Masquarades of Itam People
Itam is found mostly in Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom state, Itam was visited by the early Europeans; a base of pioneering late Mary Slessor, a Scottish missionary, who established the first leper colony in the West Africa and built a general hospital in the area before she died in 1915. Itam is located in the southeast of Nigeria Itam covers and share the same boundary with Ibiono, Uruan, Ini, Ikono, Ibom and Uyo local government area. Itam a clan in Itu Local Government Area has three lineage groups of villages namely Afaha, Ekit Itam and Ibiaku villages. Ibiaku Itam has 26 villages, Ekit Itam has 14 villages and Afaha has 7 villages. Itu have five clans: which are Itam Itu Ayadehe, Okuiboku, Mbiabo with 79 villages are recognized in Itu. It has a population of 82,719 according to 1991 population census. The greatest asset in Itu is its fertile land, which produces rich soil that favors cultivation and growing variety of food and tree crops. Itam served a god Awaitam which they found as a deity for unity. The occupation of Itam people includes farming, fishing, trading and small scale industries. Also in Itam there are oil deposits at some villages under Itam; clay and other economic minerals have also been found in Itam and a water fall. One of the villages in itam serves as an important tourist centres, commercial centres for transportation of timber and food items to other parts of the country.
Religion
being part of culture is also noted in Itam to be a belief from all parts of
the world about God common religion practiced is Islam and Christianity which
teaches that there is only one God. Traditional religion practices in Itam are
done via deities which are Ude, Afriyo,
Asibok and Uyo. The pan-Itam deity was Awaitam
with the monkey as a totem animal. The animal popularly known in Itam as Adiaha Awaitam. By tradition, it is an
abomination for any Itam person to eat monkey since it is a taboo for the
people. The deity of Itam is usually attended by a priest called Oku Awaitam while the messenger is
called Isu Awaitam. Isu was to be a slave; his hair was not
to be cut, not to own any property and to marry as well. Tradition made it
clear that the Isu where sick or old
was to be killed and replaced by another slave. He was not allowed to die a
natural death.
In
the past the deity had a great influence on the life of the people and was
regard as god of war protection and prosperity. The people of Itam go sought
help and blessing from it girls to be fattened, the sick and the people who
wished to become diviners, soothsayers, and to be initiated into Ekong and Inam societies do conduct the
deity for blessing. Announcement of the new yam festival, Usoro Awaitam is usually done by the priest of Awaitam every June of the year. As a culture, any child born in
Itam on the day of ritual was named Awaitam.
Civilization has made the site of Awaitam
not visited dutifully as it was in the past. Its declining fortunes are
attributed to the forces of Christianity and western education.
Itam People and Culture
Itam People and Culture
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