Cleansing/ Purification of the Land

Location/ Spatial Setting: Etefia Central Shrine, Nnung Ukim, Ikono LGA.

Performer: Obong Udo Nsung Inemenyen.

Age: 75 years

Occupation/Rank: Chief Priest of Etefia Central Shrine.

Performance:

IBIBIO ENGLISH

Àbàsì ọnyọñ, àbàsi ísọñ, mmè èté yè The most High God, our divinity below, our mmè èté-éte ǹnyìn. Mmè ǹdèm ísọñ, fathers and forefathers of our Ikono land Ìkọnọ: (ọduọk ukọd). (pours some of the drink on the ground).

Mmè èté ìdʌñ dùòèbà obio Ìkọnọ: The Heads of the twelve villages which are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Àbàsì Ísò Èkpò Ńsìkọk, Àbàsì Úbrè the armlets of Ikono: Àbàsì Ísò Èkpò Ńkañ, Àbàsì Úkañ Èyò, Àbàsì Ídìm Ńsìkọk, Àbàsì Úbrè Ńkañ, Àbàsì Úkañ Èyò, Énañ, Àbàsì Ébua, Àbàsì Ḿbàd Èsè, Àbàsì Ídìm Énañ, Àbàsì Ébua, Àbàsì Ḿbàd Àbàsì Úkhiere, Àbàsì Ébìọñ, Àbàsì Èsè, Àbàsì Úkhiere, Àbàsì Ébìọñ, Àbàsì Ḿbọ Ńckiàñà, Àbàsì Énìn, Àbàsì Ísuà, Ḿbọ Ńckiàñà, Àbàsì Énìn, Àbàsì Ísuà, Àbàsì Ńkàngì: Ìdí ídíwọñ ìnyʌñ ìnọ Àbàsì Ńkàngì: Come out and drink then lend útọñ ké mkpé ùbọk ǹnyin (ọduọk ukọd). your ears to our supplication (pours some of

the drink on the ground).

Ebò ké akananam ìkwọd ísí fèhéké It is said that “the toad does not run in the ìnì uwem‟éyo íbọhọké abinne mkpọ, right daylight unless it is after something mme mkpọ abinne anyé, (amim mmim). or something is after it” (groans).

Ifʌkkọ ínuèn akpon die yàk ńdúfúúd How big is the lap of the skylark (bird) that itiaba afid? (ọduọk ukọd, amim mmim). it should be infected by a set of seven

dangerous boils? (pours drink on the ground

and groans).

Ńnyin èdọñ ákpé dọọk ábód, íníññé uyio If a lamb climbs a hill, its sweet voice goes ámọ ánà akọọn. hoarse‟‟.

Ábód ányin idọọkkọ mí ányọọñ ikàn The hill we are now climbing is too high Ńnyìn. Adò anam ǹnyìn itua (asiọọp, for us. That is why we are crying (hisses ọduọk ukọd). and pours some of the drink on the ground).

Mkpa awak abọhọ ké obio nnyin; There is too much death in our land; the mkpa ntək ayin, ubọikpa mmè mkpàráwà death of young men and young women, is ami adò mbùbiàm (amim mmim). is an abomination! (groans).

Ǹdìtọ edò mkpò inémésit énọ iwuòd Children are the joy of grey hairs.

iwad.

Akéna ǹditò ébuuk únié, aah! They were to outlive and bury their parents, Ǹsínám ǹnyìn ìnánà iwààd ǹnyìn? aah! Why are we losing ours in their

(ọduọk ukọd,amim mmim). numbers? (pours some of the drink on the ground and groans).

Mkpá úsọñ asédo mkpọ ídàrà, ádò The death of grey hairs is usually greeted mkpá ńtək áyìn ado mbùbiàm, with celebration, but the abominable death ase‟dad ùkùùd yé èkím ánò obio of youths usher in sorrows and darkness (ọduọk ukọd). (pours some of the drink on the ground).

Mbọk mbùfò mmè èté ǹnyin, ìdí o o o Ooh ye deities and spirits come, come, ìdí‟nìm utre ubọk ké mfʌhò ami akpon co- o-o-m-m-e, and put an end to these ábọhọ k‟ésid ǹnyìn (ọduọk ukọd, ọduọk sorrows in our hearts! (pours some of the

inweek). drink on the ground and sighs heavily).

