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By
BIPELE OTUOGHA
Traditional craftsmanship refers to the use of locally developed skills in the production of socio-cultural/personal items without the use of industrial equipment, such as machines. Such items usually have social and cultural significance because most times they are designed uniquely to reflect or explain the culture or belief system of a people. They are also produced symbolically to represent a historic event or fact of a particular society.
Some of such items includes: beads, traditional/royal accessories and items, local mats, baskets, canoe, sculptures, etc. However, the production of these items has no significant economic impact in the lives of the craftsmen and society due to low patronage.
This could also be so due to white collar jobs, western civilization and the growing influence of industrialization which has dampened the interest of young people in seeing it as a trade.
We can suffice it to say that the economy of traditional craftsmanship is still at the subsistence or micro-economic level. Except something is done urgently to reposition it, it will hardly make any maximum sustainable economic impact that we desire. This work therefore x-rays what Traditional Craftsmanship is to society and the way forward for making it an economically viable trade.
The socio-economic benefits and opportunities of traditional craftsmanship as well as its limitations and prospects cannot be overemphasized, which this work is focused on bringing to the fore. Contrary to expectations, traditional craftsmanship has not fared well economically, despite its uniqueness and long duration of existence.
THE CRAFT OF CANOE CAVING
The socio-economic importance of Canoe Craft and Canoe itself to the Ijaws cannot be overemphasized. This is because the people live along the coastal part of the River Nun, River Niger and the Atlantic Ocean. In the inland part of the area are also confluences of creeks and lakes which crises-cross the entire region. So, the entire local economy and culture of the people are centered in the use of canoe. This is because the occupation of the people is fishing, farming and hunting; and the only means of movement or access to the far ends of the river and parts of the forest is canoe.
Hence, canoe craft is highly treasured as an economic asset as well as a cultural treasure to the Niger Deltans. It is seen as a Cultural Heritage because the process of acquiring the craft is seen as a transition into adulthood by young people as a culture. Whereas canoe itself is viewed as a critical economic asset by the Ijaw people for its strategic nature in the economic mainstay of the people.
This presupposes or suggests that the Ijaw speaking people of the Niger Delta are purely costal dwellers who solely depend on the use of canoe and boats for their daily socio-economic activities: such as fishing, farming, hunting, timber and bamboo cutting, palm fruit gathering, etc. Canoe and the canoe craft is therefore an intrinsic and part of the cultured & daily life of the Ijaw people because apart from the economic impact it has on the people, canoe also services as a traditional means of transportation and recreation for the people.
Generally, there are three methods by which canoe is carved or made in Ijaw land. These include: Log wood pecking method, the use of wooden boards, nails and pieces of aluminum zinc, as well as the use of fibre materials with industrial bond gum. The following tools and items are used for the making of canoe namely: Wood Log, Pecking axe, Carving axe, Fibre, Industrial gum, Aluminum zinc, Wooden boards, Nails, Industrial bond gums etc.
1. The Log-Wood Pecking Method
This method involves locating a suitable tree and cut it into a log. Thereafter tools such as a pecking and carving axe will be used to peck the centre of the log after the front and back shape of the canoe is mapped out. The craft man at this point carefully pecks the inner layer of log to create an open inside to form the rough shape of the canoe. He goes further to also shape the outer layer of the log to give a proper canoe shape, and then it begins to do a diligent dressing work on the rough canoe frame. After the final shaping and dressing is done, the canoe frame is then prepared for heating with fire. The heating is done from the inside first, and later it is done on the outside layer also.
The main purpose of heating is for the expanding of the shaped frame to take a proper canoe shape. This process or technique enables the inner bowl of the canoe frame to be sufficiently expand and become open and wide enough for it to gain the proper shape of a finish canoe for use. Apart from open up the canoe frame, the heating also smoothens the rough edges of the canoe structure. In most cases, fork-sticks are used to pull both sides of the canoe frame to enable to it expand faster. This helps to give the canoe the needed shape and balance when put in use. After this is done short benches are then created across both ends of the canoe for people to sit while been put in use. The boat can be taken to the river at this point to be used officially.
