AN EVALUATION OF DECORATED TRADITIONALCLOTHUSEDINTIVCULTURALACTIVITIESINBENUESTATE,NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The thematic preoccupation of this chapter is an evaluation of the Tiv Traditional Decorated Cloth used in cultural activities in Benue State, Nigeria. Highlighted in the chapter are: background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose, research questions, significance, and scope of the study.

The Tiv traditional cloth is woven in predominately black and white with a manually designed loom. Although tie and dye and batik designs are veritable means that produces beautiful colours, Igirgi (2007), research has revealed that, Tiv textile industry depends excessively on local materials of „Beba‟ with the addition of „Kawa‟ that produce the black colour. While the white colour is obtain by maintaining the natural white colour of the cotton wool used. Advances in Technology have made it possible to change the difficulty and complexity often encountered in local production of colour. Colours are imported for use for tie and dye and batik design. Advances in technology have also made it possible to produce materials like black and white thread and other related colours, instead of using the old system of producing materials directly from back of trees, plant, leaf and earth (clay).

It is observed that Tiv textile production came about as a result of the attainment of a particular level of technology, which provided the necessary structure that aided its development into a full-fledged industry with various ramifications. The educational value of colour on Tiv textile production, which is the focus of this research, is an integral aspect of technology found important in this discussion. This treatise on textile thus highlights the essence of clothing as a human need, which is well established. Moreover, textile production

involves painstaking technology, the origin, and evolution of which definitely have significant bearing on the overall history of the societies in which it has been practiced. Attention has been directed to the technological details of the industry, proportionate interest has also been taken in its environmental, socio-cultural and economic implications. These particularly may have affected the livelihood, natural and cultural resource utilization, commerce, social organization, and intergroup relations hip among the societies concerned.

The low tempo of production in the Tiv textile industry is due to inability of weavers to design a highly modernized product and step up production by use of imported thread with manufactured colours. After food and shelter, clothing constitutes one of the important fundamental needs of man. Besides satisfying the basic need of clothing, the production and use of textile has gained importance in man's economic and cultural life, both in the material and non-material reading, with wide-range of implications. It is on the basis of this pervading role of textiles in human life that this study was conceived and articulated. Specific focus is on the art educational value of decorated Tiv traditional cloth among Tiv people of Benue State in north central Nigeria.

Tiv people are found in the Northern and Eastern parts of Benue State. They are the major ethnic group in Benue State occupying 14 local government areas of the state. The general Murtala Mohammed administration created Benue State on the 3rd February, 1976. Benue State lies within the savannah region of central Nigeria popularly known as middle Belt region. Its geographical coordinates are longitude 7o 47‟ and 10o 0‟ East and latitude 6o 25‟ and 8o 8‟ North. The state has a boundary in the west with Kogi state, Nasarawa State in the North, Cross River and Enugu State in the south, and east are Taraba states and the Federal Republic of Cameroon. Benue State is made up of twenty three local government

areas with Makurdi as its Headquarters. The local government areas are; Ado, Agatu, Apa, Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Gwer west, Gwer Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Kwande, Logo, Makurdi, Obi, Ogbadibo, Oju, Ohimini, Okpokwu, Otukpo, Tarka, Ukum, Ushongo and Vandeikya.

Benue State is divided into three major ethic groups, namely: Tiv, Idoma and Igede. Out of the 23 local government areas, the Tiv occupy 14, Idoma has 7 and Igede 2. Within the boundaries of Tiv and Idoma are numerous minority ethnic groups, namely: Etulo, Iyon, Ugee, Ugbe, Nyifon, Jukun, Hausa, Bassa and Azago. Agriculture is the main economic activity which crowns it the Food Basket of the Nation. The major crops are: Yam, Cassava, Groundnut, Sorghum, Maize, and Rice, while tree crops are: Citrus, Palm oil, Mango, and Cashew.

It is on the basis of this pervading role of textiles in human life that this study was conceived and articulated with specific focus on evaluation of decorated traditional cloth used in Tiv cultural activities in Benue State, Nigeria.

