Ethnic Metaphors and Culture-Syncretism as Semiotics of Select-Nigerian Films
Metafora Etnis dan Sinkretisme Budaya sebagai Semiotika Film-Film Select-Nigeria
Mary Emmanuel Emah1, Esekong H. Andrew-Essien2
1Department of Performing Arts, Akwa Ibom State University, Nigeria
2Department of Theatre & Media Studies, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
*Penulis Koresponden: [email protected]
ABSTRAK
Makalah ini adalah presentasi kualitatif dari penyebaran metafora etnis dan budaya sinkretisasi sebagai semiotika dalam film Nigeria. Makalah ini menarik landasan teoretisnya dari Interaksionisme Simbolik Herbert Mead. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa setiap kelompok etnis di Nigeria distereotipkan dan denotasi metaforis tertentu menggambarkan perbatasan etnis yang berbeda di negara tersebut. Budaya populer yang membentuk kode nonverbal yang dapat diuraikan dan referensinya diambil dari sinkretisme budaya di mana simpanan dialek yang berbeda membentuk ide-ide yang membentuk makna dalam masyarakat.
Makalah ini menyimpulkan bahwa pembuatan film dalam masyarakat adalah cara untuk menggambarkan realitas masyarakat dalam karya kreatif. Itu harus dikodekan dalam budaya populer untuk menarik keinginan populer. Direkomendasikan bahwa penelitian menyeluruh harus dilakukan sebelum film dibuat untuk menghindari representasi ide yang salah, terutama dalam tanda nonverbal. Isyarat nonverbal memerintahkan informasi yang lebih kuat dalam suatu budaya; mereka harus diwakili untuk membangkitkan daya tarik dan mendidik.
Kata Kunci: Metafora Etnis; Budaya; Sinkretisme; Semiotika; Pertunjukan.
ABSTRACT
This paper is a qualitative presentation of the deployment of ethnic metaphors and syncretized culture as semiotics in Nigerian films. The paper draws its theoretical foundation from Herbert Mead's Symbolic Interactionism. Findings show that every ethnic group in Nigeria is stereotyped and that certain metaphoric denotations describe different ethnic frontiers in the nation. The popular culture that forms the decipherable nonverbal codes and their referents are drawn from culture-syncretism within which deposits of different dialects form ideas that establish meaning in the society. The paper concludes that filmmaking in a society is a way of depicting the reality of society in creative work. It should be coded in the popular culture to attract the popular will. It recommends that thorough research should be done before a film is made to avoid the wrong representation of an idea, especially in the nonverbal sign. Nonverbal cues command even stronger information within a culture; they should be represented to generate appeal and to educate.
Keywords:Ethnic-Metaphors; Culture; Syncretism; Semiotics; Performance.
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ISSN 2747-2671 (online)
Vol. 1 No. 4, 2021
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1. INTRODUCTION
Nigeria has a multiplicity of ethnic groups and cultural frontiers with distinctive idiosyncrasies (Undiyaundeye 2005; Miles 2016). Because of the affinity of the people to their cultures, ethnic sentiment has become the basis of many social, political, and economic considerations including appointments of personnel in present-day Nigeria. Even though this has often been justified with the argument that ethnic representations strengthen the bond of the Nigerian federation, it also breeds a negative critical attitude, giving rise to stereotype perceptions of the dominant ethnic groups, which have been captured in many Nigerian films and other cultural products.
One of the identifiable factors in Nigerian ethnic identity is a generalized metaphor in which persons from any of the ethnic blocs are tagged (Undiyaundeye 2017). When the extreme urge to make money or the extreme love for it is mentioned in Nigeria, a particular ethnic group is idealized whereas everyone loves money. Some even would go the extra mile to get money; yet an ethnic group is labeled as greedy, materialistic, and with an inordinate lurch for money (Mopa-Egbunu et al., 2021). Mentioning the fetish or the people with much adherence to supernatural practices like herbalist and witch-doctors, a particular ethnic group will come to mind. When discussing servitude, there is a bloc that will come to mind, and so does it go to the beggars, the greedy, the indeterminate, the dirty, the dainty, and so on. All these are ethnic metaphors, a direct appropriation of stereotypes to a people. According to Michael Haralambos, Martin Holborn, and Robin Heald (2008), racial metaphors are like stereotypes. On the other hand,
Stereotypes are over-simplified or untrue generalizations about social groups. For example, short people might be stereotyped as being unusually aggressive, and women as being weak and passive.
When stereotypes imply a negative or positive evaluation of social groups, they become a form of prejudice, and when they are acted on they become discriminated (p.
168).
