Edo (African culture)

Refers to the style and culture of Edo-speaking peoples living in Nigeria's Bendel state outside Benin City. While their languages are related, they are not all mutually intelligible. The Edo, however, all trace their origins to the Kingdom of Benin. Their ancestors migrated from Benin in a series of waves between the 9th and 18th centuries. These migrants intermixed with indigenous peoples and other settlers from neighboring areas, thus the arts of these peoples reflect a complex history of migration and cultural borrowing.