Queen Nanni, Jamaican Rebellion and,1: 407
suicide of to ruin husbands,2: 635
Ye.mo.nja as giver of children and,2: 580
See alsoBirth; Children; Fertility; Goddesses;
Mambo;Matrilineal societies;Pregnancy;
Spirit medium;specific goddesses,
individuals
Words, 2:725–726
as life force,2: 726
Maat as truth, harmony, balance,
reciprocity and,2: 725
naming creates life concept and,2:445–446,
2: 726
Nommo power of the spoken word concept
and,2:454,2:498,2:499,2: 725
Word magic and,2:454,2:455,2:499,2: 726
World Heritage Sites,1: 297
Woyengi, 2:726–727
creation story of,2: 726
female “Great Mother” deity of,2: 726
Ijaw people and,2: 726
maternal creator permitting free will element
of,2:726–727
Ogboinba magic and,2:726–727
Xhosa, 2:729–730
bird justice tradition of,1:55,1: 124
clans of,2: 729
cultural borrowings of,2: 729
geographic location and origin of,2: 729
Great Nguni Migration and,2: 729
Huntin tree spirit of,2: 670
imbongi praise singer and,2: 730
initiation rites of,2: 730
lingual “click sounds” of,2: 729
sangoma as core of priestly class of,
2:729–730
umbilical cord tradition of,2:682,2: 730
Yam, 2:731–733
Ewe harvest of,2: 732
as first vegetable to be harvested,2: 731
yam festivals and,1:19,1:305,2:731,2: 733
Yanvalou, 2:733–734
community and solidarity reinforced by,2: 733
drums and,2: 734
female empowerment, “dance of the embryo”
and,2: 733
Haitian Vodou rhythm and dance and,2: 733
Rada lwa and,2: 733
snakelike undulations of,2: 733
supplication meaning of,2: 733
Yao, 2:734–735
farming and fishing economy of,2: 734
geographic location, origin, and migration of,
2: 734
Lake Malawi and,2: 734
matrilineal society of,2: 734
SialaMohammed’s birthday celebration and,
2:734–735
Unyagoceremony of,2: 734
Ye.mo.nja, 2:735–737
in the Americas,2: 736
animal totems of,2: 736
attributes of,2:735–736
embodiment of motherhood and,2: 490
foods associated with,1:275 (table)
as giver of children, life,2:580,2: 735
as Mother of Fishes,2:489,2:580,2: 735
number 7 symbolism of,2: 736
Odu Ifatranslated by,2: 735
Ogun River and,1: 294
Olokun and,2: 489
Society of Mothers and,2: 736
wooden sculpture of,2: 736
See alsoCandomblé
Yorka, 2:737–738
clans of,2: 737
“ghosts” meaning of,2: 736
maroon communities and,2:737–738
one’s ancestor meaning of,2: 738
Yoruba, 2:738–739
abosom and,1:3–5
agbaraspiritual power concept of,1: 180
Babalawo and,1:86–87,1:209,1:239,2: 739
bad character not human concept of,1: 144
Bata drums and,1: 111
Bois Caiman and,1: 132
calamities as deities concept and,1: 149
cosmology of,1:179–180
creation narratives of,1:178,1:185,2: 470
dadoclitorectomy practice of,1: 172
deities and associated foods and,1:275 (table)
destiny concept and,1: 197
diaspora of,2:457–458,2:738–739
divination system of,1:207,1:208–209
diviner-healer of,1: 180
divinities,1: 212
drums and,1:222,1: 435
Ebo Efevotive sacrifice of,2: 584864 Index