Cultural Tourism in Nigeria

INDIVIDUAL ESSAY strive Title Cultural phaetonry f aestivals and sheaths in Nigeria Name Deborah Vincentsdaughter TABLE OF CONTENTS limit INTRODUCTION3 Cultural touristry3 literary productions REVIEW4 Festivals and make upts4 Cultural fetes in Nigeria5 Festivals and bear upons6 Igue fete6 crude yam Festival (Iri ji Ohuru/iwa ji7 Gbagyi Gbodogun8 CRITICAL outline11 CONCLUSION11 REFERENCES12 INTRODUCTION touristry bossly has to do a sens with affectionate activities. A typical instance is the possibility touristry which is a type of tourism that provides an hazard for deal to ch on the wholeenge temper and e verything round it.This type of tourism provides opportunities for activities such(prenominal)(prenominal) as Hand gliding and mirror symmetry sailing which atomic number 18 separate chthonic hard adventure while h giveable sports and wild carri get along with be class under soft adventure. The chambers dictionary has specify tourism as the eve nts of tourists and those who concur it available for them. Tourism as defined in a book says that it is the field of battle of how good human bes can lot when they argon a carriage from their normal habitats, of the application that meet his needs and lastly of the impacts that cardinal he and the industry name on the hosts in such ways socio hea henceish, economic and physical environments. Ja show up-of-the-way(prenominal)i 1977) acquiring information from a nonher book nearly tourism, differences in the definitions of tourism could be traced to the pas quantify overturees Economic, technical and holistic. 1. Economic definitions emphasizes on the contrast expanse of tourism, nevertheless if it were to be criticized by leiper(1979) that it fails to even discuss around the tourist and his motivations or limitations in get releaseling. 2. Technical approach to the definition of tourism aims at mainly the governments and the tourism industry organizations that inadequacy to varan the size and some different of the essence(p) issues astir(predicate) tourists markets. . In 1942 holistic type defined tourism as the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-residents, in so farthermost as they dont locomote to permanent residence argon non connected to any earning activity. Cultural tourism Cultural tourism is a adjourn of tourism. This parcel of tourism is an activity in which a roleicular group of plurality in a definite argona present their heritage or ethnical assets for tourists to see and appreaciate.The UNWTO(united nations world tourism organization) produced two definitions based on two approaches which are * The narrow definition-derived from the professional, product-based approach to defining ethnic tourism. This definition includes questionment of persons for basic tot onlyy in ally heathen motivations such as battlefield tours, acting arts, ethnical tours, travel to festi vals and so some another(prenominal) other cultural events, visits to sites, travel to study nature, folklore and pilgrimages(Richards 199622) * The wide definition-is based on conceptual, process-based approach.Has to do with the migration of persons because they satisfy the human need for diversity, lean to raise the cultural level of the some star and giving rise to freshly k todayledge, get it on and encounters(Richards 199622) Cultural tourism involves four elements correspond to my research and they are as follows * Tourism * Use of cultural heritage assets * usage of experiences and products * The tourist(cultural tourists) According to ICOMOS (International council on monuments and sites) observed that cultural tourism center some things to many an(prenominal) throng and herein its strengths and weaknesses.This part of tourism is withal inhabitn as a form of special tourism where goal plays the role of either attracting tourists or motivating passel to trave l (McIntosh and Goeldner 1992 Zeppel 1992 Ap 1992). LITERATURE REVIEW Festivals and events In this section, festivals and events in Nigeria provide be discussed fully and their impacts analysed. It will be wise to discuss what festivals are all about first forward going on to other things.Festivals are an historic expression of human activity that sum up such(prenominal) to our social and cultural life and that they are to a fault increasingly linked to generating business activity and providing in move up for their host communities(Ellen et all 2002). In some cases festivals are not observed with the motive of attracting tourists, their nature,destination,range of effecters and productions in ane stern over a gip period of time ,comm hardly in the sp residual calendar months, encourages viewers( good deal) far and near/all over to hail. They can issuing many forms, eg. music-rock, pop, tell apart and folk types of music.There are alike fuddle and cultural festivals. EVENTS INDUSTRY-this is an industry where festivals are grouped under. Cultural festivals in Nigeria Nigeria has so many festivals that piddle been in existence since the time of our ancestors, until the arrival of different religions as we have today but still nonetheless festivals are resignn as important occasion. Local festivals in Nigeria have a lot to do with different events such as harvest festivals, betrothal festivals, coronate of a young top dog and funerals. today the western sandwich world and system has influenced our local anesthetic anaesthetic festivals eg. ances that were performed by members of each colonization have now been transferred unknowingly to proffesionals. This country is fatty in divers festivals which includes * Egungun festival renowned in Ijebu ode town of ogun maintain in May. * Odum festival famous by the ijaws of okirika in Benue state. Normally done in the month of April. * Barakau normally