ekpe society cameroon ekpe society cameroon

The first letter of the word is correctly written as "" and denotes plurality. Barbot documents that between 1698 and 1699, payments for provisions were made at Calabar to the following chiefs; Duke Aphrom, King Robin, Mettinon, King Ebrero, King John, King Oyo, William King Agbisherea, Robin King Agbisherea, and Old King Robin. LEFT Omabe Eze sewing an ukara, Ezillo, southeastern Nigeria. [65] Although the missionaries and rulers of Creek town and Duke town protested, their protests fell on deaf ears. This site uses cookies to help personalize content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Omissions? The term "Calabar people" was particularly popular prior to the nineteenth century and was synonymous to the Efik.[6]. It is also used by the Igbo and Efik. We are about loving, encouraging, embracing, teaching, and building with black people. [43] Stephen D. Behrendt and Eric J. Graham revealed in a 2003 publication that by the time the first documented European sailing vessel arrived in 1625, the Efik had already settled at Creek Town and Old Town. [58] Antera Duke also known as Ntiero Edem Efiom was an Efik trader whose diary reveals several daily activities in Old Calabar between 1785 and 1788. [52] These atrocities angered the missionaries and European captains alike. [59] Ekpe is first mentioned in the historical literature of Old Calabar in the 1770s. Only males can join, boys being initiated about the age of puberty. In a Somali tale, the main character, Eghal Shillet, is: a braggart and coward who finds every possible excuse to avoid going into battle. Although Duke town is believed to have been occupied since the 15th century by the Enwang, it was not until the 17th century that the Efiom Ekpo families moved in large waves to the site. Ekpe could take life and could give it; it could condemn a whole town to a heavy fine and was promptly paid; it could punish offenders and could forgive; even kings and Obongs could never escape Ekpe laws and edicts.[69]. Law and order in Efik society was maintained via a number of secret societies. "[18] References to the Igbo origin of the Efik were also made at the Hart's enquiry into the Obongship dispute where Etubom Efiom Obo Effanga asserted that the term "Iboku" meant quarrelsome Igbos. [33] Abasi's husband insisted that the problem should be resolved by the chiefs. Aye provides the following names among these priest-kings including Ema Atai Iboku, Ekpe Atai Iboku, Ukpong Atai Iboku. Several accounts have been narrated on the migration of the Efik before their arrival at Old Calabar. What is a Free Agent "A free agent is one who isn't privileged with even one pure Leopard spiritline from the survivors of the Great Attempt. [5] The Ekpe Masquerade Jun. All willing to engage respectfully are welcome. In this light, the Cameroon National Council of Traditional Rulers would be a welcomed . The Amama often appropriate hundreds of acres of palm trees for their own use and, with the profits they earn, ensure that their sons achieve comparable rank, which has the effect of limiting access to economic gain for other members of the community. The images, ideology, and secrecy associated with kp have been studied for more than one hundred years, and yet crucial features of the history of kp and its transformation have been neglected. The group is a mutual aid society known for elaborate street dances and very high. According to Simmons, "Most Informants maintain that the first people to Inhabit Creek Town were Efut fishermen from the southern Cameroons. Ukara cloth also consecrates the interior of Ekpe lodges, where larger versions of the cloth hang as backdrops. Nigeria and Cameroon (Lebialem and Manyu), Ekpe Society Resolutions from meeting held on September 16th 2011 in DC, Auto-Biography of Sisiku Emmanuel Ojong-Orock, Leader of Cameroonian Ekpe Lodge in Metropolitan DC. Determine the meaning of the italicized word in each sentence by examining the context. the Ekpe society. You are using an out of date browser. kp lodges ruled local communities while also managing regional and long-distance trade. [32] Oku adds that the Uruan were adverse to the Efik custom of burying strangers with their dead and did not share in the practice carried out by the Efik. A list of some of Africa's most prominent cults and secret societies of all time. The Ekpo society uses black masks, often of naturalistic appearance and with movable jaws, to maintain social order and propitiate the ancestors; some of these masks represent disease and deformity. ,sister Watz. [52] A number of people were hanged, shot and buried with the late chief according to the custom. [81] [9] The Efik have also been referred to as "Calabar people" in historical literature. Names such as Okon became Hogan, Orok became Duke, Akabom became Cobham, Ene became Henry, Asibong became Archibong. (b) Analyze Cause and Effect: What events prevent their success? [67] Communities within the Calabar metropolis such as Efut, Kiong and Qua also speak and understand the Efik language. . [34], On leaving the Uruan country, the Efik migrated to Ikpa Ene which is nicknamed Akani Obio Efik(English: Old Efik island). [47] At the time of their exit from Creek town, the reigning monarch of Creek town was their half brother Oku Atai Atai Ema Atai. