YORUBA OF WEST AFRICA

With the help of many experts in the field, CALLIOPE introduces you to the Yoruba of West Africa - their history, culture, and mythology. The issue begins with an article on the meaning of the term Yoruba and the influence of the Yoruba and their civilization throughout the world. Included is a poem by Wole Soyinka, a Nobel Laureate in Literature. The following articles tell of Oduduwa, the ancestor of the Yoruba, and the heroine Moremi who helped the people of Ife defeat the Igbo; the founding of Ife, the oldest town of the Yoruba, and the spiritual center of the Yoruba people; the position of the oba and his importance, both yesterday and today, in Yoruba society; and the rise of Oyo and its growth as a trading center. A feature written by the director of the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian focuses on the artisans of Ife, especially the so-called "bronze" heads. You'll also learn of the Yoruba's preference for city life - yet, at the same time, cultivating large tracts of farmland. Join us too as we tell you how the Yoruba name their children, and then learn to make a talking drum and use cassava in your cooking.

Paperback  48 pgs.  Full Color
Suggested for ages: 9-14
Product Code: CAL9802