These metaphors even manifest in expressions such as, mmongo, unege, aboki, wuru-wuru, ofe-mmanu, pio-pio, beg- beg, and di-dia-mkpo. However, these distinctions never weaken the fabric of creative endeavors; they rather encourage its spread by squeezing a culture or way of life imparted through speech into the mainstream of Nigerian general language that creative arts explore.
This contributory slang, idioms, and superimposition of dialect on the general language form a kind of syncretism that almost every “from-town-come” speaks
in Nigeria.
Culture syncretism is the intertwining of several cultures in a specific practice (Undiyaundeye 2009).
According to Anietie Udofia (2020), cultural syncretism is the “crowding of many (cultures’) ideas… (the) lumping of several ideas into a single plunge…” (p. 263). Such ideas deployed in interaction are adopted as a decipherable mechanism to project buying and selling across frontiers of dialect; and mostly the mal-pronounce morphemes of English words, for instance, are forced into a colloquial usage. All these “cut-and-join” words acquire an acceptable order in Nigerian cities such as Lagos, Kano, Warri, Port Harcourt, Ibadan Aba, etc. A word like Nna becomes a typical English word; O-boy, wetin, na so, omo, abi, jara, mbok, shakara, bikoetc., are deployed in a way decipherable; They all form creoles that project the pidgin English; yet they are contributory words from the various ethnic blocs that populate the Nigerian towns.
Apart from the population, syncretism evolves a popular culture, by extension, what Yemi Ogunbiyi views as “popular theatre” in which the mixture of traditional aesthetics complements foreign and formal craft (Aniago 2019). This culture of using ethnic words, attitudes, and manners to express a formal culture forms the sign system of many Nigerian films. This study is the assessment of the ethnic metaphors and syncretized cultures from the numerous ethnic groups in Nigeria that are deployed to orchestrate films in Nigeria.
2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The sameness of purpose found in the society stems from the understanding existing in the society based on reciprocal interaction between people and the system that allows ideas to stand. Such reciprocity has been noticeable in Nigeria through rural-urban drift, town conurbation, and transaction. Through the interplay of cultural practices oftentimes expressed verbally, recognizable networks of interaction get established in Nigerian cities, and a film is a social reality teased out from a people's culture (Andrew 2010a). This means the interplays existing between Nigerians become symbolic to the point of reflecting in its craft because of its symbolic representation of concepts decipherable through interaction than nature (Andrew 2010b). Based on this, this paper is based on a social theory called
“symbolic interactionism” as viewed by Herbert George Mead who lived between 1863 and 1931 (Hallett et al., 2009).
The theory actually has a conflicting origin eliciting it to evolve from Mead but was developed by Herbert Blumer; and that John Dewey and William Thomas also evolve perspectives to this theory. “This theory is based on a view of man as both the creator of and the product of his environment, i.e. determining and
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determined” (Igbo 2003, p. 339). This means, whatever reality is made of the interplays of speech, actions, and dimensions of viewing issues, man's rapport with another makes it work out as a code for understanding a particular thing. It is the man that creates his world and the meanings emanating from his creation.
Symbolic interactionism is a theory that explains how people create meaning in society through interaction. “It is the ability to represent the world in a systematic term which may be communicable…”
(Kiernan, Raid and Jones 1982, p. 4). For example, “how do people make sense of their world, influence one another, and define themselves? We interpret our experiences through daily interaction with humans”
(Hess, Markson and Stein 2014, p. 18). In creating a classification, stereotypes, and indirect insult or praises that a particular ethnic group is addressed, there is a social semblance or practice of such people that actually matches the tag. Using them as a way of characterization in a movie is a reflection of social reality.
Symbolic interactionism emphasizes the way people make meaning from what they think or know about others in society (Carter & Fuller 2015). This means, all meanings conceived and made to be binding remain so because the people know it so. A similar situation established the colonial drama type in Nigeria in which cultural design, religious designs, and western designs were fused and expressed in pidgin to popular delectation. To this effect, Interactionists, therefore,
seek to explain the ways individuals act toward, respond to, and influence one another… interactionism emphasizes the importance of understanding the social world from the standpoint of the individuals who act within it. Hence it focuses on small-scale everyday interactions rather than on large social structures… The theory begins with the assumption that action is meaningful to those who are involved in it. To understand an action one needs to understand the meaning which actors give to their action (Igbo 2003, p. 340).
Meanings are easily made from attitudes, speech pattern, or social orientation obtained from a people in the convergence of many to form a culture that determines the sign system of a nation's craft.
