and sustained community; thus, it was the precursor to the later idea of Nommo found in the Dogon spiritual system.

Nommo may have different manifestations as utterances depending on the source of the word. Common, ordinary speech is not the same as specialized, informed, and sacred speech. Because all words that are spoken have power, ordinary speech is also dynamic and creative. Situations are transformed by the spoken word. Inasmuch as the creator is the source of all words, however, Nommo is originally “one with god.” As such, it is a spiritual form; once humans express the spoken word, they are using portions of the god's energy.

Speaking with power is creative and transformative. This is why the Dogon believe that to command things with Words is to practice magic. The power of the speaker can determine how fascinated, energized, and galvanized an audience will be, but even more the person who is speaking the Word, that is, practicing Nommo, is at the transformative core of any oratorical discourse. In the sense of speaking before audiences, Nommo is remarkably present in powerful utterances that are based on the Maatic principles.

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