Tag: Masquerades

Ekpo society is a large one characterized by many arms. It is even safe to consider them as different types although they are all ‘Ekpo’. We had published other articles on the Ekpo society. Please click here and here.

Ekpo nyòhó

Costumed in a manner to scare women and children once they were seen, Ekpo nyòhó is mainly found deep in the core Ibibio area of Uyo -Ibesikpo – Nsit Ubium – Etinan axis. When the masquerade appears, it is dressed in black furry raffia that gives it a round amorphous shape. With a terrifying face, a sharp machete in hand and some green symbolic leaves, this masquerade is a handful.
This arm was responsible for orderliness and made sure that laws made were carried out on all administrative levels in Ibibio Land.

Ekpo Ndòk

Ibibio people considered this particular Ekpo as the actual ghost. It came out at night and majorly to penalize crimes committed in secrecy. It was considered to be fair and impartial, and hovered around the community unseen.

Ekpo Eko’on

This arm of the Ekpo society had its operations between June and August yearly and was known for bringing calm on the community. Whenever Ekpo Eko’on was out, the community will be quiet as everyone will be on automatic holidays.

Traders were not required to come late from their businesses, nor farmers to return late from their farms. In riverine areas, the same rule applied to fishermen. And then in colonial days when the civil service was birthed, workers knew better than to be found outdoors when the Ekpo was out.

Eka Ekpo

This was considered the mother of the Ekpo masquerade. It had a lot of respect accorded it. Before it emerged for a march, a display, a timeout for whatever purpose, every member of the community was informed. In some communities, you may be allowed to view it from your homes. In others, no one was to see it but the initiates.

Ekpo ntok-ayen

This was the teen Ekpo, worn by young people. It was strictly for entertainment and could be on display at any time or season, but especially during yuletide when travelers returned home to spend time with family. Its costume is usually of white painted raffia and the mask would be friendly, handsome, playful, anything but scary.

Get the book ‘Ibibio Nation: History & Culture’ by Oto-Obong Uwah via this link.

Written by Brownson Nseime, from Jabborro PR

Keywords: Ekpo society types, arms | classes | Ibibio

The Ekpo society is an interesting part of Akwa Ibom culture. Although colonialism watered down the substance of these aspects of our culture, we have managed to retain some of it. Read on to learn more interesting facts about the Ekpo society.

There is the first part to this particular article, which you can get by clicking here.

Did Ekpo Have Supernatural Powers?

In recent times, the Ekpo masquerade has been more of a cultural display that hits the streets during important occasions. It is also mostly on demand and during end of year ‘ukapadisua’ (ukapisua) celebrations.

As with masquerades in other parts of black Africa, the use of magic does get engaged in Ekpo displays. Although this has been merely for entertainment, those powers still show up when hostile groups meet during simultaneous festivals.

There is nothing unique about the feature of magical powers in Ekpo festivals. It is just like masquerades and cultural plays you find in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, especially among Bantu and sub-Bantu tribes. Magical powers are an integral part of the culture. But there is hardly any hard proof of these powers being channeled into harm.

However, as western civilisation continues to sip deeper into the cultures of the land, the uncanny reduces in display. This is why, to witness the supernatural powers of the Ekpo play, one would have to attend Ekpo festivals in the inner recesses of rural Ibibio communities.

Ekpo Has A Home 

The Ekpo, considered originally to be a ghost, had a figurative place of abode given to it by the community. This place was treated as sacred because it was thought to haven the spirits of dead ancestors and other dead members of the cult who were buried there.

This ‘abode’ was in a forest and was out of bounds for women and children. If a woman or child or non-initiate wandered into this part of the forest, there were.  However, as Western culture arrived, locations like these became increasingly open to members of the community.

The Ekpo Cultural Display

As with other African cultures, including the ones exported to other parts of the world through the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Ekpo has always had its cultural showing featuring its own distinctive masquerade known by the costume and mask. It also has its drum music comprised of the tone, rhythm and accompanying The display also has its drum music is also indicative of the Ekpo display. This is about the only aspects of the society that still feature in the Ekpo phenomenon.

When an Ekpo Society Member Dies

After the death of a member of the Ekpo society, there are sacrifices to the gods. These practices do involve a lot of secrecy. The items used for sacrifice are not made known publicly, although there is talk of human sacrifice in the distant past.

At the funeral ceremony, on the day of the burial event, Ekpo masquerades appeared with all sorts of performance amidst fanfare and feasting.

The society, community and family of the deceased do all these before they lower the corpse into the grave as a mark of  respect to the dead member.

How About These Days?

