The Abakuá secret society has recreated the Ekpe society in Calabar (Nigeria / Cameroon) brought to Cuba by Calabar slaves. Abstract Since September 2017, the English-speaking peoples of the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon have been subjected to unprecedented repression of genocidal dimension by the Biya…. RARE Handmade African Drum, Cameroon, indigenous art object (EKPE Society) Item Information. 2015. Calabar, the main port city of this region, is the homeland of three distinct communi­ties, known as Abakpa (Qua-Ejagham), Efil.t, and Efik, who call their society. Laméca file. "Hakuna Matata" (No More Worries) - Integrating Indigenous Systems of Conflict Resolution into the Formal System of Government Administration in Cameroon: Case Study of the Ekpe Society of Manyu Division. She said as a member of the Ekpe Society of the Efiks, she participates in the Ekpe activities. Stephen O. Agbor. Keywords: Ekpe songs, song performance, ritual protocols, Ekpe institution, Efik. . Ekpe society among the Ejagham tribe found in CROSS RIVER STATE of NIGERIA and the MANYU DIVISION in CAMEROON. An Ekpe chieftain however, could be allowed to initiate any of his daughters into Ekpe society but such initiation was usually "honorary and cosmetic" (Miller & Ojong, 2012). Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of resident members of The Ekpe Society - USA, I would like to start by apologizing for the uncharacteristic exchanges from some of our members that flooded these forums recently. Ours is a society of discipline, self restraint and decorum. a 2009 study of the history of the Cuban Abakuá mutual-aid society and its sources in Nigeria and Cameroon. Through the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Ékpè culture was recreated in Cuba, where it is known as Abakuá. Ekpe Society at 3:25 PM No comments: Email This BlogThis! Deep crisis is brewing in Calabar, as the unity of 600-year-old Ekpe society, commonly found in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, some parts of South East Nigeria, Cameroon and Cuba, is threatened. Evaluating the Place of the Ekpe Traditional Institution as a Tool for Nation-Building in Pre . Resolutions of the Ekpe Society meeting held on September 16th 2011 in DC. The Ekpe Festival, which primarily features display by Ekpe masquerades from the Efik, Efut, Qua Ekpe lodges, has a long tradition as it has always taken place on Christmas day over the years. Even Cameroon has and practice prestigious Nsibidi sign writing or communication [6]. Cuban Abakuá music. In Voice of the Leopard: African Secret Societies and Cuba, Ivor L. Miller shows how African migrants and their political fraternities played a formative role in the history of Cuba.During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, no large kingdoms controlled Nigeria and Cameroon's multilingual Cross River basin. The Mount Cameroon origins of the Oroko people can best be seen from Knut Knutson's accounts of cultures around the Cameroon Mountain, recorded in Ardener (1996). - Gives respect between members in the Ekpe society: prepare and share with other members: Traditional inherited practice - Widely used in all ceremonies: Abundant: Red-river hog Potamochoerus porcus: Ekpe and Ngbe (or Mgbe), after the . According to a few Manyu Patriachs who witnessed the ceremony, the EKANDIM is kind of a female Sesseku. The highest title in the Ekpe given to a woman who has distinguished herself in the society with acts of service, Mobilization of groups, building skills, representation and humanitarian works to her people etc. Ekpe, also known as Mgbe/Egbo (Ekoi language: leopard; derived from the Ibibio term for the same), is a West African secret society in Nigerian and Cameroon flourishing chiefly among the Efiks.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 . In Voice of the Leopard: African Secret Societies and Cuba, Ivor L. Miller shows how African migrants and their political fraternities played a formative role in the history of Cuba. A delegation of Ékpè 'leopard' society initiates, as well as family members, traveled from Mamfe, Manyu Division of southwest Cameroon, to Yaoundé, the Cameroon capital to honor and reclaim the body of their leader and father, who had recently transited to the ancestors. (Not to be confused with the . Along with ethnic groups that flow across to the Cameroon, these Nigerian ethnicities are called the Ejagham group, whose "territory is concentrated within the large southwest bend of . hour. Crest masks of this kind are associated with the Ngbe/Ekpe secret warrior society. Apart from enforcing laws, its courts judged important cases and recovered debts for its members. EKPE SOCIETY The origin of Ekpe: Ekpe is said to have originated from Isangele Sub-Division, in Ndian Division, South West Province, Republic of Cameroon. The nsibidi script is used by the Efik, and Ekoi peoples who live in the Cross River region of Nigeria and western Cameroon. Cameroon every Mfor Mbge` (lodge