Introduction
Culture,
is a historic phenomenon, whose development is determined by the succession of
socio-cultural formations. Culture as a whole, is the product of the activities
of the masses. It is characterized by relative independence and continuity of
development, subject to the influence of the cultures of other people, and
accordingly, assumes a class character in any class society as to its
ideological contents, aims and objectives. It implies all the material and
spiritual values – the total values of all that man has produced and handed
over from one generation to another in the course of his development and emancipation
from all forms of vices. But, there is bound to be conflicts in the course of
this historic and cultural development especially, in a class society as they
occurred between the Efịk and the Qua of
Calabar. Calabar, the capital of the then South Eastern State and now Cross
River State, is a tripartite town housing three ethnic groups – the Efịk, the Efut and the Qua. These ethnic groups all had and
still have their kings who were later made Paramount Rulers for Government control.
The Efịk have the Obong,
the Efuts have the Muri Munene and the Qua have the Ndidem.
The Concept of Cultural Identity
Identity
is about how individuals or groups see and define themselves, and how other
individuals or groups see and define them. Identity is formed through the
socialization process and the influence of social institutions like the family,
the education system and the mass media. The concept of identity is an
important one, as it is only through establishing our own identities and
learning about the identities of other individuals and groups that we come to
know what makes us similar to some people and different from others, and
therefore form social connections with them. Identity therefore ‘fits’ individuals into the
society in which they live. The identity of individuals and groups involves
both elements of personal choice and the responses and attitudes of others.
Individuals are not free to adopt any identity they like, and factors like
their social class, their ethnic group and their sex are likely to influence
how others see them. The identity that an individual wants to assert and which
they may wish others to see them having may not be the one that others accept
or recognize. The Efịk and the Qua have
identities peculiar with who they are but then they share some forms of common
identity, such are (amongst others);
1.
The head of the Efịk tribe is called Ộbộng while that of the
Qua is called Ndidem.
2.
Though the Ékpè masquerade of the Efịk is played the same way by the Qua, it is called Mgbe by the Qua.
3.
Major foods of the Efịk are Ekpañkukwọ, Ekpañ-ikon, Ộtộñ, Edikañ-ikọñ, Ùkwộhộ while the delicacy of the Qua is plantain cooked with bush
meat.
4.
The Efịk
have Efịk as a distinct language while that of the Qua is Ejagham.
5.
The Efịk
carry out the Ñkuhọ (Seclusion) practice
for their maidens but the Qua do not engage in the practice.
6.
The major dance of the Efịk is the Èkọmbì dance, other dances
include the Abáñ and Ítémbé dances while the Qua have Monikim as their major dance.
Socio-Cultural Integration of the EfỊk and the Qua
The
integration of the Akpas into the Efịk community started with the change of their name on arrival
in the 17th century to Abakpa and Qua. The next change was in Efịk names which the Qua have fully acquired through socially
and culturally shared ties. Inter-marriages between the Efịk and Qua have also accelerated the rate of integration
within the two ethnic groups which have been described by G. I. Jones in his
report as “indistinguishable elements of one community”. Jones observed further
that “though the Qua still maintain their separate cultural identity, they now
form an integral part of the Calabar system”. They are still able however, to
retain a few of their identity in spite of their long period of association,
socialisation and assimilation under the influence of the Efịk, because even though they speak and understand Efịk, some still hold to the Ejagham dialect in addition to Efịk language. Of all the factors of socio-cultural
integration, intermarriage act as major input to quicken the process through
issues from the union, which equally develops a common language, intra-ethnic
unity and firm and mutual understanding. The union creates a situation for a
dual nationality, where a child born through this union, has a dual citizenship
status as an Efịk and a Qua as it was
with the late Ntoe Okokon Ansa of Akim Akim who was paternally Efịk of Adiabo and maternally, a Qua of Ikot Ansa. So also it
was with the former Paramount Ruler of the Qua (Late Ndidem Usang Iso) who
paternally was a Qua of Akim Town, and maternally an Efịk of Adiabo.