CULTURAL PRACTICES IN IGBO OF NIGERIA AND CHANGING TIME: THE MUSICAL DIMENSION

Abstract

Cultural practices extend to such areas as type of dressing, cuisine, languages, music making, norms and values, beliefs, worships and so on. Most of these aspects of culture have been impacted tremendously, judging from the recent trend of development that is raging or seems to have gained ground contrary to societal expectations. Obviously, traditional music performance is highly affected in this massive global change. In Igbo traditional society just as in every other African society, music is functionally and contextually ritualized. The fact that music is event oriented accounts for the reason why each performance identifies and gives meaning to the occasion under which it is performed. Unfortunately, the trend is no more exactly the same again, for instance, most traditional music performances in Igbo society have lost their natural taste. Most of them have moved from natural serene environment or arena to stage and electronic thereby shading the traditional flavour that gives them cultural identity. This paper examines different cultural practices and their musical involvements to determine which areas of these musical practices that have been affected by this raging change. Information for this work anchored on materials gathered from personal experiences, observation, oral interviews and review of literatures. It was discovered that technological development and quest for modernity have taken a great toll on Igbo traditional practices and their accompanying music performances. The paper suggests that healthy traditional practices and their music performances be encouraged, most especially as they are pointers to every culture’s existence so as to avoid the menace of cultural abrasion and consequent identity devastation.