AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF EFIK MYTHOLOGY IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
| Format: Ms Word | 1-5 Chapters | Table of Content|
INSTANT PROJECT MATERIAL DOWNLOAD
Study Level: BTech, BSc, BEng, BA, HND, ND or NCE
Amount: ₦3,000.00
ABSTRACT
This study examines the Efik Mythology in Historical Perspective, bringing to light the rich myths of the Efik people in an effort to address the issue of inadequate documentation, which will give the younger generation a way to learn about these myths, globalize the Efik Mythology, and pique the interest of academics in the Efik culture, ultimately fostering cultural development. Of course, in order to manage the past, present, and future, we need to have a sense of our history. We were able to collect the numerous myths that were hidden in the Efik people’s oral tradition by employing historical and descriptive approaches that relied on primary and secondary sources as well as contemporary digital technologies. We were also able to reveal the significance of these myths and mythology to the Efik society. However, the study discovered that because there is no irreversible transmission format, these myths are being forgotten by the young and ignored by the elderly. Therefore, these myths and mythologies must be recorded in non-destructible formats so that they may be retrieved and referred to by other generations if we are to increase cultural awareness, uphold moral principles, and fill in the gaps history cannot fill in today’s modern Efik society.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The phrases mythology, myth, folklore, and religion have frequently been abused or misinterpreted. These phrases, however, are distinct and refer to diverse things. According to Spence, “mythology as a term implies; (a) a race’s mythic system (b) the investigation of myth.”1 Spence goes on to say, “Myth refers to an account of a god’s or supernatural being’s deeds, usually expressed in terms of primitive thought.” Thus is an attempt to explain man’s relationship to the cosmos, and thus has a largely religious importance for people who relate it; alternatively it may have originated to ‘explain’ the existence of some social institution, custom, or the idiosyncrasies of an environment… Legends are stories passed down via tradition, frequently about real locations and people.”1
Spence defines religion as “the perception of the infinite and its influence on one’s moral character,” as defined by Max Muller. According to Frazer, myths and mythology were the religion of ancient nations.2
There are many different sorts of mythology with a wealth of material on them all across the world. Celtic Mythology, Egyptian Mythology, Greek Mythology, and other myths are examples of this. Materials on these mythologies have been successful in not only revealing the presence of such mythologies, but also in providing sufficient information on the traditional beliefs of the people in these places. Efik Mythology, according to Philip Akoda3, is a collection of myths told, sung, or written down by the Efik people and passed down from generation to generation. Sources of Efik Mythology include Bardic poetry, songs, Oral tradition and proverbs. Efik myths comprise stories about creation myths, supernatural entities, mythical creatures, warriors, places, and things. The Efik’s traditional storytelling style involves sharing their narratives under the light of the moon. The Efik language contains several words for various forms of traditional stories, with Mbk spanning myths, folklore, and historical narratives and Mbre ffi relating exclusively to moonlight plays.4
The Efik community is rich in myths, but there are few easily available and well-documented resources for reading and learning about them. Furthermore, the new generation of Efik people is unaware of these stories, which has contributed to their demise. This project intends to change that by making myths more accessible and well-documented.
READ ALSO: MYTHS AND MYTHOLOGY IN IBIBIO CULTURE
1.2 Statement of the Problem
According to research, there is a scarcity of written works on Efik mythology. This is largely due to the way Efik myths are transmitted, which is by oral tradition at cultural festivals and performances (Mbre ffi). Furthermore, certain religious faiths’ depiction of traditional behaviors as devilish has largely contributed to the downfall of Efik stories. According to Elise Reynolds in The Importance of Mythology;
It is an important element of anyone’s heritage. It reminds us of who we are and where we came from. Every culture has its own legends, folktales, and myths, whether Celtic from Scotland, Ireland, or Wales.5
From the foregoing, it is clear that revitalizing the Efik people’s rich myths is critical to ensuring that future generations are aware of their cultural heritage, understand the significance of these myths, and contribute to historical knowledge through the documentation of information gathered during this study for future research.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The fundamental goal of this research is to analyze Efik mythology in historical context while also considering its value and relevance to Efik people. Specifically, the goals are as follows:
- To encourage proper documentation of these myths;
- To arouse the interest of scholars in the field of study as this could provide better information on the cultural and religious background of the Efik people;
- To globalize Efik mythology like its counterparts in the western world (e.g. Celtic mythology, Greek Mythology, etc.);
- To provide a means for the younger generation to learn about the rich myths that surround Efik culture as well as ensure the effective and continuous transmission of these
1.4 Scope of the Study
The current study is limited to the lower basin of the Cross River region, which is home to various minority ethnic groups, including the Efik. The Efik are surrounded by other ethnic groups such as the Quas and Efut, who are separated into different clans. This research focuses on Old Calabar, which comprises the settlements of Obutong, Obio Oko, Atakpa, Nsidung, Ekoretonko, Mbiabo, and Adiabo, as well as its dependencies, which include a number of villages that were once plantations. The choice of area is to avoid ambiguity which would make the work a bore and also avoid the temptation of making generalisations.
In terms of time, the study uses oral tradition to disguise tales that are as old as the Efik community itself. Because Efik tales are passed down from generation to generation, pinpointing the time when specific myths may have evolved can be difficult. According to Philip Akoda, many Efik tales had their origins in a period preceding the establishment of new cultural customs.6 He uses the myths surrounding Ekpe as an example, claiming that some of the myths were likely influenced by pre-existing beliefs in similar societies such as Nsibidi, while others began marinating at the time of its introduction to Old Calabar society in the 18th century.6
1.5 Research Methodology
This study relied on archival records, oral testimonials, and published and unpublished manuscripts. Furthermore, it made advantage of optical character recognition (OCR), a current digital technique. OCR is a technique that identifies text characters within tangible materials such as books, periodicals, and scanned documents using complex algorithms. OCR-compliant documents are digitally searchable and, in some situations, editable, making it easier to locate specific information inside them. The ability of a document to be digitally searchable alleviates the difficulty of sifting through documents for hours in search of precise information. This method was used to find Efik mythology allusions in data on mythological persons, locations, items, and publications.
Archival material was gathered from the National Archives in Calabar as well as digital libraries such as Archive.org.7 Materials gathered from these archives were extensively examined and compared with other sources in order to avoid the overuse of opinion over facts.
In-depth interviews and recordings of oral personal testimonies from a broad set of informants in the Efik Society, including community leaders, Ekpe title-holders, chiefs, and persons with considerable knowledge on the research issue, were conducted.
USE THIS MATERIALS AS A GUIDE FOR YOUR PERSONAL RESEARCH WORK (IF PROPERLY CITED)
PAY ₦3,000 HERE TO DOWNLOAD MATERIALS
DISCLAIMER
WE ASSIST OUR CLIENTS BY PROVIDING QUALITY RESEARCH MATERIALS FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES.
THIS MATERIAL IS FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD BE USED AS GUIDELINE.
DO NOT COPY THE ABOVE MATERIALS VERBATIM (WORD FOR WORD)