Indigenous dress as a prerequisite for cultural preservation in traditional African festival: 2011 Ozuruimo in focus

Abstract

The article is designed to investigate the place of indigenous dress in the preservation and propagation of Nigerian cultural heritage, using 2011 Ozuruimo as a case in point. People are known for their customs and traditions and one of the elements of cultural identity is the use of dress. It defines the status, origin, sex and cultural identity of the wearer. The method used for this paper is the analytical study whereby the dress patterns and make-up used in 2011 Ozuruimo were analysed in order to assess their cultural undertones and relevance. The study observes that a nation without a culture is aimed at extinction and that it is only through the celebration of festivals that the culture of the people are showcased through their body adornments which enables the world identify and place them in proper geo-cultural context. The study concludes that in this era of globalization where western influence seems to be the order of the day, there is need to preserve and propagate the culture of the people through the use of indigenous dress and body designs so that our cultural identity and heritage will not go into extinction.

Keywords: Indigenous dress, Culture, Ozuruimo, ISCAC, Preservation, Traditional African festival