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Copyright Dr. Ivor L. Miller. Ethnographic - (Head crest, Ejagham People): Worn by a member of the Ekpe Society to intimidate and punish anyone who has broken tribal law. [69] On the appending of the Ekpe institution to its list of secret societies, the Ekpe society was reformed and adapted to suit the needs of the Efik people. Among these laws were the Abolition of twin-killings, abolition of the esere bean ordeal, abolition of human sacrifices and several other practices. Free masons were originally an ancient Egyptian fraternity of builders, with Imhotep, as their founder and chief sculptor. Posted on March 01, 2015 Updates? Among those who migrated with the Ngolo were various other nations who would later become part of the Oroko ethnic group. . For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. [49] The Enwang are believed to have ruled Atakpa for a number of years. At Creek town, the Efik ruler was Efiom Ekpo Efiom Ekpo who had a number of children including Nsa Efiom, Edem Efiom, Okoho Efiom and Odo Efiom. It is also found among a number of other ethnic groups, including the Bahumono of the Cross River State, the Ibibio, the Uruan and the Oron of Akwa Ibom State, Arochukwu and some other parts of Abia State, as well as in the diaspora, such as in Cuba and Brazil. Original African systems of recording information in symbols include the Nsibidi script, of the Ekpe society of the Ejagham of Cameroon and Nigeria. The Efik language was also spoken in several communities in Western Cameroon. nineteenth centuries, no large kingdoms controlled Nigeria and Cameroon's multilingual Cross River basin. In Ekpe, he is a product of a dynasty of more than five Generations of Ekpe Sisikus, also known as Nfor Ngbe or Ekpe Chiefs. [19] Oku attests that it was the attack on the Efik that made them decide to leave Ikpa Ene as they realised they were still too close to their enemies. [45] Eyo Ema's people occupied Otung in the south of Creek Town, Adim Atai and Ukpong Atai occupied the east and Efiom Ekpo's family occupied the Adakuko in the west. Write the meaning in the blank. One theory asserts that Ukpong Atai Atai Ema Atai, Adim Atai Atai Ema Atai and other co-founders founded Obutong after one of Eyo Ema's people was killed during a wrestling match with Ukpong Atai at Creek town. Photo by Eli Bentor. Letters were also sent by King Eyo Honesty II to introduce missionaries and technocrats into the country with emphasis on the latter. The Freemasonry's affiliation to the Imhotep is clearly evident and this is probably why they are accused of several conspiracy theories, since their objective is geared towards the restructuring and controlling of global affairs. [37] A captured invader confessed that they were set to retrieve royal emblems which they believed the Efik had taken with them when they left Uruan. One theory states that the Efik and Uruan had separate religious customs and the Efik refused to worship the Uruan deity Atakpor Uruan Inyang. The most popular migration account within the Nigerian space asserts that the Efik people lived at Ibom in the present-day Arochukwu and migrated from Ibom to Uruan. For instance any member wronged in an Ekpe district, that is one dominated by the society, has only to address an Ekpe-man or beat the Ekpe drum in the Ekpe-house, or blow Ekpe as it is called, i.e., sound the Ekpe horn, before the hut of the wrong-doer, and the whole machinery of the society is put in force to see justice done. [40] The outcome of the fall of the tree led to several deaths in their clan. 2017). Ekpe members request nsibidi designs of personal or communal significance. Some of the oldest of these societies were Nyana Nyaku and Nsibidi. Archaeological evidence found that the group was extremely advanced in education for its time, and headed the construction of the Valley of the Kings. The term igo has also been used for the organization's members. Collection of Eli Bentor. Internal details about the membership and brotherhood demands of this ancient group is supposedly a top secret known only to the members. For the surname, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Art and Life in Africa: Eket Information" University of Iowa, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ekpe&oldid=1101939539, This