Essence, Concept and Masquerade Performances of the Idoma People of Nigeria
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Date
2019
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Faculty of Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State Nigeria
Abstract
Masquerade performances abound in Idomaland like in most African
cultures. They are institutionalised to help strengthen the religious,
cultural and social spaces. Masquerades and their societies are respected
and venerated in Idoma culture as they serve as a medium to bridge the
gap between the living and the dead. They are used in most cases to
represent the spirit of the dead. Against this backdrop, this study appraises
the essence and concept of masquerade performances of the Idoma people.
Employing literary and interview methods, it investigates the
functionalities of masquerades. Among other findings, this study reveals
that masquerades in ldomaland connect the living and the spirit as they
help to translate and mediate between the two worlds. Conclusively,
masquerades in Idoma culture do not only earn their respect and attraction
from verbal narratives, they also have other appeals such as their nuances
in performance, beats of drum-rhythms of various repertoires from the
drummers and the singers who produce the music for entertainment.
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Keywords
Masquerade performances, Idoma, Entertainment, Verbal narratives, Music