great and lesser gods of,1: 271
Hevie deity of,1: 211
Legba the trickster and,1:270,1: 271
magic and charms of,1:271–272
Mawu-Lisa divinity of,1:185,1:211,
1:270,1:271,2: 473
medicinal gbo and,1:271–272
Minona goddess of,1: 294
Nana Buluku deity and,1:192,1: 270
Olokun worship by,2:489–490
sea pantheon of,2: 473
vodu elements of spirituality and,1: 270
Xevioso and Sagbata pantheons of,1: 271
See alsoBenin;Fa(Ifa);Mawu-Lisa; Nana
Buluku; Vodou in Benin
Food, 1:272–275
cultural unity and,1: 272
Diaspora and,1: 272
fertility rites and,1: 264
kola nuts offering and,1: 273
the living and the dead and,1:272,1: 274
material and spiritual exchange and,1: 274
popular deities and,1:275 (table)
pregnancy prohibitions and,2: 538
preparation significance and,1: 274
ritual practice and,1:272,1:274–275,2: 479
ritual stories and,1:274–275
sharing of,1: 274
as tool to manipulate energy,1: 272
See alsoHunting
Formes Élémentares de la Vie Religieuse
(Durkheim),2: 502
Frazer, James G.,2:501–502
Freud, Sigmund,2: 502
Fula (Fulbe), 1:275–276
geographic location and origins of,1:274–275
Islam and,1: 275
social groups of,1: 275
Fulbe.SeeFula (Fulbe)
Funeral, 1:276–278
Adinkra symbols and,1:7–10,1:8,1:9–10
(figures)
Akan color symbolism and,1: 175
animal sacrifice and,1: 277
Ayie rite, adinkra symbols and,1:8,1:9–10
(figures),2: 638
death and burial beliefs and,1:276–277
of Diola people,1: 204
of Ewe people,1: 251
food offerings and,1: 274
of Ga people,1:279–280
of Jola people,1: 354
life affirmation and,1: 278
a new relationship and,1:277–278
public grieving and,1: 277
rituals of,1: 276
spirit must be sent away belief and,1:276–277
taboos of,1: 277Ga, 1:279–280
cultivation of millet ritual of,1: 19
destiny, predestination and,2: 535
elderly respected by,1: 279
funeral traditions of,1:279–280
geographic location of,1: 279
Homowo harvest festival of,1:19,
1:279,1: 305
Mantse spokesperson of,1: 279
number 7 avoidance and,2:610–611
Nyonmo Supreme Being of,2:712,2: 713
ocean or sea deities of,2: 474
ritualized libations of,1: 48
Susuma spirit in life after death and,1: 280
veneration of ancestors on special occasions
and,1: 48
Gabon
Bakota of,1:91–93
Fang people of,1: 260
Okande people of,2: 486
Gambia
Serer people of,2: 606
Wolof language and people of,2: 724
Gamo religion, 1:280–281
ancestor respect focus of,1:280–281
artisan caste and,1: 280
caste system and,1: 280
occupation hierarchy and,1: 280
Garvey, Marcus,1: 200
Gbaya.SeeBaya
Geb,1:229,2:617–619,2: 650
Gèlèdè, 1:281–282
masks, headdresses worn in,1:281–282,1: 282
men’s role in,1: 282
“Our Mothers” focus of,1: 281
Gerima, Haile,2:587–588
Ghana
abosom lesser gods within,1:3–5
Akan people of,1:23,1: 24
Akan people of, Adu Ogyinae first man in
mythology,1:10–11Index 825