Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria

A collection of oral tales gathered in the Ikom district of southern Nigeria and recorded through interpreters, accompanied by ethnographic commentary. The narratives include animal and origin stories as well as episodes that illuminate local marriage customs, dowry and bride-price practices, disputes over children born before marriage, and widespread beliefs in ju-ju, witchcraft, and divination. The compiler notes frequent digressions and conversational storytelling patterns, and supplies contextual description of rites, household arrangements, and the social tensions between elders and younger men around property, kinship, and authority.