3. ETHNIC METAPHORS
A metaphor is an indirect comparison made of someone to something away from his kind. According to Raymond Egudu (1979), “the figure of speech that is commonly employed by poets for creating images is metaphor… it is indirect comparison. It operates on the
principle of equation” (p. 21). What one is indirectly compared to is a kind of equation of someone to something else. That is, “You are this” or “you are that”, not even looking like but you are the very thing you are compared to. In the view of Friedrich Ungerer and Hans- Jorg Schmid (2013), a metaphor has three components:
the target concept, the source concept, and a mapping notion which are sets of regulating constraint linking correspondences to balance. Such comparison is typical of the people of Nigeria who then stereotype or prejudice the image of their fellow ethnic Nigerians.
The ethnic metaphor then suggests the distinctive negative or otherwise comparative statement other ethnic blocs make of others in society. In the Nigerian situation, it has become a concept deployed to voice the indirect denotation of other ethnic people in derision, taunting, or praise (Andrew-Essien 2018). It is not a fair or pleasant equation. It has some undertone of prejudice. According to Jack Shaheen (2003), “it is a prejudice evolving stereotypical thinking about minority group… a rigid image of the nature and characteristics of a group and its members, one that is bad is held more or less without regards to facts” (p. 58). In other words,
Racial metaphors give (a people)… the name that belongs to something else… metaphors create verbal images to create pictures in our minds because the name of a thing is used for something else. Connections are made between concepts that we might not even consider as related… (a) metaphor is the omnipresent principle of thought (Ursyn 2013, p. 209).
This is where stereotypes for Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Calabar, Warri, Waa-wa, etc., are intensified and made to assume a social reality that transmits from generation to generation and from urban Nigeria to rural Nigeria.
These racial metaphors couch as signifiers (indicators) and signified (what indication refers to) in Nigerian films.
4. RACIAL METAPHORS IN NIGERIAN FILMS (KISS ME QUICK AND OUR HOUSEBOY)
4.1. The Fetish
The Yoruba people are always viewed as Nigerians who gloat themselves in potent medicine and interplay with the supra-mundane. Actually, major indigenous Christian denominations sprout from Yorubaland especially the psychic white garment set like Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Celestial Church in their varying orders; Others like The Synagogue Church of the late T. B. Joshua is still a Yoruba Church.
Deeper Life Bible Church, The Redeemed Christian Church, Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel, and others stem from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria.
4.2. Money Lovers
Once the money is mentioned in Nigeria, the ethnic group that comes to mind is Igbo. It does not mean that other groups do not labour to get money or seek money at all; there is something ridiculous about the way an Igbo man or woman will equate many things in life to money. A typical Igbo man can do anything for money. This is captured of the Igbos in Nigerian films.
4.3. The Servants
Another significant referent to a people that is noticeable is the housemaid, house boys, house girls, nannies, and cooks. Likely any film will have “an Ekaette”, Imaobong, Okon, and Udo as servants. This metaphor is directly exacted to Efik/Ibibio Annang
ethnic groups.
4.4. The Beggars
Another noticeable metaphor for Nigerian ethnicity is the beggars. Generally, every tribe in Northern Nigeria is subsumed to the aboki people (Hausa) by both easterners and westerners. The Fulani, the Nupe, the Kanem, Igala, Idoma-both Middle Belt groups; they are seen as Hausas; yet, a distinguishable feature is that others may be whatever. Begging for alms is noticeable in the Hausa ethnic group. In Nigerian films, the portrayal of alms beggars is usually orchestrated with the Hausa paraphernalia.
4.5. The Loquacious and the Smart
The Warri people are always portrayed as loquacious in Nigerian films. This may be because of the accent that has naturally sprung from the Warri axis or the reinforcement of the sub-English variation by the credence of their stand-up comedy performers. From this loquacity, intelligence is inferred. Thus, they are portrayed as smart also. Good command of language is a good command of the idea, and the acid test for intelligence in the colonial territory is eloquence (Robin 298).
4.6. The Cheat and the Wuru-Wuru
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Another ethnic metaphor is the conception of a tribe in Nigeria as exploiters of others. Whenever they engage in a transaction or deal with others, their intention will be on how to swindle or outsmart the other and take the lion's share of the income. When it is viewed along with material things like wealth (money and property) Igbo is in view; but when it is sexual relationship Urhobo, Oron, Efik, Benin, and Ijaw are portrayed. However, Wuru-wuru is a dimension of falsehood. Igbo tribe is also conceived and portrayed as those who never do a straightforward deal; that is, manipulators for their egoistic advantage.
4.7. The Mai-Guard (Security)
Most Nigerian films would prefer an Aboki with a bow and an array of arrows at the gate for his selflessness, detachment from superficial acme, fidelity to his radio, and the opening and closing of the gate to the self-conscious wuru-wuru from Igbo, Warri, or even Calabar ethnic decent. On this note, any other ethnic bloc portrayed as security is usually accoutered in a uniform of security with ranks and sophisticated hat even; but the Hausa man is in his long tunic (Caftan) hauling an old radio that upsets others with an uninterrupted blast of banjo music and ever wave- tempered Arabic vociferation that even a new pair of Tiger Head batteries hardly resuscitates.
