A SURVEY OF AESTHETIC AND FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS IN ETULO ORALLITERATURE

Edward L. Gar,
Department of English & Literary Studies,
College of Education, Katsina-Ala, Benue State.
[email protected]

Abstract
Every ethnic group is endowed with a range of oral arts and creativity that distinguish it. While creative use of language is universal, every group has patterns and motifs of
Eperformance that reflect their world-view, history and aesthetic models. This essay is
a survey of oral performances among the Etulo people found in Buruku and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State. It is the product of a field trip which studied three major Etulo festivals, some of their folk narratives and their common songs and recitations, both secular and spiritual. The work finds that in spite of modernization and some loss of original language, there is still a flourishing aesthetic oral culture among the Etulo. Their performances embody aspects of culture, religion, ritual ceremony and comedy which, as shown in this work, are woven into their daily lives.

Keywords: Etulo, Festival, folktale, Song