It is an interesting feature of the religious practice of the Mende people of Sierra Leone that, with one exception, no offerings are made to any image of wood or stone or metal. That one exception is the stone figurine called nomoli and its use is restricted entirely to helping in the production of rice. The origin of the nomoli is still wrapped in the mystery of antiquity but it continues to play a fairly important part in the life of many of the older farmers and is still widely used.