Making Sense of the Yoruba Littoral

This article examines the Yoruba coast in its local and global settings. Drawing on the work by Michael Pearson, the article argues that the Yoruba littoral is by no means a monolithic community in cultural, religious and economic terms. It points out that while most Yoruba define themselves in relation to fixed settlements in the hinterland, the littoral is defined by high mobility and flexibility that stretch far beyond the boundaries associated, in the widest sense, with the Yoruba. “[S]tudies of the littoral can contribute importantly as we try to write not only maritime, but also world, history.” Michael N. Pearson, 20061 1. Michael N. Pearson, “Littoral Society: The Concept and the Problems,” Journal of World History, 7.4 (2006): 373.