leader) designates one of his daughters to serve as the Manyang Arong (female member) who participates in the lodge to assist her father.2 E´kpe` 'leopard' society in Africa and the Americas 3 Downloaded by [ivor miller] at 08:40 10 April 2012 . With the colonial intervention in the late nineteenth century, the emergence of modern individualism and western political systems has tended to . It is a male-only society, and members are bound by secrecy. Deported Cuban ñañigos in the Spanish press. It explores the longstanding cultural practice the cloth represents and the artistic process involved in its creation. The anglophone problem in Cameroon yesterday and today in search of a definition. the Ekpe society, nsibidi has maintained its relevance among the Efik for many centuries because of its ability to adapt to new . By Hilde Helson. The 2014 winner of the Eko Prize for Emerging Anglophone Writers in the poetry category, Ekpe Inyang holds an MSc in Advanced Professional Studies (Environmental Studies) from the University of Strathclyde, UK. The gospel choir sang Negro spirituals that symbolized the . Ekpe Inyang hails from Korup and holds an MSc degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Strathclyde, UK. Ekpe (Society) Organization Staff Only Found in 1 Collection or Record: Ivor L. Miller Papers . Ekpe, also known as Ekpo (Ibibio: Leopard), is a Nigerian secret society flourishing chiefly among the Efiks of the Cross River State, the Oron, of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Arochukwu and some parts of Abia State, as well as in the diaspora, such as in Cuba and Brazil. 2017. Ékpè had four major roles in pre-colonial . …authority as head of the Ekpe (Egbo), or Leopard, society. It first spread North, South West, and across the Atlantic Ocean. 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. Cameroon: Case Study of the Ekpe Society of Manyu Division Stephen O. Agbor Nova Southeastern University,sa717@mynsu.nova.edu This document is a product of extensive research conducted at the Nova Southeastern UniversityCollege of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Introduction In the context of rural communities with generations-long apprenticeship systems for Abakua (Abakuá) or Abakwa, sometimes called Ñáñigo, is an Afro-Cuban men's initiatory fraternity or secret society, which originated from centuries old fraternal associations in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon,. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, no large kingdoms controlled Nigeria and Cameroon's multilingual Cross River basin. The EKPE Society . . Ekpe. Members of the Ekpe society are said to act as messengers of the ancestors (ikan) [15]. He has many years of experience, having worked, in different capacities, with the World Wide Fund for Nature, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Pan African Institute for Development—West Africa (PAID-WA) in Cameroon. CiteSeerX - Document Details (Isaac Councill, Lee Giles, Pradeep Teregowda): An initiation club for men in Havana and Matanzas, derived from the Ékpè leopard society of West Africa. Instead, each settlement had its own lodge of the initiation society called Ékpè . Ukara ekpe cloths are woven in Abakaliki, and then they are designed by male nsibidi artists in the Igbo-speaking towns of Abiriba, Arochukwu and Ohafia to be worn by members of the Ekpe society. The Ékpè ("leopard") society represents an ancient African institution that provided the supreme functions of governance in the communal societies of the forest regions of the Cross-River basin and the hilly terrain to the east, in what is called today southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. By Isabela de Aranzadi. It was invented by the Oroko people of the Isangele Tribe about three thousand years ago. "The Balondos [Orokos] are very important to the history of the Ekpe/Mgbe society of West Africa that went to Cuba during the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the 18th and 19th centuries," he says. The society is somewhat akin to a free mason group and does some unofficial law enforcement. On his part, Motale has argued that in Bateka were several nations, among who were the Ngolo. Time left: 5d 07h . From NigerianWiki. Sociology. N. F. Awasom. It is located in the South-West region of Cameroon. The Ekpe Society is a highly respected and an integral part of the Manyu culture that originated from the Cross . which is the official apparel of the Ekpe society, is the most prominent surface on which . In terms of finding information on the Nsibidi and the Ekpe society there is quite a bit online but these are a "secret . It was invented by the Oroko people of the Isangele Tribe about three thousand years ago. NSUWorks Citation. Posted by Hood Quarterly, spring 2015. Situations, perhaps . The cloth is made of plain cotton but . Ndibo Yevengo- Abakua & Ekpe events; Cuba-Calabar Radio . It posits that the Ekpe (Mgbe) people migrated from Cameroon. The society is still