Back in the day, the consequences for violating movement restrictions could be dire. You could be flogged, you could be detained depending on the arm of Ekpo or other society you ran into. The violent manner of enforcing rules using these cultural societies like the Ekpo group was increasingly frowned at as Ibibio culture mixed with English civilization.

These days, within Urban areas of Akwa Ibom State and Calabar, the activities of the Ekpo society have been severely curbed. The violent aspects have almost all together been ended, especially in the city centres. But there are corners of rural areas where these practices remain rife.

Get the book ‘Ibibio Nation: History & Culture’ by Oto-Obong Uwah via this link.

Written by Brownson Nseime, from Jabborro PR

The Ekpo society is one of the foremost secret societies in the Ibibio society. ‘Ekpo’ means ‘ghost of an ancestor’ literally. As a cultural society of the same name, the Ibibios framed Ekpo as a law enforcement society in the cultural setting. More specifically, Ekpo society was an instrument for managing ancient Ibibio society and up to early post-colonial times.

Most of the famous men of the Ibibio society were members of the Ekpo society. Some were chiefs, some family heads, some youth leaders.

This group was so effective that the community held them in high regard. Non-initiates, women and children held them in great fear also.

Was the Ekpo a job?

The Ekpo members met in what we call ‘Afé Ekpo’, the Ekpo tent or meeting hall. Here, they made decisions that were binding on all members of the community. Since members were mostly leaders of the land, this was a major decision making forum.

The Ekpo also performed formal functions in historical Ibibio society. It ensured that the community carried out judicial verdicts to the letter. You can call them police of the precolonial era.

Ekpo was and is never an occupation, but simply a socio-cultural concept handed from ancestral Ibibio. Masqueraders were and are your usual everyday member of the community who is an initiate. They did not play ‘ekpo’ for daily bread in time past. Recently though, masqueraders have infused collection of cash appreciation into the displays – as an entertainment.

Did Ekpo Have Supernatural Powers?

In recent times, the Ekpo masquerade has been more of a cultural display that hits the streets during important cultural occasions, on demand and during the end of year ‘ukapadisua’ (ukapisua) celebrations.

As with masquerades in other parts of black Africa, the use of magic does get engaged in Ekpo displays. Although this has been merely for fun than for any other motive. Whether the magical powers can be channeled into something harmful is topic for some other research.

Get the book ‘Ibibio Nation: History & Culture’ by Oto-Obong Uwah via this link.

Written by Brownson Nseime, from Jabborro PR

There are more than 5 masquerades you should be afraid of in Akwa Ibom State, but in this article, I will talk about 5 of the scariest. Some of them are so horrible, women can’t survive a sight of them. Some are Ibibio cultural cults, while some are simply cultural plays. Meanwhile, please get this book; Ibibio Nation: History & Culture by Oto-Obong Uwah, click here.

Ekòng

This is by far the goriest to watch and you will never find a photograph of it online. It is reported that some years ago near Ibiono, a pregnant woman saw ekòng masquerade by accident and immediately suffered miscarriage. From a description of a member of the ekòng secret cult, the masquerade is bathed with corpses, torn flesh, fresh blood and other repugnant trappings.

Ekpo

The Ekpo is founded on the belief in life after death. And it is regarded as the soul of ancestors that return to the land of the living in masquerade form. It returns to participate with their kinsmen in communal festivals such as farming and rites of passage.

Ekpo is a cult.

To become part of this circle you must be initiated. Also, every activity of this sect is designed to pour fear, dread and caution on women and non-initiates.
Ekpo was known for instituting justice and performing judicial, administrative and religious duties during pre-colonial times.

Atӓt

This means wasp and the head of the masquerade is shaped like a basket. The body-worn costume is woven and the physique of the masquerade is dwarfy. The Atӓt masquerade is played as a festival in a few communities in the state. It is known for the security role it played in ancient Akwa Ibom before colonial times.

This Akwa Ibom masquerade is also known to possess supernatural powers as with the others. Only that it some times performs magical art to the amazement of admirers. Besides these, it was useful in instituting moral values amongst women and other members of old Ibibio society. The aim of the Atat masquerade was to maintain in the cultural society.

Utuèkpè

This means spider in Ibibio. As the name implies, this masquerade behaves like a spider during its display. It would scale heights on strings aided by other members of its troupe.

Nnabò

This is a cult with a very ferocious masquerade. The masquerader himself is made to undergo certain spiritual rites to be able to wear the costume and then be brought out for display. It is found mainly in the Annang areas of Akwa Ibom State.

Primary keywords – masquerade, akwa ibom, ekpo

Brownson Nseime writes from Jabborro PR, Uyo.