The moon is also used to time religious cere-
monies. The Katab and Nuer hold ceremonies at
the new moon in which they ask for god’s pros-
perity. Others wait for just the presence of the
moon to chase away spirits associated with epi-
demics. Some Ewe believe that the land of the
spirits is in the moon.
Denise MartinSeealsoEarth; Space and Time
Further Readings
Clark, R. T. R. (1959).Myth and Symbol in Ancient
Egypt. London: Thames and Hudson.
Mbiti, J. (1969).African Religions and Philosophy.
London: Heinemann.
MOSSI
The Mossi, Moshi, Mosi, or, according to recent
orthography, Moose (pronounced MOH-say), are
an ethnic and cultural group of farmers who live
mainly in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and north-
ern Ghana. The total number of Mossi is difficult
to determine because they have a history of emi-
grating for work to other regions in West Africa, a
history that predates colonialism. The Mossi also
are known historically for their staunch resistance
first to Islam and later to Christianity. However,
this is changing in Burkina Faso, where Mossi are
approximately 40% of the population. The num-
ber of Mossi in this country who are Muslim is
50%, and the number who are Christian is 10%.
Although some reject or condemn traditional
religious beliefs and practices, many still partici-
pate in varying degrees, making traditional Mossi
religion a dominant factor in the daily lives of
most Mossi in Burkina Faso today. Religious
expression consists mainly of following Rogo
Miki, the way of the ancestors, which includes
performing rituals to acknowledge and propitiate
ancestral spirits and natural forces, all of which
emanate from Wende, the Supreme Being, and all
of which, the Mossi understand, impact every
aspect of their lives. This entry looks at their
traditional religion, its ancestor worship, and its
beliefs about gods.
Ancestral Spirits
Rogo Miki involves constant communion with the
keemse, the spirits of the ancestors. The ancestral
spirits of the Mossi dwell inkeem koulogou, the
land of the dead, and are active and concerned
with the daily lives of their descendants as if they
are living elders in the community, but keemse
also have the power to protect or punish accord-
ing to whether tradition is followed. However,
they can only protect Mossi who are in Yatenga or
Mossi land. The most powerful ancestral spirits
are those of the founder of the clan or lineage, the
kikirigo, which means twin. Out of respect for
their power, the names of these ancestors are not
used. Those who have died after achieving
advanced age also receive attention in ancestral
ritual. Children receive little attention because
they will be reborn at some point.
The rokyengo, or ancestral shrine of the
founder of the lineage, is located in the residence
of the elder of the head family of that lineage.
Keemse rogo, or house of the spirits of the dead,
are located in other families’ houses of the lineage.
The shrines are domes of hardened earth that con-
tain earthenware pots that receive sacrifices of
chickens, millet beer, millet flour, and water, and,
on rare occasions, goats and sheep. Generally, the
more significant the request is, the more valuable
the sacrifice.
Sacrifices to ancestral shrines can occur at any
time and are made as offers of thanksgiving and
requests for protection, to affirm birth, puberty,
marriage, and death, before journeys and eco-
nomic endeavors, and to thwart illness. Husbands
can offer sacrifice on behalf of their wives and
children. Young people request the permission of
a lineage elder for a sacrifice to be made on their
behalf. Women can ask that sacrifice be made to
their husbands’ lineage.Mossi Deities
The spirits of the ancestors and powers of nature
all originate inWennam, which is a manifestation
of the life force of Wende. Wende is aloof from
humanity, but through these specific manifesta-
tions, Wende impacts the lives of the Mossi, and,
in turn, the Mossi direct their efforts toward these
manifestations. The first major manifestation is
called Tenga Wende or the Earth deity and isMossi 427