active at the beginning of the 21st century, now playing a ceremonial role. In the days of old ekpe for men known as ekpe masquerade comes out or perform only during the funeral celebration of a prominent ruler or a traditional clan head. The listing has ended LOBE, CAMEROON - Edmond Motule, 40, is the president and chief of the Oroko community in Lobe, an estate in southwestern Cameroon. The script is used by the initiated members of a secret society called the Leopard or Ekpe Society.During the precolonial era, Ekpe society functions were many and varied. THE ABAKUÁ INSTITUTION : A CARABALÍ FOUNDATION IN CUBAN SOCIETY . Details about RARE Handmade African Drum, Cameroon, indigenous art object (EKPE Society)-show original title. ekpe society cameroon 133 Saratoga Rd, Glenville, NY 12302 ekpe society cameroon The Nkim dance is usually perform at the end of every circumcision . Mr. . in Advanced Professional Studies (Environmental Studies) from the University of Strathclyde, UK. Isangele) in southwestern Cameroon. Masks of this kind are usually covered in antelope skin, but rare examples covered in human skin have led researchers to hypothesize that warriors originally wore the heads of killed enemies. 1830S was derived principally from the male "leopard societies" of the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. The elders in the community came in force as they drummed and danced to the African beat. Symbols including lovers, metal rods, trees, feathers, hands in friendship war and work, masks, moons, and stars are dyed onto ukara cloths. Shared with Public. "The . The Ekpe is a secret society that lives mostly in Nigeria and whose members are typically law enforcers and politicians. hours. Abakuá, known by its members as Ekório Enyéne Abakuá (a group founded by a sacred mother that is called Abakuá), is a Cuban mutual aid society for men, whose ceremonial activities occur exclusively in the . Posted on March 01, 2015 by Web Services Editor. The Ekpe Society of Southwest Cameroon were present to perform a traditional libation ceremony prior to the start of the event. Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest. The African origins of various areas of society are often overlooked and one noticeable area that is not thoroughly explored is the African origins of Freemasonry. In Voice of the Leopard: African Secret Societies and Cuba, Ivor L. Miller shows how African migrants and their political fraternities played a formative role in the history of Cuba.During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, no large kingdoms controlled Nigeria and Cameroon's multilingual Cross River basin. 6. However, the event lost its vibrancy by the mid-1980s, and virtually died out by the end of . Efik society. Abstract The Ékpè ('leopard') society represents an ancient African institution that had provided the supreme functions of governance in the communal societies of the forest regions of the Cross-River basin and the hilly terrain to the east. Sessekou Eddie Besong's funeral in Orlando, Florida. Many Ñáñigos deportees brought back this memory to Africa to the . It was technically part of Nigeria, according to history, which was the reason we had the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). The Ekpe society and its members were the leaders and directing minds of the community. EKPE SOCIETY The origin of Ekpe: Ekpe is said to have originated from Isangele Sub-Division, in Ndian Division, South West Province, Republic of Cameroon. Abakua (Abakuá) or Abakwa, sometimes called Ñáñigo, is an Afro-Cuban men's initiatory fraternity or secret society, which originated from centuries old fraternal associations in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon, where the organization was known as the Leopard Society. Representatives from Angola, Cameroon and Sierra Leone were present. Group belonging is built around shared symbols, including masks. Infact; there can be no-gainsay of the USAK-EDET People (ISANGELE) being the originators of this highly acclaimed Ekpe Society that the EFIKS, led by EFFA EFFIWAT later on used in subduing their subjects of EFUTS, (i.e. Cantos Abakua . The masquerade tradition itself is most popular in Calabar and the Oron nation of Udung-Ukko, Mbo, Urue-Offong Oruko, Okobo, as well as the Eket and Uruan local government areas in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria, and even western Cameroon. As a distinguishing feature of the broad Ejagham cultural group spread across Nigeria and Cameroon (Thompson, 1974), the nsibidi motifs inscribed in the ukara textile's surface function as both ideograms and pictograms (Onor, 1994, Kubik, 1986). 