The Egwu-Udo (The Masquerade) And The Ouwuo Dance In Nigeria
In Nigeria, there are completely different sorts of tradition, dance, custom and so on, in keeping with the completely different quite a few tribes that make up the nation. Some of the fascinating cultural actions could be present in Umuaka, a city positioned Between Orlu city and Owerri metropolis in Imo State. The Igbo tribes of Nigeria are very beneficiant folks in terms of social and cultural actions. In Umuaka a social-culture exercise that one can’t afford to overlook is the Ouwuo which function many alternative masquerade dances. One of many masquerades which can be extra engaging and fascinating to observe is the Egwu-Udo.
Umuka is a city In Imo State recognized for his or her retained ancestral tradition and conventional lifestyle. In Umuaka Tradition is their primary precedence because it boosts the historic background. They admire their tradition and festivals to the bream.
The identify Egwu-Udo means wool-dance “Egwu (dance) – Udo (wool)”, and simply because it’s identify contains the outfit, the masquerade’s costume which is general vibrant knitted wool to cowl the dancer with opening on the stomach had been it may be worn by means of, is designed with consolation capability to the dancers’.
For a dancer to be gorgeous, he has to design his outfit colourfully blended. Some dancers additionally tie vibrant Ogodo (wrapper) on their waist to make their outfit excellent. Some usually tie a small bell on their costume which makes a jingle noise as they move by. This attracts and calls the peoples’ consideration {that a} masquerade is passing by.
The dance contains fast-slow steps after which regular war-like motion, typically the dancer makes some lingering steps and pause, after which continues once more. The dancer makes a whistle sound ”auuu-le-le-uuuuuuhu” as he performs or passes by. Folks extra particularly youngsters may comply with an Egwu-Udo to a really lengthy distant however the climate. There are normally scheduled days for the ouwuo dance which most of them usually holds at market squares, college compounds and a few Oghu leaders’ compounds (Ezhi Ndi-isi ouwuo) the place the Egwu-Udo and different masquerades carry out their dancing.
The Oghu competition normally kick-off by June and ends in July simply earlier than the preparation of the August assembly which commences within the month of August. Through the commencing interval of the Oghu youngsters keen to hitch or take part in any ouwuo dance or suggested by their mother and father to take action, can be initiated. The initiation course of implies being a male indigene, present cola nuts, palm wine grind and baked melon with some ugba pottage offered to the ouwuo leaders (Ndi-isi ouwuo).
On days that there isn’t any scheduled dance, the Egwu-Udo is free to wander about anyplace in the neighborhood.
In the present day the competition being one of many legendary social-festival in Umuaka and neighbouring cities is carried out anyplace on the earth the place there are Umuaka indigenous that can’t afford to journey house for the competition.
The Egwu-Udo (The Masquerade) And The Ouwuo Dance In Nigeria
climate tomorrow
#EgwuUdo #Masquerade #Ouwuo #Dance #Nigeria