Ijaw people, Indigenous ethnic group in Edo State and Bayelsa State, Nigeria
The Ijaw are a major population group spread across several states in Nigeria's Niger Delta region. They are traditionally associated with fishing and river and coastal living.
People of this origin have inhabited the Niger Delta for thousands of years, as shown by archaeological evidence. Their location on rivers and coasts shaped their history and development.
The Ijaw maintain ceremonies and masquerade performances that mark important moments in community life and express spiritual beliefs. These traditions remain central to how people gather and celebrate together.
Visitors meet this population group mainly in water-based villages and communities where daily life centers on rivers and the sea. The Niger Delta is a tropical region and should be visited with proper planning.
This group speaks nine different Niger-Congo languages, with one variant used as the main language by about nine million people. This language variety across a relatively small area reflects the complex history and many subgroups within the population.
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