2. The Use of Wooden Boards
This method requires the assembling of wooden boards and aluminum zinc piece and nail to form a canoe structure. The joints of the woods are then sealed off or covered with fibre materials and zinc with nails. This to prevent linkage of water into the canoe. This method requires more of a carpentry related approach in the making of canoe and it’s frame. After this, the craftsman goes further to create short benches as it is done in the log wood method. Immediately after this is done the canoe can then be taken to the river for use.
3. The Use Of Fibre Materials
This method requires fibre materials in the production of canoe in the region. Although this method involves high modern technology. And so, this method is a modernized and most recent method of the making canoe. This process involves the assembling of fibre materials with industrial gum to form a boat or canoe structure. After it is dry and solid, the finishing work is then carry out on the frame or structure of the canoe to achieve the final finished shape and body of a canoe that can be put to use on the river. This is a sketchy analysis of the fibre method because the technology keeps improving by the day since it is the most modern and most technologically based method of boat and canoe production.
Canoe carving in the Niger Delta is done mainly by men. There are no laid down traditional restrictions on the women folk to make canoes, but generally and culturally the women do not see it as their duty or trade to carve canoe. It may be due to the tedious or strenuous nature of the craft and its processes.
The period of time required in producing one canoe depends on the strength, skill, experience and capability of the person in question that is involved in carving the canoe. The size of the canoe and the location or terrain of the forest where the tree for the canoe is located also contributes to the longer or shorter duration it will take to produce one canoe. Those using plank and nail can finish one canoe in three or four days, if the materials are ready. But those carving it from tree may spend between four to five weeks to complete a canoe.
Taboos/How the Craft Is Learned
There is no known taboo associated with canoe carving in Ijaw land. Also, there are no formal ways or means by which canoe craft is learned in Ijaw Land. Neither are there written documents or books containing how the skill can be acquired. The easiest and fastest way to learn the craft is by developing a genuine interest and desire to know how to do it.
This interest involved the willingness and patience to do the work. Since the idea of the craft is culturally inherent in the people, a close observation and apprenticeship is the only means by which the craft can be learned. This means the younger ones learn the skill from the older ones (the elders) who are on the job already via close observation and apprenticeship.
Life Span of an Average Canoe
The life span of an average canoe is between fifteen to twenty years and above. But how long a canoe lasts depends on the kind of tree (wood) used and the method applied in making the canoe or boat. Also, how often it is been used determines it’s longevity. Naturally the canoe made of tree lasts longer than the one made of wooden boards and zinc patches. Some trees are harder and more mature than others, so the harder the wood, the longer it will last.
Socio-Economic Impacts of Canoe & the Craft
1. Canoe and canoe craft have become a unique cultural identity of the riverine Niger Delta people giving the fact that no other ethnic group in NIGERIA IS dominantly preoccupied with the craft and use of canoe as it is with them.
2. Culturally, canoe and canoe craft have become an age-long household asset or property to families and communities in the Niger Delta. They see it as a common heritage that is handed down from one generation to another at family levels and also at community levels.
3. Economically, it is the only cheap and easy means by which food commodities and farm produce can be accessed from the forest and brought to the market for commercial purpose; and to household for subsistence purpose.
4. Before the advent of engine boats and even now, canoe has remained a critical source or means for transportation in some coastal communities. It serves as ferry in most cases, and also for movement of people from one coastal community to another for burials, religious services, festivals and local wrestling competitions.
5. Traditionally, the canoe craft and the canoe itself are highly treasured in Ijaw land of the Niger Delta because it is the means by which fishing and farming are successfully carried out which are the traditional economic mainstay of the people.
6. Canoe craftsmen are viewed in the local communities of the Niger Delta as consultants and custodians of the heritage of the people. They are consulted for routine patches and maintenance from time to time. Their Technical/expertise they have around the community have helped to create a niche for themselves in their immediate locality.
7. It is produced and sold for between 50 to 70 thousand naira for wooden and wood made canoe. And 100,000 – 150,000 for fibre made canoe, depending on the sizes.
