One Picture And One Story Week #68

The early morning sun shone its beautiful rays on both living and non-living things as I made my way to the saloon along obio imo street, uyo. It was one of those busy days very close to Christmas Eve as everything seemed to be moving at a hurried pace. The aroma of freshly fried akara filled the environment from a nearby stall, mingling with the sound of cars, tricycles and chatter of people passing by.

I had decided to treat myself to a fresh hairstyle as a break from my natural hair twist and conrows. The saloon is owned by my friend (of whom I am well pleased with) and a very modest one located just by the road. As I sat down on the chair, she began her work, bringing in her A game, parting my hair with precision, which showed her years of expertise.

It was a comforting ordeal as I looked forward to a beautiful transformation. Little did I know that this visit would be sprinkled with surprise and mingled with a touch of culture. Lo and behold, it was the famous ekpo masquerade known as "Tinkoidiko" by the ibibio's, a very playful Masquerade claded with drapes of polythenes of different colours and a wooden mask to mask its face.

The Tinkodiko moved with energy and excitement, squeaking its pump and dancing funnily to the rhythm. Children came out of their hiding, squealing with delight, clapping and laughing as the masquerade playfully chased them dramatically for a moment. With all these actions, people gave him some money, and these catalysed his dance steps even more before continuing down the road, leaving a feeling of excitement behind.

For a moment, everything else paused, even the task of getting my hair done. We even forgot our worries. Tinkoidiko’s performance brought lightness to the day, reminding us that even in our day-to-day activities, there’s always room for laughter, culture, and a little dose of magic.

I invite @collins012 @bluelavender @eveetim

Thank you @suboohi for always organizing this amazing weekly contest.