Gage, J. (1999).Color and Culture:Practice and
Meaning From Antiquity to Abstraction. Berkeley:
University of California Press.
Gage, J. (2000).Color and Meaning:Art,Science,and
Symbolism. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Jacobson-Widding, A. (1979).Red-White-Black as a
Mode of Thought—A Study of Triadic Classification
by Colours in the Ritual Symbolism and Cognitive
Thought of the Peoples of the Lower Congo.
Stockholm, Sweden: Almqvist & Wiksell
International.
Olmos, M. F., & Paravisini-Gebert, L. (1997).Sacred
Possessions:Vodou,Santeria,ObeahandtheCaribbean.
New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Sanders, C. J. (1999).Saints in Exile:The Holiness-
Pentecostal Experience in African American Religion
and Culture Religion in America. New York: Oxford
University Press.
Vega, M. M. (2000).The Altar of My Soul—The Living
Traditions of Santeria. New York: One
World/Ballantine.
WIND
Wind, like many other forces of nature, has a
variety of distinct manifestations that African
peoples have incorporated into their religious
beliefs and practices. These distinct manifesta-
tions of wind are caused by the unique regional
climates of Africa. In turn, people’s perception of
wind is influenced by how the wind impacts their
daily lives. For example, the Harmattan is a wind
that blows from the southern Sahara to the Gulf
of Guinea from November to March; it brings
with it dust, hazy skies, and short tempers
because of the extreme amounts of dust it deposits
over parts of West Africa. Among the Yoruba, the
wind that accompanies rain, lightning, and thun-
der is a manifestation of the orisha Shango. Fierce
wind that is not accompanied by rain is Oya. Oya
is a consort of Shango and has her own stormlike
characteristics. She can strike down houses and
has a face so terrible that no one dares look at it.
More contemporary associations with Oya are
the places hit by storms or hurricanes in the
Americas and the winds of change that blow
strongly and frequently in the modern world.
Conversely, a gentle wind is associated with the
orisha Eshu.
Among the San, wind is personified in a story
that informs the listener of the powerful nature of
the Wind. The Wind and a young boy were rolling
a ball between them. The Wind called the boy’s
name, but the boy did not know the Wind’s name.
He asked his mother to tell him the name of the
Wind. She advised him to wait until she asked his
father to secure the house before she said Wind’s
name. However, after she had done so, the boy was
instructed to run away when he felt the wind
because it could blow him away. After the hut was
secured, the boy uttered the name of the Wind
(/érriten-!kuan-!kuan; !gua- !guabu-ti), and his
companion fell down. In doing so, houses vanished,
dust rose, and people could not see. The mother of
the Wind came out of her house and stood the boy
up, at which time the wind became still. So, the San
say that when the Wind is blowing hard, it has lain
down, and when there is no Wind, it is standing up.
Another tale from Ethiopia casts the wind as the
judge between a farmer and a snake. The farmer
saves the snake. Subsequently, the snake plans to
eat the farmer. The farmer protests and seeks to
have his case judged. After consulting with the tree,
the river, and the grass, who all side with the snake
because of their mistreatment by humans, the Wind
declares that it is not a matter for judgment, but
that each must act in accord with its own nature.
The Wind gives the snake and the farmer each a
drum to play. The snake releases the farmer to hold
the drum. The farmer escapes to his village.
Among the Dogon, at creation, a great wind
broke from inside of the po, the tiniest element of
creation. This wind, called Amma, moves in a spi-
ral motion and provides the energy by which all
things are created.Denise MartinSeealsoWaterFurther Readings
Courlander, H. (1996).A Treasury of African Folklore:
The Oral Literature,Traditions,Myths,Legends,
Epics,Tales,Recollections,Wisdom,Sayings,and
Humor of Africa. New York: Marlow.
Griaule, M., & Germaine, D. (1986).ThePaleFox(S. C.
Infantino, Trans.). Chino Valley, AZ: Continuum
Foundation.Wind 717