One Cowrie Shell tells the story of Jaiye, a young Yoruba warrior in training in the early 1800's on the west coast of Africa. Jaiye is fascinated by the never ending wars between the Yoruba and their neighbors the Dahomey. He sees countless slaves being sold to the Atlantic Slave Trade and wonders where the slaves are being taken. Jaiye is also fascinated by Kembi, a young Yoruba girl he wishes to be his wife but the village elders have chosen Akinya as his wife. Jaiye sees the ceremonies of the Yoruba take place which makes him anxious to prevent the wedding of Kembi. Jaiye petitions his father, who is a high priest in the Shango cult to help him change the plans of the village elders. His father declines to help which leads Jaiye to hatch his own plan to get rid of Kembi's intended husband. Jaiye's plan goes awry which leads him on a journey to "the other world" to find where the slaves are taken. He finds his way to the Slave Market in Charleston, South Carolina. His adventure takes him to find his beloved Kembi. While looking for her he accepts the help of slaves in the area. After he finds her he encounters more current and former slaves and finds his way to New York then England and finally back home to tell his mother and father of his adventures. He began his adventure to find Kembi, a woman he longed to be his wife. During his journey, the reason behind the adventure changed after he saw the degradation that slavery caused his people. He presents a view of slavery from an African who has never been a slave but saw the dehumanizing effect of the slave trade that his village never considered. Jaiye tells his stories of his travels to "the other world" to unbelieving villagers but his plan goes awry again as villagers start to accept his tales of travel to "the other world." His campaign to change the two tribes is abruptly ended.