While I'm on this subject, here are the verses of "Wade In The Water" that are often given to support the Underground railroad/coded message for fleeing slavery meme:

Wade in the water.
Wade in the water, children.
Wade in the water.
God's gonna trouble the water.


Jordon's water is chilly and cold.
God's gonna trouble the water.
It chills the body, but not the soul.
God's gonna trouble the water.


If you get there before I do.
God's gonna trouble the water.
Tell all of my friends I'm coming too.
God's gonna trouble the water.

-snip-

However, I would love to know if anyone has studied if there is any connection between the references to colors in "Wade In The Water" {and other spirituals} and the colors that symbolize the Yoruba
{Nigeria} orishas.

See these commonly sung verses:

Well, who's that younder dressed in Red?
God's gonna trouble the water.
Must be the children that Moses led.
God's gonna trouble the water.

Who's that yonder dressed in White?
God's gonna trouble the water.
Must be the children of the Israelites.
God's gonna trouble the water.

Who's that yonder dressed in Blue?
God's gonna trouble the water.
Must be the Children now, let them through.
He's gonna trouble the water.

-snip-

{sometimes the words are "Who's those children dressed in red" etc}

One webstite that provides that version has this to say about those colors:

"Using the colors of American patriotism in progressive verses, this gospel song pointed to the stark differences in America's promises to its black and white citizens, not so subtly holding our feet to a fire of our own making.."

http://www.cattailmusic.com/LyricsandNotes/WadeintheWater.htm

-snip-

I'm sorry, but that theory sounds to me like someone from the present looking back and attaching his own patriotism to these lyrics.

We may never know the origins and meanings of those verses. But jsut for the sake of consideration, Yoruba people from Nigeria were numerous and heavily influential during Southern slavery. Their cultural beliefs live on in a number of ways including in the higly corrupted Hollywood interpretations of the Yoruba/Fon religion of ifa or orisha vodoun {voodoo}.

See this quote:
"The Yoruban spiritual system has been described as a pyramid with five layers. At the apex is Oldumare, the Supreme Being. The second layer beneath the Supreme Being is composed of lesser deities called Orisha. Below these deities are ancestral deities called Egungun. While all of the above are noted as spiritual beings, the next two layers of the pyramid consist of human beings."

Click Seven Orishas for information on seven of the most important orishas.

Also click HERE for more information on those religious beliefs.

****
Each orishas has symbols, food and a color or colors that are associated with it {him or her or him/her}.

Esu {Eshu; Elegb}, the trickster messanger of the orishas; also the orisha of the crossroads {including the line separating the earth from the heavens and the river bank from the river}; colors: black & red and black & white


Obatala {Oxala}- the orisha of peace, harmony and purity. He is the father of most orishas and the creator of humankind. He is the owner of the world. He represents clarity, justice and wisdom. color: white.."Everything that is white on Earth belongs to him: the snow, the sky, the bones and the brain. In some paths, Obatala manifests as a female. Some people see him as an androgynous deity that contained both male and female energies representing respectively heaven and earth. Obatala is invoked for health, peace and harmony."

Sango {Shango}=orisha of thunder and lightning; color:
       red; also note that Sango also is represented with a double
       headed axe, same as Thor, teh Vicking god of thunder

Yemaja- orisha of fresh water; orisha of the Ogun River {in Nigeria}Yemoja's relation to water makes her a maternal deity who is regarded as the Mother of All; her color is blue, the color of the sea   

****
In my opinion, Southern African American and Afro-Caribbean customs such as lighting certain colored candles and having a sky blue bottle in the window and elsewhere in the house are remnants of these beliefs in the orishas. And actually those religious beliefs are quite strong in Brazil, Cuba, and even the United States. I count among my friends a number of persons who are Yorubas {followers of the Yoruba religion}. I hasten to note that it is not just African Americans who practice this religion. Particularly in Brazil, this religious system called 'Santeria' crosses all racial and 'class' boundaries.

Again, if someone knows of any studies on the connection between the colors of the orishas and "Wade In The Water", I would be very interested in hearing about them.

If not, I would certainly think that such a study should be made.


Azizi Powell