celebrated with animal sacrifices by the Fika people of Potiskun in yobe state. Done in July. * Nduku festival is known to be celebrated by the people of Ogume in Ndokwa local government area of Delta state. It is a November festival. * Igue estival this one is celebrated by the benis of capital of Japan state in the month December. * parvenue yam festival is done chiefly by the Ibos in Nigeria in the month of August. * Gbagyi gbodogun takes place in Gadabuke village and celebrated by the agadabukeyis (natives of the village) in toto local government area in Nasarawa state. Often observed at the end of the twelvemonth November/December. * Oro festival is a tradional one-year Yoruba event usually observed in the month of July. Among all these festivals listed out and summarized briefly, only three of them will be discussed and their impact as well in the attached section.The local festivals are 1. The Igue festival 2. refreshful yam festival(Iri ji ohuru/iwa ji) 3. Gbagyi Gbodogun Festivals and impacts Igue festival i s the one am going to be discussing about first. It is done in the ancient city of the Benin kingdom, Benin located in Edo state in the southern part of Nigeria and takes place in the month of December. It marks the day of remembrance of the death of the past obas in Bini Kingdom. Igue festival usually goes on for seven days, and then on the seventh day, the conclusion is now celebrated. Sacrifices and offerings are give to the paragons, songs are also sung along during the period.The sacrifices offered are mainly utilize to give away faultse the grime, so that it be perplexs clean enough for the gods to be appealed. The people twisting are the oba (king) of the Benin kingdom, his chiefs, subjects and the Benis of Benin, Edo state. In the past, their practices used to be sacrificing human cosmoss for killing of the land to the gods until the present Oba Erediauwa came into power and stopped it. in brief such things dont take place in the festival again, though sacrifices are existence made, humans are no longer sacrificed, rather with animals for warning goat.Apart from these, the Benis practice so many other things while celebrating the Igue festival which includes the chiefs dressing in their finest tralatitiousistic attires, joining the oba in songs and springs, by name Ugie Ewere. They do this with the Eben Emblem. Masquerades also perform the local dances to think about the audience. While the festival is still on, all the Ihogbe presents symbolic Ewere leaves to the Oba. As the festival is celebrated yearly, the Oba celebrates Ugie Ewere (the anniversary of his conjugation to Ewere some years back).The Bini people also use the festival as an opportunity for offering thanks to the gods for sparing their lives and ask for much blessings. Public holidays are eternally given, and people are told not to move for that period of time. Impacts of igue festival The igue festival leaves its impacts in the lives of the Benin Edo people in thes e ways * Economically thither are much activities in the area. For example a lot of people engage themselves in get and selling in preparation of the event. * socially the festival creates a good furtherance and image for the area. Eg. he people who survey for the festival may want to re-visit the place, not just for a particular creator but to have a printing of the environment. * Geographically as people beget from other tribes to witness the event, it gives the community an opportunity to be developed and supports environmental enhancement. New yam Festival (Iri ji Ohuru/iwa ji) to eat a new yam/to break of serve a new yam, that is what the words create verbally in another language called Ibo means. most(prenominal) time it depends on the village, but it is normally celebrated in the market place, where the god of the community/village is kept.The Iwa ji festival (new yam festival) is celebrated in the month of August. This festival, is all about celebrating a new yam( which is one of the most important pabulum and first crop to be harvested in the eastern region) Old yams are brought out and discarded/consumed and the breaking of the new yam follows, it is usually done by the Igwe(king) or the chief priest depending on the destination, The people mixed are the members of the village, chiefs or elders of the village, chief priest and the Igwe.In place for the festival to be a successful one, so many practices are involved which includes sacrifices are made to the gods, to appease and thank them for fruitfulness, before the festival begins this is usually done by the chief priest(it is believed that their positions bestows the privilege of universe intermediaries between the gods and their community),they arrange with the biggest sized yam for the festival, because it shows the amount of vast fruitfulness including dishes served.Old yams are discarded or consumed in order to pave way for the new ones, Masquerades are invited to perform and en tertain people, traditional gunshots announces the opening of the ceremony at times, children are being cleansed with rituals (ima cha ahu-to clean the body) because they favourite opinion that before a person takes in anything new, it is important to cleanse the body. This belief is popular among the Easterners. Most times the yam dishes are shared between friends and well-wishers in order to enjoy and celebrate with them.Sons and daughters of the Ibo community come back home from wherever they are in the world. Late Dim chukwuebuka Odumegwu Ojukwu exposit the events as the most igbo of Igbo events, because it clearly shows the enculturation of the Ibos. Impacts of the new yam festival This festival impacts on lives of the locals of the eastern region in Nigeria, and they are dictatorial impacts * Culturally it strengthens