Cultural Influence and considerations on Costumes and Makeup Design in Moopo Celebration of the Efic/Ibibio
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Date
2011
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14.The National Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioner (NANTAP) and Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC).
Abstract
Perhaps far older and richer than that of Western theatre is the costume and make-up of the African theatre performances. Influenced by culture and sourced from nature, the costume and make-up designs thereof often come in elaborate, distinctive, highly stylized and beautiful patterns. These often
serve both the aesthetic purpose and perform the functions of passing cultural and religious messages, expressing the aesthetics and sharing their world-views of the people having originated from the rites and rituals of the society. This paper examines the costumes and make-up designs in the MBOPO celebration of the Efk/lbibio people of Akwa lbom and the Southern Cross River state of Nigeria. It explores the principles of form, patterns, styles, application and functions of these essential theatrical elements in line with the culture and traditions of the people taking into consideration the geographical location of the place which often dictate and affects the culture of the society. The paper therefore discuses the influence of culture on the design practices in the African theatre by looking at costume and make-up as it exists in this theatre. This study utilizes descriptive and analytical approach with pictures to attempt attempt a portrayal on how costumes and make-up designs in the MBOPO is influence by culture with regard to aesthetics, symbolic perception and the worldview of the people.
The African theatre shall be considered as a whole as there exist the inter-weaving and cross fertilization of ideas between the tradition/indigenous and the contemporary African theatre