ABSTRACT
Trickster narratives constitute a communication system of a unique kind. On the one hand, trickster narratives function as a nonformal educational system conveying and reaffirming traditional beliefs and values. On the other hand, they are a sophisticated and intricate performance art form with aesthetic rules and standards. The analytical approach used in this study is two-fold: first, to understand how the communication system works in Ewe trickster narrative performances and second, as a corollary to the communication process, to understand how meaning is transmitted and perceived by the audience. To do this, a model based on the complementary aspects of communication and signification will help elucidate the components of the performed oral narrative event. Central to this approach are several concepts, specif ically sign/image relationships, nonverbal behavior, and a structuralist analytical approach to meaning.