1. This art work is a reflection of the Ekpe ancestral juju,that comes out during the ancestral dance.This dance is organised only during the death of a member of the ekpe society or during coronations and cultural festivals.This dance is from the peoples of Manyu division,in the south west province of Cameroon.The ekpe juju is feared and respected by all.when the juju is dancing onlookers must . However, references to the Ekpe cult (Post Express 13 Mar. 2001; Chukwuma 2001, 127; Ijele 2000), Ekpe society (LAM n.d.) and Ekpe secret society (Express and Echo 7 Jan. 2003; WAR n.d.) were found among the sources consulted. part of the Balondos or Orokos in Ndian in Southern Cameroon) and Idombi (ie present town, called Bamusso in Ndian-Southern . It covers a surface area of approximately 9,565 km square and has a population of approximately 177,389 according to annuaire statistics du Cameroun 2006. . Tuesday, January 24, 2012 . Crest masks belong to the ngbe/ekpe warrior secret society. Abakuá is an Afro-Cuban men's initiatory fraternity, or secret society, which originated from fraternal associations in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. The masquerade tradition itself is most popular in Calabar and the Oron nation of Udung-Ukko, Mbo, Urue-Offong Oruko, Okobo, as well as the Eket and Uruan local government areas in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria, and even western Cameroon. Specific reference to a cult known as Ekpe na Mboko could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Labels: Ekpe preparing to take the remains into the funeral home in Florida. At its peak, it permeated the social, economic and political life of the Efiks but lately its dominance has been eroded as urbanization and modern political administration expanded. They are well respected agents of wealth distribution in the community. 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 . The economics of the society is based on paying tribute to the village . The 2014 winner of the Eko Prize for Emerging Anglophone Writers in the poetry category, Ekpe Inyang holds an MSc. . The Ekpe Society is a religious and cultural institution among the Efik people, it can also be found among the Annang and the Ibibios. He spent several years working for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and also served as a short-term consultant to the German Technical . Deportados ñáñigos cubanos en la prensa española / Presence of the Abakuá society in Fernando Poo at the end of the 19th Century. Social norms and cultural services - community belief system and use of wildlife products in the Northern periphery of the Korup National Park, South-West Cameroon Change and Adaptation in Socio-Ecological Systems, 2014 The masks are thus believed to symbolize the appropriation of enemies' power. . Instead, each settlement had its own lodge of the initiation society called Ékpè . Cameroon is known as Africa in miniature because of its multitude of ecosystems and associated biodiversity, cultures and traditions. Founding President and leader of Ekpe USA. This exhibition booklet examines the ukara cloth of the Ekpe secret society, a multiethnic all-male association in southeastern Nigeria and western Cameroon. Ogoja, Obudu and Ugep. "Ekpe" which literally means Lion, is a traditional secret society originated from the Ekoi tribe in Cross River State. Time left: d. h. m. s. day. Ekpe Inyang. An account from the Qua said the origin of the Ekpe people can be traced to Cameron. . For more information on research and degree programs at the NSU Signs on the road, woods or stones were inscribe with Nsibidi Facial marks . Published by the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College. In Efik. These Ngolo created the Ekpe society and invented the Nsibidi writing system in . Instead, each settlement had its own lodge of the initiation society called . 2020. Condition:--not specified. It first spread North, South West, and across the Atlantic Ocean. English language is spoken in the South-Western part of Cameroon. The Ekpe or Mgbe Society is wide-spread throughout the Cross River basin, covering several ethnic peoples from the Efik's, the Qua-Ejegham and Efut people, amongst others through to the variants in Igbo-speaking area's (known as the Okonko). 2012. Abakuá is a mutual-aid institution with initiation rites that was created in colonial Cuba by forced-migrants from the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Known generally as Ekpe, Egbo, Ngbe, or Ugbe among the multi-lingual groups in the region, these closed groups all used the leopard as a symbol of . Society of Cross River Nigeria and Cameroon. Speaking at the ceremony, the head of Ekpe of Afap village, Seseku Daniel Laluh said with Prof Ayuk's commitment in the village, the Ekpe society thought it necessary to confer him the Seseku . Like other symbols, they served to reinforce the shared sense of group i. . 1. . Another historical account claimed that Efik people pioneered the Ekpe between 1720 and 1729 during the initial migration of Calabar. "Ekpe" which literally means Lion, is a traditional secret society originated from the Ekoi tribe in Cross River State. He spent several years working for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and also served as a short-term consultant to the German . Nigeria and Cuba [10].