How the Stomach is Used to Express Mood in Ajã Culture

This statement is often said to encourage progress. However, it also places emphasis on the Ajã/Vodún concept of the use of the stomach, or 𞤳𞤮 xo (pronounced like "ho" but the "x" indicates a hard "h" that can sound like a "k"), as a metaphoric expression of mood, strength, weakness, attitude, fortitude, kwk. The Ajã express mind-gut-mood-strength concepts with reference to the stomach.

The Ajã word 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 xomɛ means "within the stomach". One of many common Ajã expressions is 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅𞤮 xomɛvo - emptiness within the stomach - innocence. Another is  𞤳𞤵 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 kú xomɛ - to have a dead stomach - mean spirited. There are many of these expressions among the Ajã people of West Afrika. In Fá divination of West Afrikan Vodún, we say that it is in the stomach of Fá that one consults Fá - receives the divine messages. As we go into the stomach of Fá, Fá speaks what is in the stomach. Here follows a list that shows the depths of the profoundness of our culture.

𞤳𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 𞤲𞤺𞤭𞤺𞤲𞤮𞤲 xomɛ ngignon - "goodness of the stomach". Generousness.

𞤉 𞤸𞤵𞤲 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 E hun xomɛ - to have an open stomach. Contentness.

𞤬𞤢𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 faxomɛ - cool stomach. Peaceful.

𞤬𞤭𞤬𞤢 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 fifa xomɛ - coolness of the stomach. Friendliness.

𞤉 𞤣𞤮 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 E do xomɛ - he/she spoke from the stomach. Frankness.

𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅𞤾𞤮 xomɛvo - stomach is empty. Innocence.

𞤿𞤮𞤨𞤤𞤫 xople - the stomach is assembled. Togetherness. Also a way to say being on the same page.

𞤲𞤵 𞤣𞤮 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 𞤣𞤭𞤣𞤮 nu do xomɛ dido - speaking from the stomach. Has obvious connotations of speaking the real deal but also refers to a formal oath taking process

𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅𞤻𞤮 xomɛnyo - goodness within the stomach. Feeling good

𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅𞤬𞤢𞤬𞤢 xomɛfafa - coolness within the stomach. Likeability.

𞤉 𞤧𞤭𞤲 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 E sin xomɛ - he/she has an attached stomach. Anger.

𞤿𞤮 𞤾𞤫 𞤧𞤭𞤲 Xo ve sin - the bitter stomach is attached. Hunger.

𞤿𞤵 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 kú xomɛ - to have a dead stomach. Mean spirited.

𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅𞤳𞤵𞤳𞤵 xomɛkúkú − dead stomach. inhumanity, Apathy.

𞤉 𞤺𞤲𞤤𞤢𞤲 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 E gnlan xomɛ - she/he has a bad stomach. Evil.

𞤉 𞤩𞤤𞤫 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 E gble xomɛ - The stomach is spoiled. To be in a bad way.

𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 𞤩𞤭 𞤩𞤤𞤫 Xomɛ gbi gble - stomach is corrupt. Viciousness.

𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 𞤲𞤺𞤢𞤲𞤢 Xomɛ ngana - stomach is banished. Perversity.

𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅 𞤾𞤭𞤾𞤫 Xomɛ vive - stomach is bitter. Sadness.

𞤿𞤮𞥂𞤮𞤲 Xokpon - examine the stomach. To doubt.

𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅𞤧𞤭𞤲𞤺𞤢𞤲 Xomesingan -something or someone whose sole purpose is to incite anger. Also referred to as hondan - agitator of the navel.

 𞤿𞤮𞤥𞤫𞥊𞥅𞥁𞤵𞤭 xomɛzui - fire of the intestines. Anger.