Portal:Traditional African religions/Selected article/5

The Nommo are mythological ancestral spirits (sometimes referred to as deities) worshiped by the Dogon tribe of Mali. The word "Nommo" is derived from a Dogon word meaning "to make one drink." The Nommos are usually described as amphibious, hermaphroditic, fish-like creatures. Folk art depictions of the Nommos show creatures with humanoid upper torsos, legs/feet, and a fish-like lower torso and tail. The Nommos are also referred to as "Masters of the Water", "The Monitors", and "The Teachers". Nommo can be a proper name of an individual, or can refer to the group of spirits as a whole.