Ways of the Rivers: Arts and Environment of the Niger Delta

From Library Journal
Anderson (Wild Spirits, Strong Medicine) and Peek (African Divination Systems) present an excellent collection of some 25 scholarly essays with 448 illustrations (376 in color), published in conjunction with an exhibition at the UCLA Fowler Museum. This volume serves as more than an exhibit catalog, providing an anthropological exploration of the relationship between the art and rituals of this region of Africa and its water-focused environment. As the text demonstrates, the diverse ethnic groups living in the Niger Delta have long participated in a vibrant and widespread exchange of ideas and art forms, both among one another and with Western nations, because of the region's culture of trade and travel. The essays are generously illustrated with color photographs of artifacts and ceremonial activity from the groups defined by these languages: Ijo, Isoko/Urbhbo, Itsekiri, and Ogoni. The book lacks an index but includes an appendix detailing language relationships in the delta. Appropriate for most academic and larger public libraries.Nancy B. Turner, Syracuse Univ. Lib., NYCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
An intricate maze of rivers and islands cuts across southern Nigeriaís Niger Delta, a region subject to floods, tides, and tropical downpours that continually alter its geography. While these waterways serve to separate the many ethnic groups dwelling in this aqueous environment -- each with its own unique cultural traditions and often its language -- they have also long been employed as routes of transmission and trade. Delta men and women traversed the region in canoes long before the Portuguese arrived at its shores in the fifteenth century. Their ideas and art forms -- including some of the largest wood sculptures and most vibrant masquerades in all of Africa -- traveled with them, being adopted, adapted, and sometimes appropriated in the process. European influence has also been keenly felt, and Western artifacts and articles of dress appear in shrines, regalia, and masquerades. The essays assembled in this lavishly illustrated volume are unique in considering issues of cultural convergence and divergence within a single region in Africa. They examine and celebrate the "water-related" ethos and the "warrior" ethos that are present throughout the Delta and explore the influence of its unique environment on beliefs and material culture. Sadly, in the twentieth century the delicate ecosystems of the Niger Delta have suffered greatly as a result of the modern drilling technology employed by Western oil companies. While garnering huge profits, these firms have undermined the environment and deprived the Deltaís inhabitants of basic necessities such as fresh fish and potable water. Despite these depredations the people of the Delta persevere, and the incredibly beautiful and varied works of art that appear in this volume are a testament to their history of inventiveness, adaptability, and courage.


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Published in conjunction with the 2002 UCLA exhibition at the Fowler Museum, this volume deals with the complex cultural matrix of the Niger Delta. Through the contributions of an interdisciplinary research team, ten chapters examine the relationship of culture to environment and explore the expression of the region as a whole, not just a single ethnic group. They cover early history, trade, and contact; environment and cultural confluence; and arts and identity. Illustrated with color and b&w photographs. The book is slightly oversize: 9x12. It is distributed by the U. of Washington Press. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)


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