Thunder

Spirit-class figure (a Tooru noble) entered as a deity. Songhay accounts vary on Dongo's exact descent from Harakoy Dikko (youngest son vs. adopted son); parentId reflects the common river-mother lineage. Principal scholarship: Stoller (1989); Rouch (1960/1989).

Parentage

• River Mother of the Niger

Domains

• thunder storm
• justice retribution
• rain

Powers

• to hurl lightning and crack the sky with thunder
• to descend into and ride the body of a possession dancer
• rule the sky as master of thunder and rain

Epithets

• Dongo

Relations

• sibling: Lightning
• sibling: Master Smith of the Hausa

Sources

• Paul Stoller, Fusion of the Worlds: An Ethnography of Possession among the Songhay of Niger (1989)
• Jean Rouch, La religion et la magie songhay (1960/1989)