Informatics Publishing Limited

Abstract

This research explores musical instruments and tools of Ebre festival as motif on fabricto be identified with the Ebre women's dance group in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria as costumes for their festival and beyond. Ebre is an Ibibio name for water yam, which the dance group is named after. Ibibio is a majority tribe in Akwa Ibom state. The Ebre dance group was formed as a result of the maltreatment meted on Ibibio women by their husbands, to teach morals and to celebrate a bountiful harvest of water yam which was cultivated traditionally by women. The Ibibio women belong to other groups that use the same acculturated textiles with similar costumes. Hence, this research was motivated by the desire for a unique textile design to distinguish the Ebre festival dance group from other groups. Four Ibibio communities within Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State were chosen for this research. Data was collected from primary sources which consist of dancers, instrumentalists and a random selection of women who were interviewed, and secondary sources which include, archival, library and internet sources. These led to the production of samples from sketches to finished fabrics and costumes .Fabric samples were57cm by 74cm,whichwere titled in Ibibio language and taken to the field for critic and acceptance. This research is a documentation of the cultural heritage of Ebre festival and Ibibio on fabric to project them for tourism, industry and job creation. The study recorded success in the use of Ebre festival musical instruments to create designs for costume of identity.

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