THE MASQUERADE FESTIVAL I WITNESSED
I had the opportunity to travel with my friend. Okon Udoh to lkot Abasi during the last long vacation. I spent three weeks with him and during my stay there. I was privileged to witness the masquerade festival of the Efik people.
A masquerade is a physical or mock representation of the spirit of the dead as demonstrated by specially dressed and masked people during masquerade festivals and other traditional celebrations.
The masquerade festival that I witnessed took place at the village square. Early in the morning. a lot of people had gathered at the square. The elderly men and women sat round the square while the young ensconced themselves behind the elders. Many other people sat down on the bare ground while others squatted. It was a large crowd waiting to watch the masquerades display.
Soon after the huge crowd had settled down, the blowing of the local bugle signaled the arrival of the village leader who came in with his entourage and took his seat. In the midst of the rowdy and expectant crowd were eight elderly men. Six of them were beating drums. metal and wooden gongs. One of them tied palm-frond around his fore-head and was carrying a bag made of raffia. Another was blowing a wooden flute. The combined sounds of these instruments produced sweet traditional music which rent the air and enveloped the square.
The music went on for sometime before the masquerades started coming out. The first masquerade to come out was called "Ebu-ebu". It was led by a man who tied palm-frond around his fore-head. The appearance of the masquerade frightened the people and they ran back. The masquerade danced and the people clapped their hands.
The next masquerade to come out was "Mmanwu". It wore a pair of trousers and a shirt sewn in different colours, patterns and styles. It was a very colourful masquerade. When Mmanwu came into the square, the rhythm of the music changed to assume a fast tempo. It danced with all it body shaking. It was very exciting.
The third masquerade was called "Oji-onu". Oji-onu was a frightful masquerade. Its head was covered with a carved wood stained with blood. Around the waist, ankle and knee joints of the masquerade were tied some locally made tiny bells. It had a fan, made of palm-fronds in one hand and a painted metal staff on the other. Also, around the staff were small bells. Once in a while the masquerade would perform a mock attack on the crowd and they would scatter frightfully.
The last masquerade was called "Okonko". This masquerade did not pursue anybody and people watched it with Interest. As the dancing was going on, people continued throwing money at it. The man who held the masquerade's raffia bag collected the money. The crowd seemed to have enjoyed the masquerade's performance.
After some hours of spectacular display, the dancing and display by the masquerades came to an end and people began to retire home in groups followed by the masquerades and their members.
Taiwo Latrlo.
SS 3B.