African slaves were stolen from their homes and often had very little in common with each other. They spoke different languages. They had different customs and prayed to different gods. Many tribes and peoples acknowledged a powerful god along with lesser gods. Worshippers used many of these lesser gods as messengers to the one great god. These spirits could take the form of objects of nature like rocks, trees, or the wind. They could also take the form of ancestors. They asked of these spirits all types of blessing and favors from good harvests and good hunting to victory in war.