ART AND CULTURE: PART II: EFIK MARRIAGE CULTURE

ART AND CULTURE: PART II: EFIK MARRIAGE CULTURE

Eunice Okene


The Efik marriage culture, like a HBO television series, just when you think you've known or perhaps, read everything there is to it, unboxes a continuing roll of cultural candies.

Sequel to last week's post, on the day of the proper ceremony which takes place at the bride’s family house, the groom and his family will be seated with the bride’s father and his kinsmen in a sitting room while other guests seat outside. The announcer or moderator known as MMA OFIORI NDO (female)or ETTE OFIORI NDO (male) will announce each item to be presented to the hearing of the guests seated outside. One of the major items to be presented is a box ‘EKEBE’ which contains different kinds of clothing, accessories, shoes to show how the groom will take care of the wife he is to be given.

The bride price OKUK NDO is paid. UFOP ISO EKA EYEN is paid to the bride’s mother. UFOP ISO ETE EYEN is paid to the bride’s father, the groom also pays OKPONO NDIDI to loosen the ties on his bride’s feet and arms to officially claim her.

When the ofiori ndo (moderator)  calls for drinks to be presented to the bride’s family, two well adorned maidens emerge with a brass tray containing the drinks [known as akpankpang] balanced on their heads for presentation. The akpangkpang an expensive commodity is very rare these days because not every family can afford it. Royal families who own it put it up for hire to those in need.

After meeting all these rites, the groom who is usually dressed in a white singlet, a wrapper (nsobo), beaded shoes and a cap, is ready to make his entrance to the arena where guests are seated, his friends troop in with him holding a beautiful ceremonial umbrella over his head while dancing to beautiful traditional drums and songs.

When he takes his seat, the bride, dressed in a ball like Elizabethan gown (onyoyo), a beautiful staff and hair plaited up like the crest on a peacock head called ETINGHE and designed with bronze combs(edisat) down to her neck or waist, makes her entrance with the ekombi dance and her friends follow closely behind dancing and cheering. She dances round courtesying in appreciation to the guests before she takes a seat beside her groom.

The final rite is the presentation of mostly kitchen wares by the bride’s mother and her family to the bride, these gifts are usually all an Efik bride needs to keep her home running as nothing is seldom lacking. The ceremony ends as the couple take the dance floor while well wishers join them ad mist eating, drinking and much jubilation.
What an interesting sight to behold.