Review of "Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria," by Aaron Shepard

 Review of

Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria, by Aaron Shepard, ISBN 9780688137830

Five out of five stars

A Paul Bunyan style tale from Nigeria

 The origin of this story is the Hausa area of northwestern Nigeria. It is a region with a long history of trading throughout the continent that predates by centuries the European colonization. The character known as “Mijin-Maza” or “Namji-Mijin-Maza” is one that appears in many of the ancient stories. This book is a retelling of the story, and the author uses the name “Master Man.” Other translations have also been “A-Man-Among-Men,” “Manly-Man” and “Superman.”

 More than one man self-proclaims himself as being “Master Man” and they are very loud and emphatic about that claim. After some boasting and challenging, it comes down to two mighty men fighting it out for the title. Neither one will quit, and the force of their efforts raises them both up into the sky. They continue their battle on occasion to this day, which is the source of the thunder that we hear during a storm.

 The mighty and very large male hero is a character that is widely found in cultures around the world. Two obvious examples are Thor of Norse mythology, Heracles in the Greek worldview and Paul Bunyan in the American logging country. This story is one that exposes the reader to a similar character from another ancient culture that is not often the subject of myth examination. It is written at the level of a late elementary school child.

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