In recent times, the economic value and use of the Tiv decorated traditional cloth in cultural activities especially among the youths has been on a decline. Cultural activities such as marriage, burial and traditional title ceremonies feature the young people wearing western/European cloth instead of the Tiv decorated traditional cloth. Many of these Tiv youths perceive the decorated Tiv traditional cloth as a design made for the older generation of the culture. This decline in the economic value and use of the decorated traditional cloth among the younger generation does not argue well for the Tiv culture since their non-use and appreciation threaten the survival of the use of the traditional cloth by future generations.

There has been an outcry among the younger generation of Tiv especially. The complain is that weavers of the decorated traditional cloth prefer to use old method of weaving and dying which the present generation considers as out-dated. This perception discourages the youths especially from using the decorated traditional cloth during cultural activities. Whether this claim is true or false, this research is yet to determine it. Antiev (2001) states that, Tiv textile products are used mostly as secondary rather than primary form of dressing, except perhaps on ceremonial occasions. This is possibly so because the total volume of cloths produced by the Tiv local textile industry is insufficient to cater for the clothing requirements of the Tiv population. It could also be that the modern Tiv population by reasons of acculturative influence, convenience and affordability, have developed preferences for other modes of dressing from the Tiv‟s „basic‟ clothing. It is imperative to evaluate the use of the decorated traditional Tiv cloth in cultural activities. Thus, the study is to evaluate the decorated traditional cloth used in Tiv cultural activities in Benue State, Nigeria.

The aim of the study is to examine Tiv traditional cloths that are used in cultural activities, while the objectives are to:

1.                  find out the educational value of Tiv decorated traditional cloth;

2.                  examine the symbolic meanings of the black and white colour found on the Tiv traditional cloth; and

3.                  evaluate the use of the Tiv traditional cloth.

The following research questions are formulated to guide the study.

1.                   What are the educational values of Tiv traditional cloth?

2.                   What are the symbolic meanings of the black and white colour found on the Tiv traditional cloth?

3.                   What are the functions of the Tiv traditional cloth?

The study is significant because it will enlighten the public on the educational and aesthetic values of the decorated Tiv traditional cloth. The study will also educate people on the symbolic meanings of the black and white colours on the Tiv traditional cloth. The awareness of the symbolic meanings of the black and white colour as they are design on the Tiv traditional cloth will encourage better the use of the cloth during cultural activities.

Decoration is an integral part of Arts. The Tiv traditional cloth is predominantly decorated in black and white colours which gives it a unique cultural identity. However, the educational value of the cloth in terms of its cultural and economic importance has not been holistically established and given the desired attention. It is therefore justifiable to carry out a study on the value of the cloth in the Tiv socio-cultural context.

Source: Ministry of Lands and Survey, Makurdi (2012)

Figure 2: Map of Tiv land showing Gboko, Kwande and Makurdi Local government Area

Source: Ministry of Lands and Survey (2012)

This research faced the following limitations:

1.      Some of the elderly people, who practiced weaving in the past and have more historical knowledge and experience, are now too old, tired, while some are ill and suffer from memory loss which makes it difficult to find reliable facts from them. Also, some knowledgeable and important weavers who would have been of great help to this topic are no more alive.

2.      Poor documentation is another major setback of this research. This is because some of the changes made in Tiv textile production have been neglected and substantial ones that are aesthetically useful have been thrown away without any official record or exhibits. Therefore, the dates or periods when they were in use are lost. This has constituted difficulty in locating some of the earlier materials

used that could help in comparing, the dating and referencing of the changes that are observable in Tiv textile decorated material.

It is assumed in this study that:

1.                  The Tiv Traditional cloth has educational value which can be evaluated.

2.                  People have different perception of the educational and symbolic value of the Tiv Tradition cloth.

3.                  The weavers may or may not be aware of such educational or symbolic values.

4.                  The black and white colours on the cloth signify something important for the Tiv people.

A’nger: Stencilled black and white (Tiv) traditional cloth Amara Mirin: feast convention

Bast: Phloem or flescible fibre obtained from the inner bark of lime trees.

Beba: Dye prepared from indigo leaves Biamegh: inauguration ceremony Kawa: potash

Heddles: a set of parallel cords on a rod placed across the loom with each cord having a loop through which warps thread can be passed.

Loom: A frame, apparatus or machine operated manually or powered, used for weaving thread into cloth

This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research