Igbabonelimhin - Esan Cultural Dance

I chose this dance because it is a huge influence to my culture. I am from the Esan tribe, in Edo state, Nigeria. It is a very important dance. It is called the Igbabonelimhin.

The Igbabonelimhin dance is performed by masquerades. Their costume is made from a hand-woven and multi-coloured material called Igbuluododo. The Igbabonelimhin is dedicated to the earth spirits and it is believed that anytime the masquerades perform this dance, they have transcended the mortal realm and become spirits themselves. The Igbabonelimhin is not performed by just anybody but by initiates of the Igbabonelimhin sect from which the dance gets its name. The initiation into the sect is done by the elders of the group. The dance is extremely acrobatic and requires a high flexibility.

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