page was last edited on 2 August 2022, at 15:27. He views the Cuban initiation system known as Abaku, which was based on kp society, as a collective way for African descendants to maintain their historical memory. Working with both kp and Abaku leaders, he has documented the foundation of the society in 19th . The Efik are an ethnic group located primarily in southern Nigeria, and western Cameroon. La communaut cubaine Abakudescendante des communauts fik Ekp et Ejagham gb du Sud Est du Nigria et du Sud Ouest du Camerouna t fonde la Havane dans les annes 1830 par des leaders capturs des villages de Cross River. They came from Mbiak Creek in Ibibio country. Explain. Written March 01, 2015 by Web Services Editor, Guarini School of Graduate & Advanced Studies, Copyright 2023 Trustees of Dartmouth College. Historians recognize the advent and rapid rise of Ekpe as a direct result of a need for a new and effective mechanism of sociopolitical control in the complex economic environment created by the Atlantic slave trade. Ukara are made exclusively for members of the Ekpe society, an interethnic men's association found throughout southeastern Nigeria and western Cameroon. The society is now seen as a fraternity along the masonic lines which tries to represent the interest of Efiks. She said as a member of the Ekpe Society of the Efiks, she participates in the Ekpe activities. Large amounts of pepper was also uncommon in Efik cuisines. Jeffreys also stated, "There is reason to believe that a considerable portion of a small Ibibio clan called Ebrutu or Eburutu was the earliest stock of the Efik; for, when the missionaries settled in 1846 at Old Calabar amongst these people for the first time, it was found that they called themselves not Efik but Ebrutu or Ebrutu Efik. The tentative program is as follows: January 27th and 28th, 2012. [33][34] Abasi is said to have borrowed an axe from an Uruan woman and had broken the axe. [14], The name "Efik" translates to "Oppressors" and is derived from the Efik-Ibibio verb root "Fik" (English: Oppress). At Old Calabar, traders had slowly started transitioning completely into the lucrative palm oil trade. It became a truly multi-group society, finding its' way to almost all groups in the region and gaining dominance in . Prior to 1905, Old Calabar was a term used to describe the Efik settlements of Duke Town, Creek Town, Old town, Cobham town, Henshaw town, Adiabo and Mbiabo (consisting of Mbiabo edere, Mbiabo Ikot Offiong and Mbiabo Ikoneto). The design is left to the discretion of the Ezillo creators, who are not Ekpe members and do not know the meanings of nsibidi. Ekpe society was the first tribe to come up with this design and archaeologists have found traces of this fabric even in southwestern Cameroon. The economics of the society is based on paying tribute to the village ancestors. The instruments above are particularly important to our study of the Sunjata because: they are the traditional instruments of the jeliw who tell the story in public performance. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In the case of the latter, in the heat of the confusion, villagers would be kidnapped and sent to Calabar were they were sold. Jeffreys states that a disruption among the Okobo around the town of Ekeya in the Eket district led to the founding of Obutong. Efik traders played a major role during the era of the Transatlantic slave trade. Additional Touches Sunjata's half-brother, Dankaran Touman, enrages Sunjata and nearly causes civil war by: murdering an innocent young man, thinking he is Sunjata. I'm still struggling to understand her choice. Body art plays a major role in Ibibio art. "[35] Simmons assertion which was made in his 1958 dissertation is similarly reiterated at the Hart's enquiry in 1964 by chiefs such as Chief Efiom Obo Effanga of Obutong. Ekpe Society Emblem, Ejaham, Cameroon Dog Fetish, Vili, Congo Mlbuya (sickness) mask, Pende, Zaire Nimba Mask, Baga, Guinea Picasso Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907 Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907 (detail) Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907 (detail) Bust of a Woman, 1931 Tte de taureau (Bull's Head), 1942 La chvre (The goat) 1950 Other references [54] The name "Agbisherea" (also known as Egbosherry) appended in the names of the two kings listed by Barbot, was the name of the country, on the coast of which they traded from. Here's a look inside. They give me thesum of $1,200,000 and many thing. [37] When the Efik realised what was going on, they rose to their feet and fought back. Due to the Obutong massacre of 1765 and several other incidents, the Ekpe society of Old Calabar was transformed into the Abaku cult in Cuba, the Bonk cult in Bioko and the Abakuya dance in mainland Equatorial Guinea. But, Ekpe in the course