Kemetic Terms

Language and context are important things in Kemetic Orthodoxy. Words, in our belief, are extremely powerful and must be used responsibly. Since the earliest times, utterances (sometimes incorrectly called "spells") have been tools for everything from protection from disease to ensuring one's place in the afterlife. Images of people doing things are also equally important, and it's no wonder that the hieroglyphic language is so artistic -- a combination of powerful images and powerful words.

Because so many terms in the Kemetic language don't correlate to terms in English (or any other) language, in many cases Kemetic Orthodoxy chooses NOT to translate them. A very good example of this is "ma'at", which in English means an amalgam of "truth", "virtue", "correctness", "what is right", and so many other things that we feel using anything other than the Kemetic term "ma'at" when referring to It may be misleading.

With that in mind, we've provided a primer on commonly-used terms within the faith. If you've studied Kemetic at all, you'll recognize a good deal of them. Memorizing these won't be necessary, as you'll see them referred to on such a frequent basis that you'll soon become accustomed to their use and meaning.

Read more about the kemetic language and its pronunciations here.