5. CULTURE-SYNCRETISM IN NIGERIAN FILMS Culture is fashioned out by a people, and the fastest way to fashion out and maintain the practices is through interaction (Undiyaundeye 2011; Eteng 2012).
In the view of Galina Kirilenko and Lydia Korshunova (1985), the social order and its reverberation activate the practices people create to adapt to it, and in every thrust, “man is the focus of all this creative activity whose aim is to ensure his continued vitality” (Traore 1992, p. 11). The insurance of vitality through cultural interaction results in recognition of code transcendence in personality, attitude, and communication outside
one's ethnic bloc. Such is the case in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, the early settlement of the British in places like Lagos, Calabar, Warri, Jos, and Port Harcourt which a fast conurbation of towns brought many ethnic groups to the cities, also raise the need to recreate a symbolic interactive code with which a universal culture for adaptation could devolve. In the face of uncertainty, Ogonna Anunike (2008) holds that people hold to their indigenous communication mechanism and adapt gradually to decipher other people's culture. In the gradual surging to acquaint with other people's culture, Nigerians create a new set of cultures which a dialect helps in spreading. This is the syncretized culture that shapes the reality of many Nigerian films.
Culture-syncretism is the gradual adoption of numerous ethnic vocabularies, practices, and dispositions in a city to reset a new culture that embodies the basic undertone of ethnic frontiers populating the locale. It is usually the striking thing, the appealing or the most remarkable that is made to transcend (Etuk and Akpan 1990).
Culture-syncretism determines the signified raised by the signifiers in Nigerian movies. For instance, in the use of Okada to discuss in a Nigerian movie, the signified is a “commercial motorcycle rider”. The use of
“comot” in Nigerian movies, the signified is “leave”. In the use of Aboki in a film, the signified is either a “Fulani”
or a “Hausa person”. In a deeper or connotative deployment the expression, “that guy naaboki’ or, ‘He turned aboki at my expense”, may elicit “ignominy”. Oyo is used to capture lone-decision. Omo becomes “my friend”, “guy”, “friend” etc. Afo is a signified for “look here” or “whatever you call yourself” or “you…” Hia goes for “Oh gosh”. Wayo is a signified for “the insincere”. Wuru-wuru is a signified for indefinite, indeterminate but unscrupulous. Orobois a signified for
“unwanted, gargantuan, extreme, fat or plump”, lekpa for the very “slender” folks. All these expressions have their peculiarity of delivery in terms of attitudinal practice.
With such mix-up, emergence, and intermingling, a film that actually raises these ethnic codes in its gesture level may communicate properly because making a film is one thing; creating spectacles is another; yet on the third degree, making a sense of it all by communicating a concern for humanity seems to surmount all other considerations.
6. CONCLUSION
The crafts of society draw their content from the outlook of the society, and the outlook of any society is the ambiance the people create of it through the creation of symbolic signs and symbols with which understanding makes for a system and code to deploy in communication. Filmmaking in Nigeria is the reflection of what makes up Nigeria. Following the numerous
cultural orientations, a typical Nigerian who has come across other ethnic people has many words, endless figures, and idioms that are tied to words, attitudes, and generalized statements that practically reflect a dialect of many of the languages and cultures of the people of Nigeria. Therefore, a film production that actually has the national interest in terms of patronage, education, and aesthetics should ingrain the undertones of the various metaphors that depict each ethnic frontier to showcase the Nigerian cosmos and its reality. However, a better way to better Nigeria is to scoop from Nigeria’s better option – culture-syncretism. With the understanding of these contributory dialects, attitudes, and forms for national image, creating a film that compels a general empathy may not be cumbersome.
That is the beauty of sign language in its symbolic representation.
7. RECOMMENDATIONS
The filmmaker is a walking question mark in the society: his craft elevates the humanism, preserves culture, upgrades him, and projects the image of the society. This paper recommends that thorough research on the development of the society should be done by the filmmaker to give him a wider option on communication choice.
The knowledge of the nature of Nigeria and the popular culture determines what the popular will be in appreciating an artwork. This paper further recommends that the knowledge of sociology and psychology should be introduced into the dramatic literature for students to acquaint them with the relevance of social reality to the beauty of creativity in society at the early stage of their career.
Without the inclusion of creoles that characterize Nigeria in scripting, the true outlook of the nation may be blurred in creativity. The paper further recommends that the various idioms, ethnic referents, syncretized language, and perspectives of usage be incorporated in scriptwriting. It may become the object of attraction that may elevate the writer for its nearness to the rhythm of the society.
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