| Abstract: |
This research work entitled “Communicative Performance of the Mangor Age
Grade of the Ejagham People, Cross River State, Nigeria” examined the role of the
Mangor age grade in the Ejagham community of Oban. It also explored the
performances of the Mangor age grade and their values and significance to the Ejagham people. The study was grounded in Performance Ethnography Theory,
propounded by Norman K. Denzin in 2003. The study adopted ethnography as its
method, using observation and interviews to collect data. The population of the
study comprised of Oban community chiefs, youths, and members of the Mangor
age grade. The study was conducted in Oban community with a sample size of 30
participants . The study adopted a purposive sampling technique to gather data from
people. Findings indicated that the Mangor age grade comprised of individuals born
between 1987 and 1989 in Oban. The age grade played important roles in
socialization, community development, cultural practices, and the transmission of
values. Their outing, which occurred during the planting season of maize, involved
performances of dances, songs, oral narratives, and instrumentation. These
performances created a platform for negotiation and the promotion of unity, cultural
identity, heritage, and values among the Ejagham people. The study concluded that
the Mangor age grade, through its performances, contributed to the shaping,
construction, and definition of Ejagham cultural identity and performance traditions
in the face of modernity and globalization. The study recommended that local
government authorities, cultural custodians, and community leaders should actively
support and sustain Mangor age-grade performances through funding, cultural
festivals, and documentation initiatives in order to preserve Ejagham cultural
heritage and ensure its continuity for future generations. |
