Although the concept of Nommo is most iden-
tified 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, jus-
tice, 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 under-
standing 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 spe-
cialized, 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 spo-
ken word, they are using portions of the god’s
energy.
Speaking with power is creative and transfor-
mative. This is why the Dogon believe that to
command things with Words is to practice magic.
The power of the speaker can determine how fas-
cinated, 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.
Morality is the prime consideration for
African oratory and public discourse. The power
of Nommo appears to be in proportion to the
moral character of a speaker, not just the
person’s oratorical skill. Thus, in an oratorical
situation, it is imperative for the speaker to use
creativity to present the word within the charac-
ter of ethical discourse.
Ultimately, spiritual harmony is the objective
of human utterance within the African world-
view. The attainment of harmony is the aim of all
participants when the community is called
together for a common cause. Nommo, through
the spoken Word, is a powerful instrument that
is evident in numerous ways. It addresses pro-
found life circumstances. Furthermore, the spo-
ken Word creates human relationships that bring
about social transformations. The Word, in an
African sense, is the sacred force of life and cre-
ates reality for African people. The preeminence
of Nommo is a defining cultural characteristic of
African people.
Although it is true that African culture has cre-
ated both written and spoken language, beginning
with the origin of writing around 3500 BC and
spoken language, of course, long before history,
the fact that Nommo has remained an important
concept in African culture is related to the produc-
tive force of speech. The philosophers among the
Dogon believe that each word is an addition to the
universe, and by adding to the totality of the uni-
verse the word changes the nature of our exis-
tences. No word that goes out of a person’s mouth
can be considered useless, because it is, by the
physical act of being spoken and creating breath
that enters the universe, transformative.
Only the Word that is spoken can actively
engage the human being in a personal manner,
and this generative action of Nommo constitutes a
new relationship between a speaker and a listener.
Naming in African culture is also a social area
in which the concept of Nommo or the power of
the Word is ever present. Naming is an essential
characteristic of African philosophy and religion,
and nothing can exist without being called by a
name. Nommo, the Spoken Word, is primary to
an understanding of the family and community
and is at the base of all naming. What we cannot
conceive does not exist. Every human thought
expressed becomes reality; in other words, it is
spoken into being. Once we name it, it moves into
existence. The power of Nommo through naming
creates life. Additionally, without naming, life
would be static; there would be no possibility ofNommo 455