Ozikoro
OzikoroArchive

Subject

Livelihood

2 records filed under this subject

Ijaw Material Culture: Canoes, Fishing, and the Architecture of the Mangrove

The Ijaw people, one of the oldest ethnic groups in Nigeria and the largest in the Niger Delta, have developed a distinctive material culture shaped almost entirely by their riverine environment. Surrounded by creeks, estuaries, mangrove swamps, and waterways, the Ijaw have historically depended on the river for transportation, food, economic survival, and spiritual…

The Owu Masquerades: Inviting the Water Spirits to Dance

The Owu masquerades occupy a significant place in the cultural and spiritual identity of the Kalabari people of the Eastern Niger Delta. As a water-spirit masquerade tradition, Owu represents the close relationship between the Kalabari and the aquatic world that surrounds their communities. Rooted in centuries of riverine cosmology, Owu masquerades are far more than…