CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
From ancient days, man has used all sorts of objects to convey meaning as a means of staying in social relation with other humans. Among these means of conveying meaning is the drum which seems to speak a proxy language that is close to the verbal language. Drums are presumed to have originated as early as 6000BC. Mesopotamian excavations discovered small cylindrical drums dated 3000BC. Inside cave in Peru several wall markings were found which show the use of drums in various aspects of communal life. The American Indians used gourds and wood to construct drums for their ritual and ceremonies; especially it is most revered among the people of Africa, where it comes in various forms and fulfills various functions (Wikipedia:86).
African culture and life is closely interwoven with rhythm and dance. The rhythm is sometimes dominated by voice and the voice is the sound of the beating drums. There are many different drums that make different sounds depending on how they are made. The most known are the Talking Drums, these drums when played resemble the inflection of the voice. All these are cultural heritage and culture on the other hand is a certain way of life or living, that includes all the beliefs and values, language, customs, styles of dress, food, song and stories that belong to a group of people. Art is part of culture of any group of people that one can think off. Annang traditional art created by the ancestors who predominantly masks and figures like drums which were generally used in traditional plays, celebrations, religious ceremonies and ritual festivals.
It is true that some African drums were used for this purpose: but it is equally true that there are some Talking Drums that have entirely different functions. The fact is that every African drum talks, some more eloquently than others depending on their size, shape and construction. Presently, decorative arts especially in raffia industry are virtual in all Annang culture and Africa may be called the “Drum Continent” because nowhere else in the world has a greater range or number of drums been known.
Ikot Ekpene is known throughout Nigeria as the “Raffia City” because of its ubiquitous works of art ornamentally employed cooperatively along Aba Road, and other important Roads and Hotels in the city. Exotic works of art of different shapes and sizes, tourist drums of different kinds and sizes, including the Talking Drums are generally displayed in all these raffia shops. Throughout the year in various villages and communities, town criers walk the night and beat the Talking Drum and gather at designated places. Many festive seasons dot the annual calendar of Ikot Ekpene and various traditional dances all staged to mark the occasion. In all these, dancers respond in rhythmic styles to the voice of these drums and obey without let or hindrance. All these and more form the background of this socio-religious and cultural studies of Obodom, the Talking Drum in Ikot Ekpene. Therefore, Obodom Talking Drum is a tool of propagating information, sustaining development, promoting and preserving the Annang culture. This then is the background that this research is built on.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In contemporary Ikot Ekpene societies, it is observed that Annang culture seems to be drying out. The argument of some people is that, this modern world is yet to feel the impact of culture, because people’s behavior toward their culture is not encouraging; they tend to regard their cultural heritage as fetish and they feel reluctant to get involved in cultural activities. This type of problem has been amplified by some Pentecostal churches that consider drums and traditional dances as unchristian and pagan. This is one of the problems of this study, how will these same people believe in a drum that talks? Is it possible for a drum to talk? Do ordinary people understand the language of Obodom Talking Drum? How does an inanimate thing talk? It is normal for humans to talk, but who makes the Obodom Talking Drum, this piece of wood to talk?
This research is faced with yet another problem. How do humans understand the language of drums and how does an inanimate material like the drum communicate? What language does it use? We had earlier pointed out the problem of a dwindling cultural heritage in Ikot Ekpene due to anti-cultural onslaught from within, and if this is the case, then will it not be an exercise in futility for one to embark on this type of project? This is a problem posed by this research: to what extent has the talking of a drum following its ordinary leading by a drum men to go with the cultural and religious life of the Ikot Ekpene people? This is yet another problem of the research. This lead us directly to the purpose or objective of this research work.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to discover cultural and religious significance of Obodom Talking Drum in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state. In other words, the objective is to gain insight into the role that Obodom Talking Drum plays in the religious and cultural life of Ikot Ekpene people in the local Government Area.
Another objective is to find out whether Obodom Talking Drum makes more religious and cultural impacts in the lives of Ikot Ekpene rural people than those in Ikot Ekpene urban. The purpose is to find out the reason for the difference, since Obodom Talking Drum is a traditional technological product of Ikot Ekpene people.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The relevance of this study is to bring back the lost identify of Annang culture and to preserve the cultural heritage that is gradually disappearing so that the future generations will learn from this study. This study will also boost the number of literature available on this area. The most significant aspect of this study is that, from available literature, this is the first research work on the socio-religious aspect of Obodom Talking Drum in Ikot Ekpene. This study is also very significant in the sense that it is the first research work on the African Culture and Technical Development in Africa in the Department of Religious and Cultural Studies, Obio Akpa Campus.
1.5 Research Methodology
Both primary and secondary sources will be used in this work, primary source here comprise of original information obtained through surveys, interviews and participant observation .secondary data will be view and ideas used from the work of others who have already researched on the topic related to this study. In this study information will be collected from various secondary sources like: internet materials, books magazines, reports, publications and journals to boast the idea of this research.
1.6 Scope of the Study
Drums are not used for their musical Qualities only, but also as a means of communication over great distances, the Talking Drums of Annang are used to imitate the tone pattern of spoken language. Therefore the scope of this study is limited to the cultural and religious significance of Obodom Talking Drum in Ikot Ekpene and would focused on the preservation and promotion of the people culture.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
This research work is limited to Ikot Ekpene LGA but the researcher did not gain access to all the villages in Ikot Ekpene to gather more information and there was very little prior research on this topic, this cause inadequate material for this topic. Conflicts arising from cultural bias and time constraints also limited this study but despite all the limitations the researcher was able to gather much information that will be useful for the reader and future researcher.
