Steemit Engagement Challenge Week 2 || Favorite Cultural or Religious Festival || USORO EKPO FESTIVAL || @sikan-eyen

Nigeria is country with diverse cultural heritage. I am going to be sharing with you my friends today on one distinct and popular culture perculiar to the people of Akwa Ibom State, one of the 36 states in Nigeria.

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HISTORY

Akwa Ibom state is homogenous in nature with rich background of culture and traditions having in record as the first set of people to settle in south eastern Nigeria many years ago before relocating to the south south created in September, 23rd 1987.

Akwa Ibom state is composed of 31 local government areas in the state with the three major language speaking groups as Annang, Ibibio and lastly, Oron.

Being deeply rooted in its traditions, myths and superstitious belief, a secret society known as EKPO was founded by the Annang society.

They believed that spirits of their ancestors never really die. That when these spirits die they come back to commune with their kinsmen, hence the Ekpo Society was initiated.

Source

Usoro means celebration, while Ekpo means the ibibio masquerade, thus the name Usoro Ekpo meaning, Masquerade celebration

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HOW USORO EKPO IS CELEBRATED

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Usoro Ekpo is celebrated between the months of August to September, where many Ekpo masquerades flood the streets (Joining the Ekpo masquerade society is strictly by initiation into the spirits).

This celebration is said to be a connectiom between the living and the dead reincarnating the spirits of deities in the land.

They are dressed in carved ugly designed wooden mask with elongated mouths (made from palm wine tree) owned by the late spirits worn with raffia while designing their bodies with decorative paintings offering performances and scary displays, they move around with dangerous weapons such as cutlasses to chase women and children.

The Usoro Ekpe Festival is done in remembrance of the ancestors of the community

The celebration is usually a beautiful display with masqurades of different sizes and colours on display with people gathering to watch.

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USORO EKPE FESTIVAL IN RECENT TIMES

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This festival is still very much celebrated and held in high esteem till date.

It has not faded into the sands like other festival from ancestral origins.

People still travel to their hometown during this period to witness this celebration, though the new generation find it ancient and barbaric.