Wednesday, 7 October 2015

The Igede drum used in Ovwuvwe Festival Musical Performance

Brief origin of Ovwuvwe Festival

Ovwuvwe festival is a re-enactment of the sojourn of Avwaeke, the Founder of Abraka kingdom . It is a yearly celebration ensuing from the triumph over the Enemies forces that got drowned in the Ovwuvwe stream, therefore making it possible for Avwaeke, the ancestral father of the Abraka people to establish his settlement with members of his family in Otoro-Abraka (Abraka traditional headquarters).
The Igede (Drums)
This comprises of the Osi-igede (father drum), Oni-igede (mother drum) and Ini-igede (small drums). These are easily identified by their characteristic structure – the father drum is elegant and the tallest, the mother drum, conversely, is short and plump, and the others are of moderate sizes. Only medium Igede (drums) are used for Ovwuvwe festival musical performance because of their sizes and flexibility. 
They are made out of Logs of wood. The Igede are the most common instruments used in Ovwuvwe festival musical performance. The log of wood is cut to the desired height or length and a cylindrical hole is borne through it from one end to the other. Thereafter, the body is carved, in order to sharpen it to an expected form

picture of the Igede
Celebrant performing with the Igede during Ovwuvwe festival


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