DANCES/MUSIC FROM THE FIVE EASTERN STATES

Music and dance are fundamentals to the African way of life. Beyond a simple means of artistic expression, dances are sacred, holding deeply symbolic meanings and significance. Furthermore, a wide variety of rhythmic patterns form d basis of dance in Africa. [N !igerian traditional music as other African traditional music centres on rites of passage" birth puberty, marriage and death, and it involves certain rituals offered to traditional gods for the unity of the people and to lin# them to the supreme being. $raditional music in the country, therefore has an element of religious ritual attached to it in one form or the other. Because these rituals are only for the initiates, the term %secret society& was used by western scholars. $hese secret societies, governed the social attitudes prevalent in the area' regulated sexual conduct, supervised political affairs and provided various forms of entertainment, and popular music drew its inspiration and general form from the activities of the secret societies. A survey of Nigerian traditional music must focus on the individual and collective functions of musical instruments, musical instruments as symbolic musical instruments identified with particular deities and number symbolism. (t examines the peculiar role of song texts as well as the different uses and functions of traditional orchestras.! NATIVE DANCE/MUSIC FROM ANAMBRA ATILOGWU DANCE/ MUSIC )ne of such dances is the Atilogwu dance, regarded as the national dance of the (gbo people of *astern Nigeria. (t is a vigorous dance which literally means %(s this magic+& and combines elements of gymnastics with foot,stomping rhythms and brilliant costume colors. Atilogwu is Fast and energetic, it is done with acrobats.

(t is a dance of the youths in the society who undergo rigorous training before presenting the dance in public. )nce approved, the dance is performed during important festivals and great social occasions. -ince dance offers as much variety as the music and traditional delights, African dancers are earth centered' dancers repeatedly return to the earth as they give themselves to the rhythmic pulse. $his is one of the features of the Atilogwu dance. $he dance is not also complete .

without

wiggling,

common

characteristic

of

typical

Nigerian

dance.

Atilogwu dance has been elevated to a da//ling art form, simply put' Atilogwu has become a celebrated signature of Nigerian culture, performed around the world IJELE DANCE/MUSIC (0ele dances ma0estically to the royal (gba,e/e" dance of the 1ings popularly called A#unechenyi. $he musical instruments includes 2 drums, ogene, ubom, uyo, *#we, flute 3)0a , ufele4, wooden clapper 3a0a , o0a4 amongst others.

DANCES IN IMO STATE

NKWOTILE $he N#wotile dance 3rump dance4 is common in Mbaise. $his is the chance used for celebrating the annual yam festival and for propitiating the yam god A0o#u 3Ahan0o#u4. $his dance has been modified over the years to e#pe, mmanwu 3mas5uerade4, (ro#o, e#ereavu, abigbo to mgba 3wrestling4. NWAABURUJA AND OZOEBUNE DANCE Nwaaburu0a and )/oebune dance is used to celebrate the harvest of the first yams in Arondi/uogu. (t serves to unify and foster ties among Aro people who are spread across the entire (gbo spea#ing states and part of 6ross 7iver state. (t appeals to the entire (gbo spea#ing peoples both at home and in the 8iaspora.

MUSIC/DANCES FROM ABIA STATE

EKPIRIKPE OGU *#piri#pe )gu is a war dance performed by warriors, for warriors and during epoch ma#ing9mar#ing events of valor. :iving the traditional origin of )gbuebulle people who migrated from Bende, this dance is believed to have been inherited from their ancestral home.
NKWA UMU AGBOGHO

Nkwa Umu Agbogho is a good example of dance that is related to courtship is the Nkwa Umu Agbogho of Afi#po in (mo -tate. $his particular performance which is performed by young girls, used to be a traditional dance in honour of a hero in wrestling contest. ;istory

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has it that the =ate 8r. Nnamdi A/i#iwe met one of his wives , >che when she was dancing to the titillating dance rhythm of the %Nkwa Umu Agbogho& of Afi#po.