of the colonial period underwent a wide range of fundamental changes in their structure, roles, status . They use a variety of masks to execute social control. The Ekoi in Cameroon are found in the South Western region of the count. [82] The Portuguese are said to have arrived in masted ships. [27] A number of reasons have been given on why the Efik left Uruan. Sunjata's aunt, Tenenba Conde, childless herself, must raise the child Fakoli, son of Kosiya Kante, after Kosiya sacrifices herself for her brother's sake. [33] When the husband of the Uruan woman learnt of the issue, he wanted to fight the Efik. by Web Services Editor. The Ekpe society requires that its initiates sponsor feasts for the town, which foster the appearance of the redistribution of wealth by providing the poor with food and drink. I hope Queen Victoria and young prince will live long time and we get good friend. The Ekpe society had become, by the time Antera Duke began his diary in 1785, the Efik's primary socio-political institution. Membership in the Ekpe (Egbo), or Leopard, society, for example, available to wealthy men who can meet the expense involved, confers high social status and political authority; these men participate in ceremonies concerned with ancestral spirits and are believed to protect the community through magic and religious ritual. Instead, each settlement had its own lodge of the initiation society called kp, or "leopard," which was the highest indigenous authority. The persistence oftheAbakua society contradicts the official construction ofa Cuban national identity. This exhibition examines the ukara cloth of the Ekpe secret society, a multi-ethnic all-male association in southeastern Nigeria and western Cameroon, exploring both the longstanding cultural practice the cloth represents and the artistic process involved in its creation. Due to the number of unfortunate incidents at Ikpa Ene and Ndodoghi, the Efik sought to leave these islands. One of such accounts was given at a court case by Prince Bassey Duke in 1917 where he stated, "The Efiks were originally Ibo descendants. Prior to the inception of the transatlantic slave trade, the Efik had experienced a series of migration before their arrival along the coasts of Old Calabar. Among these missionaries were Rev. Her behavior at the board meeting was obsequious\mathit{obsequious}obsequious; for example, she actually offered to wash the company president's car! In the culture we have discussed, the term dalilu refers to: an individual's personal power, knowledge, or ability, inborn but enhanced and developed through training and experience. (1985). The Ekpe is a men's society found in Abiriba, Aro-chukwu, Ohafia and many other Bende communities in Igbo land, it is a variation of the important Egbo Ejagham ( Ekoi) in the Upper Cross-River as well as the Efik Ekpe Society of Calabar. The primary society is located in the Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Arochukwu areas of Nigeria, and the secondary society consists of members from the Southern and Eastern Igbo groups of the same country. After World War II, a movement called the _____ Movement was founded by such writers as Leopold Sedar Senghor and Leon Damas, to support using Western literary forms, while writing in African languages. It is uncertain the specific year that the Efik arrived Creek Town. [51] Due to the custom of killing twins, Edem Efiom is said to have aided Okoho Efiom in sneaking out of Creek town to Nsutana. All Ekpe members are hereby reminded that under Ekpe custom, we do not leave the lifeless body of our warriors in the battle field, and we certainly do not leave the remains of an Ekpe chief unguarded. In addition to ritual propitiation of forest spirits to ensure the well-being of the community, this graded secret male society made and enforced laws by fines, capital punishment, or boycotts; judged cases; maintained internal peace; and served as the executive. In Cuba, the Ekoi are always evoked as early founders of the Abaku society,18 and their spirits are worshiped. To be a member, one must be a part of Yoruba nobility. The missionaries who arrived in 1846 contributed to the changes in women's attire in Efik society. It is a male-only society, and members are bound by secrecy. quickly adapted to fulfil other economic and civil functions. A delegation of kp 'leopard' society initiates, as well as family members, traveled from Mamfe, Manyu Division of southwest Cameroon, to Yaound, the Cameroon capital to honor and reclaim the body of their leader and father, who had recently transited to the ancestors. Also i want bomb and shell. The Ekpe Society or Mgbe society as it is also fondly called is very reputable and covers a wider range of ethnic groups such as: the Efut; the Efik; the Qua-Ejegham, and the Okonko ( the Igbo-speaking areas).