The Old Woman and Her Mushroom: A Historico-Literary Approach to the Ethnography and Ethos of the Bakor Group of People of Northern Cross River State

Abstract

Abstract From an interdisciplinary perspective, the field of oral literature depends for its explication on sociology, anthropology, linguistics and even history. To understand the importance of an oral narrative, recourse has often been made to these various disciplines. Ironically, the anthropologists interested in cultures of the races of the world dominated studies of oral literature, from the late 19th century. The result was that narratives were often subjected to functional analysis for aesthetic content. The paper therefore, is a collaborative endeavor, which utilizes insights from literary, sociological or anthropological and historical perspectives to analyze oral narratives. This, it is hoped, will enhance a better understanding of the narratives, not only from their cultural background but also from their artistic and aesthetic background.