Jukun

The Jukun are an ethnolinguistic group of central Nigeria, with communities primarily in Taraba State and parts of Benue State, and smaller populations in Adamawa and Nasarawa States. They speak Jukun languages, a group within the Jukunoid branch of the Niger-Congo language family.

Historically, Jukun communities contributed to the formation of the Kwararafa Confederacy, a multiethnic polity in the Benue valley from the 16th to the 19th centuries, which interacted with neighboring groups and during periods with European traders. The Jukun lived alongside and traded with neighbors such as Tiv, Gashaka, and other peoples in the region, shaping the area's historical dynamics.

Language refers to a set of related varieties rather than a single language. The Jukun languages comprise several dialects and are part of the Jukunoid subgroup of Benue-Congo within Niger-Congo. In many communities, Hausa and other regional linguae franca are used for wider communication, alongside local languages.

Culture and society are organized around village life and traditional governance structures that include chiefs and elders. Economic activity is largely agricultural, with crops such as millet, sorghum, yams, and maize, while craft production and trade also play roles in community life. Cultural expression includes music, dance, and oral storytelling. Religious practices span traditional beliefs and the influence of Christianity and Islam in various locales.

See also: Kwararafa Confederacy; Taraba State; Jukunoid languages.