the hold fast of the Igbos (the relationship). it reminds people of how love and unity existed and reigned among them before the civil war in the east. soc ially so many people impression contented during and after the event, because it brings their loved ones (sons and daughters) from far and near. For example Grandparents will be happy to see their children and grandchildren. * Economically it yields the locals so much money, after they are done buy and selling. A good example for this is-people who were present at the occasion taste the yam, and would want to buy more maybe to take home or for many other reasons. cast out impacts * Culturally sometimes people are being used for sacrifices to the gods all in the name of tradition or preserving the culture.In addition, so many individuals get initiated into cults or fraternities which they never planned for. These initiations could be traced to the cleansing and sacrifices to the gods. Also People are being initiated into so many things. This happens because of the cleansing, sacrifices and others not mentioned. Gbagyi Gbodogunthe event takes place in northern part of Nigeria. it is being observed by the agadabukeyis or the Gwari people of Gadabuke village in toto local government area,in Nasarawa state. It is celebrated per year at he end of the year November/December. The festival is all about cultural values and tradition all showcasing with humble sacrifices because religion has dominated tradition today. It helps to make the young ones get to know more about their customs and traditions. The people involved are the king, chiefs, governors, advocates and the villagers. Traditional dances, masquerades also display-the dance called Dawiya(the native name),their local or cultural food is being displayed and served as well by name Zhepo.Martial arts, like the traditional martial arts are being done also,magics such as pound a tuber of yam on a person, and it is not painful(odi e shi-which means it is not painful in a language called Igbo), press cuttingting an individual with a very sharp knife and it doesnt hurt, take razor blade and it doesnt cut the p ersons mouth, pouring water into a field goal and it does not lick. They normally drink laurel wine, and the local food Zhepo with something to go with it. for example, tend clump soup and ponded yam.Ceremonial cleansing is being done also before the festival, traditional wears are being worn and they are called Ajesinda. This is the local food called Zhepo The Zhepo and garden egg soup mixed together Impacts of Gbagyi gbodogun Positive impacts The festival effects the locals in so many ways, a few of them are * Socially it is exciting for example when people watch the masquerades dance and the magicians act, it is pleasing to the shopping centre and heart at times. Fun people get to enjoy themselves while celebrating the festival. eg. he people acting as masquerades find it interesting scaring people (when they run, because of fear), the traditional dancers also have fun while playing at the festival. * Culturally it awakens the gbagyi people about their culture for them to r emember, to preserve, conserve and leave the culture Authentic just the way it has perpetually been from the first days, if not because of science and engine room or the 21st century age that came in and has really impacted into it. Negative impacts * Socially the festival reunites the Gwari people. For example Gbagyi eople come together from far and near to celebrate, and by means of this, people get to meet new individuals. * Culturally youths try stupid things. Eg. they go home and practice what they have seen the magicians do at the festival just to know if it true or not. At times they aspire to be magicians and have witching(prenominal) powers to do whatever they wished to do. CRITICAL ANALYSIS A. Is it fair for human beings to be killed all in the name of preserving culture? For example in the Igue festival human beings were being sacrificed to appease the gods.I personally believe that, no human being should be killed draw out the person has committed any criminal offe nce punishable according to law and order. B. can buoy a festival be authentic, even after the foreign tourists impacts on them? Most at times, when foreigners dramatize these local events, they tend to introduce the western system to the locals who accept it and put it into practice. It takes a person who is properly amend and acquire to know how to preserve their culture notwithstanding the influence of the foreign tourists. CONCLUSIONIn a nutshell, as yet if Nigeria is rich in cultural festivals, there are some practices that are not supposed to be sustained anymore and there are some that are meant to be preserved and maintained. For example, sacrificing of human beings. On the other hand, it is good for foreign tourists to come for the events and educate the locals more about festivals, but the locals also need to be educated on how to preserve their culture. REFERENCES http//emeagwali. com/nigeria/cuisine/igbo-new-yam-festival. hypertext mark-up language Robertico Rose ndo croes. (2000), Anatomy of demand in internationalistic tourism, a case study of Aruba, wagon train Gorcum. ihttp//www. nasarawastatetourism. com/events/GbagyiGbogun. html Bob Mckercher, Hilary du cros. (2002), cultural tourism the partnership between tourism and cultural heritage management, U. S. A. the Haworth hospitality press. http//nigerianartatoyasaf. blogspot. com/2012/02/in-benin-igue-festival-2011-c elebrates. html cocksucker Robinson, Sine hietmann, peter Dieke. (2011), Research themes for tourism, UK, taxi international. http//www. onlinenigeria. com/festivals/? blurb=471 Milena Ivanovic. (2008), Cultural tourism, Cape Town, southbound Africa, Juta & company. ltd. ICOMOS AND UNWTO.