S‟íkpídad útọ mfʌhò ami ídí, mbọk Whatever is the cause of this plague, may ye mbùfò mmè èté ǹnyìn, ìwìppé ànyé deities find out and pluck it from its entrails, isio, ké ǹnyìn íniéhé ányèn (ọduọk ukọd). for we are blind (pours some of the drink on

the ground).

Mme akpeto ǹdùduè ǹnyin ìduèhé mbùfò Is it as a result of our errors against you mmè àbàsi ǹnyin k‟ isọñ yè mmè èté ǹnyin? deities/spirits? Please pardon us. The crab Mbọk ìdàkká ìnọ. Ìsóbó akébò k‟imò says “it was never aware of, nor engaged in íniéhé ùtọk mme mfínná mmè ánwán any squabble or fight with man”, why then yè áwó, ndiin ǹsí nám áwó boom ìmọ the sudden crushing of its liver (heart) by ntom? (ọduọk ukọd,amim mmim). man? (pours some of the drink on the

ground and groans).

Akpédò mmè ásuá énám ami, yàk If our enemies have done this to us, may ammọ ekpañña usọp-usọp. they soonest die, die shameful and

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Yàk ekpa mkpá esuènné, sia áwó ákpé untimely death, for, “whosoever uproot suenné mkpʌk èto, ase duọ èbéék k‟ákpọ the budding elephant grass by the

usʌñ, iso awọd anyọñ (ọduọk ukọd, roadside must fall facing the sky” (pours amana ọduọk uwak uwak). Some of the drink generously on the

ground and pours again).

Àfíd mbùfò esehe ‟dá yè ǹnyìn, All you good and supporting spirits ìdí ìdí wọñ k‟ubọk ńnàsià do o o come and drink From our right hand (ọduọk ukọd k‟ ubọk nnasia) (pours some wine with the right hand).

Ábáñ okukpá,ìkìm okuwàkká utọñ. The pot shall not break, neither shall the gourd split or shred its edge.

Amado mbùfò mmè ukpaka ékpò, But you detracting/evil spirit, take ìbọ ákè mbufò k‟úbọk ufiin, yàk ufọfọb yours From my left and get chocked ámì ífọfọbpọ mbùfò (ọduọk ukọd ke (pours drink with the left hand).

ubọk ufiin).

Mbùfo mmè àbàsi ǹnyìn k‟ ísọñ yè mmé Ye deities/spirits of our land and our fore- èté ǹnyìn, ádò mbùfò èkédaha yè ǹnyìn fathers who have stood by us since the tọñọ ké ayio mmè èté ǹnyìn, ákpọsọñ day of our founding father - the „Great Enọkọn, ànyé ama áwà iFr. e àkíkọ únèn Enokon‟. And he had continually sacrificed k‟ini-k‟ini (ọduọk ukọd). „„whole cocks‟‟ to you at intervals (pours

some of the drink on the ground).

Ǹnyìn ìmí‟nim ké mbùfò émébọ mkpé We firmly believe you‟ll accept our ubọk ǹnyìn ènyʌñ èbèññé idém adi kòp supplications and grant our petition, so mmè ésèmé ǹnyìn ǹnyʌñ mbọrọ, ma that we shall live and sacrifice to you, ǹnyìn iwa uwa ebod ye éwá inọ goats, and dogs (pours some of the drink mbùfò (ọduọk ukọd, amana ọduọk generously on the ground).

uwak uwak).

Sé inọ mbùfò ídóhó íbọk mkpà, We have not given you poisoned drink kpà anyé k‟ ǹnyìn mmè adu-uwèm but what we, in the land of the living also ìnyʌñ ìnwọñ, ìbọ, ìnwọñ o o o! take in (pours some quantity of the drink (atọkkọ ukọd anwọñ). into the now empty glass and drinks).

Ìbọ uwa ékọọm yè itòro ǹnyìn. Accept our sacrifice (drink)/worship.

Yàk ìnʌñ yè nti inem amọ ákénè Let the salt, with all its good taste, go with àndíyàm anyọñ k‟úsuànà ùduà its trader (seller) when the market is over (ọduọk akpatre ukọd). (closes) (pours the last drops of the drink on

the ground).

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