FONGU" AND ITS PERSPECTIVES

[Abigail pereowei]

The Ijaw people which includes the Ibani people are predominantly fishermen who travel and live along the sea routes in makeshift settlements or fishing ports (Bori-kiri) some times far way from their native villages but along the seashores doing their fishing expeditions especially deep into the ocean, most times leaving their nucleus family behind in their villages.

As they do their fishing exploits,and as the seas gets deeply rough and turbulent and the catch from the sea becomes small between the months of July to early days in September especially in August and fishing gets very risky, the fishermen see this period as a Rest Period for them wherein they travel back from their various fishing settlements (fishing ports) to their villages to reunite with their wives, children and the rest of their families they have left behind for a long while.

1) As these fishermen come back they see this period of their stay with their families and the rest of the community as a time to take stock of happenings in the community in their absence and a time to count themselves to be sure that all the men from the village (community) that left for fishing expedition in the various fishing ports (Bori-kiri) all came back alive or a record of those who couldn't make it as a result of death while in the fishing port or as a result old age or sickness.

2) As these fishermen come back, some of them who have the power of spiritual communication and revelation with the spirit beings come to tell what they saw (dance steps, songs and shapes of the entities they have seen during their expeditions, and they take the opportunity to tell and teach other members of the "Owu Ogbo" these dance steps and songs. This is only open to initiates.

"FONGU":

1) "Fongu" to an Ibani man is a season of turbulence in the sea and torrential rains in the sea which makes fishing expeditions risky and a moment of low catch from the seas.

2) "Fongu" to an Ibani man who is an initiate of the "Owu Ogbo" is a moment of;

A) HOMECOMING:
As these great Fishermen come back from their fishing journeys because of bad weather, they seize the opportunity between the months of August and early September to engage in their "Owu Ogbo" activities only open to the initiates.
They refer to this period as FONGU.

During "FONGU" for the "Owu Ogbo" (Masquerade Club), the initiates (members) see it as Homecoming.

In this Homecoming, there are several steps to a "FONGU":

1) "FONGU MINI":

"FONGU" - Turbulent season at the sea which requires rest from.

"MINI" - To answer to a call.

This is a submission and answer to the subjection of nature with the turbulence in the seas, if you like this is a compulsory rest dealt on man by the elements of Nature (God Almighty).

So in summary, "FONGU MINI" is a compulsory subjection of the fishermen to the "Calls of Nature" to rest from work (fishing) for a while, during which the "Owu Ogbo" members congregate.

Note that several "Owu Ogbo" has their different dates to congregate within the earlier specified period.

2) "FONGU AKWA MINI":

"Fongu akwa mini", this is when the "akwusa" (the big drum) and other drums are sounded ushering in the "Fongu" season for the year and during which all club members are called to convoke in the "Igwa" (Club House) and club elders and some others who have drum names are called by their drum names to indicate their presence, but this significantly is the official start off of the "FONGU".

2) "FONGU ERE MINI":

"Fongu ere mini" is the taking of Roll Call of members present during their Annual General Meeting and of those whose names will be answered for in absentia because they have sent their Roll Call (Annual Subscription) and indication of continuous membership.

In this Annual General Meeting (AGM) names of members are read out this is to know in the year under review, how many members are still alive, how many members are still members, and how many members are dead.

It is in this Annual General Meeting (AGM) that decision is made on how many days will the Club have its masquerade display for the season,and possibly what masquerade (s) will be displayed.

It is noted that it is in this AGM in the "FONGU" that the leadership (Exco) of the "Owu Ogbo" can be changed and a new Exco elected if the tenure of the subsisting Exco has come to its full circle.

"FONGU OWU TIÍ "

This is the masquerade displays proper on the chosen dates, times and venue.

This is the climax of the entire "FONGU" season.

Thank you Adaobu Blue-jack ANIPR for the great insight on this subject.

BONNY KINGDOM TO THE WORLD

#ijawheritagetv


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