This unique book is the product of pioneering research carried out by scholars native to the Urhobo culture and language. Unlike many of the other major ethnic cultures in Nigeria, which were studied by Western anthropologist in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the Urhobo language and culture remained neglected. Studies in Urhobo Culture represents a comparatively new area of research, approached from an indigenous perspective. The result is a wide-ranging survey of Urhobo culture in Nigeria, offering diverse perspectives on topics such as: naming traditions and practices of the Urhobo; religious beliefs, values and movements; traditions of marriage; artistic productions, food and dress subcultures; and the geography of Urhoboland and agricultural practices. In-depth consideration is given to Urhobo traditional poetry and the intellectual aspects of Urhobo culture and language, within the wider complex of the Edoid languages and cultures. The contributors further situate the language question within the global context of language endangerment, arguing the Urhobo case is an example of how English and Pidgin are imperilling small and medium-sized languages in Africa, and weakening the hold of indigenous cultures on the younger generation.

This volume explores the nature, philosophies and genres of indigenous African popular music, focusing on how indigenous African popular music artistes are seen as prophets and philosophers, and how indigenous African popular music depicts the world. Indigenous African popular music has long been under-appreciated in communication scholarship. However, understanding the nature and philosophies of indigenous African popular music reveals an untapped diversity which only be unraveled by knowledge of the myriad cultural backgrounds from which its genres originate. Indigenous African popular musicians have become repositories of indigenous cultural traditions and cosmologies.With a particular focus on scholarship from Nigeria, Zimbabwe and South Africa, this volume explores the work of these pioneering artists and their protégés who are resiliently sustaining, recreating and popularising indigenous popular music in their respective African communities, and at the same time propagating the communal views about African philosophies and the temporal and spiritual worlds in which they exist. ​

This is a pioneering work on Urhobo language, and since language is not the restricted domain of only scholars of linguistics, other aspects of the language or issues that impinge on language use are also discussed in this collection of essays by a eleven experts drawn from research institutes and universities. Since literature is a vehicle of language, the proverbs and axioms of the language as well as the oratorical and performance traditions in Urhobo are also covered competently. Other cultural aspects, especially music, are also seen as enhancers of the language. To underscore the significance of religion and language, some contributors here examine the relationship between the Urhobo language and Christian evangelisation and between the language and the people's belief systems. Another also explores the place of language in what has come to be known as Urhobo "disco" music. The essays reinforce each other and some points are repeated for emphasis because of their cultural significance. The closeness of several topics, especially the challenges of the language and culture and on evangelisation in Urhobo as well as Gospel music in Urhobo, is intended to exhaustively open up the Urhobo language debate." Tanure Ojaide is Professor of African-American and African Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he teaches African/Pan-African literature and art. Rose Aziza is the Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics and Director of the Urhobo Studies Programme at the Delta State University in Nigeria.

The Urhobo peoples occupy the western fringe of the Niger River delta in southern Nigeria, an area rich with oil reserves. Since the 1970s, the petroleum industry has brought worldwide wealth and attention to Nigeria, but tragically has also detracted from broad-based economic progress as flow stations, flare-offs, drilling platforms and pipelines have proliferated. As rural economies suffered an inevitable decline, the custom of maintaining traditional Urhobo art has experienced a parallel atrophy. The resultant decline in Urhobo culture has prompted a response among many Urhobo who want to celebrate and preserve their traditions for future generations. The Museum for African Art in New York makes a major contribution to this effort through the presentation of "Where Gods and Mortals meet," the first exhibition to showcase Urhobo arts. The exhibition introduces never-before-seen Urhobo art and footage of cultural performances, from yesterday and today. This accompanying catalogue includes approximately 80 works of art: traditional art from the historical period 1850 to 1975, including monumental wood figures, metal and clay sculpture, and masks and costumes with accompanying poetry and song; a small selection of contemporary work by Bruce Onobrakpeya, an Urhobo by birth and one of Africa's foremost artists; plus photos and video footage of extraordinary multimedia masquerades.

The Urhobo peoples occupy the western fringe of the Niger River delta in southern Nigeria, an area rich with oil reserves. Since the 1970s, the petroleum industry has brought worldwide wealth and attention to Nigeria, but tragically has also detracted from broad-based economic progress as flow stations, flare-offs, drilling platforms and pipelines have proliferated. As rural economies suffered an inevitable decline, the custom of maintaining traditional Urhobo art has experienced a parallel atrophy. The resultant decline in Urhobo culture has prompted a response among many Urhobo who want to celebrate and preserve their traditions for future generations. The Museum for African Art in New York makes a major contribution to this effort through the presentation of "Where Gods and Mortals meet," the first exhibition to showcase Urhobo arts. The exhibition introduces never-before-seen Urhobo art and footage of cultural performances, from yesterday and today. This accompanying catalogue includes approximately 80 works of art: traditional art from the historical period 1850 to 1975, including monumental wood figures, metal and clay sculpture, and masks and costumes with accompanying poetry and song; a small selection of contemporary work by Bruce Onobrakpeya, an Urhobo by birth and one of Africa's foremost artists; plus photos and video footage of extraordinary multimedia masquerades.