IGBO TRADITIONAL CHANTS: A STUDY OF SYMBOLS IN OGBAGIDIGIDI PERFORMANCE OF OMOR, ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

Symbols take the form of words, sounds, gestures, ideas, or visual images and are used to convey other ideas and beliefs. For example: its part symbol represents love, compassion and health. Dove symbol represents peace, love and calm (Hornby, (2010). Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. It is also an artistic and poetic movement or style using symbolic images and indirect suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions and states of mind. Symbolism is a movement (ie field of study), that pre-occupies itself with the inner life. It generally avoids sentimentality, rhetoric, narration, direct statement, description of public and political themes, and other didactism of any kind. Thus, this paper examines the symbols of chanters in some of the Igbo traditional chants vis-à-vis Ogbagidigidi chants of Omor, Anambra State. The paper x-rays the various chants that are used by the Ogbagidigidi chanters to evoke some magical powers among the youths. The chanters wish may be to overcome an enemy, or to achieve success in some endeavour. The relativist theory is adopted analyzing these chants. The relativists theory allows drama to develop according to people’s culture. The research finds out that the words being chanted may be believed to have some magical power, or the words may be recited along with the performance of ritual that is believed to have some magical power. The objective of the study is to expose the intrinsic meanings in these chants to the general public. Primary data was collected through observation, participation and interview. The young people would benefit from the study because it would instill in them the doggedness it requires to achieve feats. The study reveals that the pre-occupation of the Ogbagidigidi chanter is essentially to evoke those poetic images that instill in the young men the seriousness and zeal needed in the performance. The paper concludes with a suggestion that these chants be recorded and preserved for future generations.