Mumuye people

The Mumuye are people of the Taraba State, Nigeria. They speak the Mumuye language. They constitute the largest tribal group in Taraba State of Nigeria and form the predominant tribes found in Zing, Yorro, Jalingo, Ardo-Kola, Lau, Gassol, Bali and Gashaka, all of which are local government areas of the state. The Mumuye people are also found in many parts of the neighboring Adamawa State. The Mumuye people are isolated into smaller groups. These groups are independent of one another; however, they speak a variation of the same language and share cultural traditions. The Mumuye people are a part of the Benue River Valley. The Benue River Valley has been overlooked because of its complexities and innumerable cultures occupying the area. Historically, the Mumuye did not have a central government. Currently, people live in small villages consisting of a number of extended families.These groups are called dola. The culture differs within Mumuye subgroups because of their isolation into these dola. These social groups are governed by a council of elders and an elected leader. The Benue River Valley is home to many different groups, including the Mumuye. One thing that seems to be shared within these groups is a spiritual attachment to the land. Throughout the Benue the human figure is a common mode of expression. In fact, some Mumuye sculpture was wrongly attributed to the neighboring Chamba people, because of how prevalent the figure is. These figures typical of the Benue River Valley can represent chiefs, ancestors, or heroes. Smaller figures are used for personal protection; these are typically made of clay and thought to bring good luck and success.Although humans are represented greatly, this human involvement does not extend into the spirit world. The spirit world is thought of by much of the Benue River Valley as calm and rarely affected by the human world.Many of the figures made by the people of the Benue River Valley are androgynous. The Mumuye's figures are no exception.