West Africa · Nigeria
The Kalabari.
Rivers State, Nigeria · Ijaw language · Documenting now
The Kalabari live among the creeks and channels of Rivers State, in southern Nigeria. Makers of pelete bite cut-thread cloth, navigators of canoe and current, keepers of an oral tradition older than any book about them.
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Overview
Who the Kalabari are, and where.
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History
From the early settlements to today.
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Traditions
Ceremony, kinship, the calendar of life.
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Attire
Pelete bite, coral, and the language of dress.
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Oral traditions
Proverbs, songs, story, voice.
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Language
About the tongue — family, sound, and grammar.
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Lessons
A heritage curriculum, lesson by lesson.
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Help us document the Kalabari
If you are Kalabari, or you carry the language of your own people, we would love to hear from you.
How to contribute