Cultural Erosion
Below are few changes and challenges that the Canoe Craft is currently undergoing:
1. Most people now apply the use of sawing machine for the felling, cutting and shaping of the canoe structure from the log, rather than the use of axe as the ancient practice used to be.
2. Nowadays most people use mini marine engine to drive the canoe boats to their farm lands and for fishing due to faster speed and convenience instead of hand paddling.
3. The craft is faced with a severe threat of going into extinction in some parts of the Niger Delta due to the availability of tared/concrete roads. In most coastal communities and thereby making the demand for handmade canoes and the craft a bit out of demand.
4. The influx of fiber engine boats with 75 to 200 horse power in the riverine areas of the Niger Delta have grossly affected the patronage for handmade local canoe for leisure, transportation and for ferry purposes. Only fishermen and few rural farmers still use the handmade canoes presently.
5. Western education and modern technology have also hampered or affected the interest of young people for canoe carving. Most young people no longer see it as a prestigious and profitable enterprise. So, the skill and the craft might go into extinction in the near future, except something is done to save the situation.
6. Lack of standardization also affects professionalism in the trade.
7. Lack of access to grants and loans is also a major limitation.
8. Lack of adequate enlightenment and publicity of the craft to the public as a means of livelihood and as a treasured culture that must be preserved is also crucial for the survival of the craft.
9. The advent of oil money in the Niger Delta has contributed to the lack of interest in the craft by people of the region.
10. Lack of relevant books and literatures about the craft is also of major importance to survival of the canoe craft.
Which way Forward?
Generally, canoe craft and traditional craftmanship are intrinsic part of the life of the Ijaw speaking people of the Niger Delta and other coastal areas of Nigeria. And so, the need to promote and preserve it is highly essential to the continued survival of the people’s cultural economy. More so, with the advent of oil money and the technological revolution in the manufacturing sector, something crucial needs to be done to preserve and promote the compatibility of the craft with other economically viable ventures.
The followings are therefore recommended to enable the canoe and the canoe craft provide a sustainable economic empowerment for our people.
1. There must be a consistent effort by government to promote craft works through grants, exhibitions, trade fares etc.
2. Traditional craftsmen should at least create minimum standards for the practitioners to follow, so as to ensure standardization and professionalism.
3. Government should give them loans and grants to enable the craftsmen acquire modern tools for their work.
4. More young men should be recruited into craftmanship through public enlightenment at town gatherings and annual festivals.
5. Research bodies, tourists, schools, traditional institutions and individuals should be prevailed upon by government to patronize handmade traditional crafts through legislative framework.
6. There must be conscious efforts to provide books and handouts to preserve and convey information about the craft in other for future generations to learn as a highly treated cultural craft and means of livelihood in Nigeria.
Conclusion
It is worthy of note that traditional craftmanship has been a critical pillar of the economy of the rural Ijaw society. Long before the advent of oil and gas, canoe craft has successfully sustained the local economy of the Ijaw people. This is important because apart from the revenue that the sales of canoe yields, it also serves as a strategic asset around which both subsistence and commercial fishing/farming have thrived on.
Therefore, if proper attention is given by government to the canoe craft and traditional craftmanship in general, it will serve as a sustainable source of economic empowerment to the people.
REFERENCES
1. MISSION, E. (2017): THE GBARAIN KINGDOM: A SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH;
YENAGOA, SKY-TON PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS.
2. OWONARO, S.K (2006): THE HISTORY OF IJO (IJAW) AND HER NEIGBOURING TRIBES IN NIGERIA. Kaiama Town, Bayelsa State; OWONARO PRINTING AND PUBLISHING.
3. TUAWERI, J.O (2008): A BRIEF HISTORY OF GBARAIN KINGDOM (1870-2006); Okolobiri Town, Yenagoa, JOHN ART NIG. LIMITED.
ORAL/INFORMANT SOURCES
1. BOUDEIGHA EBIDOU, 63 years, Nedugo Community in Gbarain Kingdom, April 2021; Canoe Carver and Community Leader.
2. AMAKOROMO, KELLY 66 years, Koroama Community in Gbarain Kingdom, May 2021; Community Leader and Custodian of Izon Oral Tradition.
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