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This gentleman (from Umuowelle village) is demonstrating a rare and privilleged skill.
Rare because there are no more elephants in Nigeria except in the few zoos; and it requires musical skills and powerful lungs. Privilleged because everyone cannot afford a priced possession such as an elephant tusk. The red cap identifies him as a ranked chieftain. The beads atest to a level of wealth. The clothing is traditional Igbo ceremonial male “jumper”
Before telephones, tusks (opi) and drums (ekwe) were used to send messages across rugged terrain to relatives and friends in distant villages and towns.
Flute (oja), gong (ogene) and town criers were used for local transmissins.
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