The revival of Ettu?
Published:Thursday | March 8, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Hers is a dying tradition, but while there is agility in her feet, suppleness in her waistline and a King and subjects to command, Donnette Williams, the Afro-Jamaican Ettu Queen will continue the work of her ancestors.
Williams' grandmother held the coveted position for 30 years and later passed it down to Iris Moore, who served for 20 years. Williams, who resides in Grange, Hanover, the only parish in Jamaica where members of the Ettu tribe can still be found, took up the leadership 15 years ago.
In Jamaica, Ettu both describes the dance as well as the communities of Pell River, Cauldwell and Kendall in Hanover where people of Nigerian ancestry settled. The queen is the senior member of the community who practises the dance.
"My duty as queen is to see that everything runs smoothly and whatever I say is carried out," said Williams during an interview last week at her small 'palace' in the rural district, one hour away from the city of Montego Bay.
No finances
She does not have the finances that other queens in other parts of the world have been known to possess, and her palace is nowhere as plush. In fact, the road leading to her home has no asphalt and piped water is a privilege, but Williams has what many crave for, a rich cultural heritage that dates back to the 16th century when the first group claiming Yoruba ancestry relocated here.
"Our foreparents were brought to Jamaica as slaves between the 16th and 19th centuries and while a lot of our religious practices have been lost over the years, one of the customs that remains with us is the ritual or play that we perform at weddings, dinner feasts, 'nine night' and 'forty night'," Williams explains.
Her eyes lit up with the pride of showcasing a tradition that others can only observe, but not participate in.
"It's not only about the music. It's about the culture. We have the dance, the food, and we use it as a part of deliverance for those who are accused wrongfully," she stated.
The drummer
Her counterpart, Martin Sutherland, the drummer who drums the kerosene tin, one of the two musical instruments used by the group, says their style dance and songs show considerable African preservation.
"Our plays are usually held at nights, and all the members of a family have their own dance steps and musical pattern.
"If a person dies, no one else can do his or her dance, only the family member of the person who dies."
During the dance, if a dancer impresses the queen, she will place a shawl around the neck of the dancer, who is then ceremoniously 'dipped back' from the waist for strength. Then, the shawler would raise the dancer's arm in salutation and congratulation.
The most interesting aspect of the tradition is the feeding of the ancestors.
"Food plays a critical role in the ceremonies carried out by the Ettu, and we use only the male goat to feed the ancestors," said Williams.
Salt is not added to the food served to the ancestors. Williams outlined that in the killing of an animal (usually a male goat), some of the blood is preserved and Ettu participants are initiated by a mark in the form of a cross on their forehead. Grated kola nut (obi or bizzy) is placed on their tongue and white rum is passed around for participants to drink, as part of a purification ritual.
Some of the rum is also poured on the ground for the ancestors. This is known as "pouring libation for the spirits".
Outsiders may observe but are not allowed to participate in the rituals, and no photographs or videoing is allowed.
During the dancing, singing is usually led by the lead singer in the Yoruba language. Songs are usually short, repetitive phrases. The lead drum is called the 'ere', a double- headed goatskin drum. It is shaped like the rattling drum, but the head extends a little beyond the rim. For the 'forty-night' play, the people would use rice, rum, coffee, bread, sugar and bizzy (obi); and for the dinner feast cornmeal, rice, yam (fu fu) and cassava, which is grated, put to dry and turned.
"Our tradition is not a dying one," declares Williams. However, research by The Gleaner shows that youngsters in the community have not shown great interest in carrying on the tradition.
"We are open to teaching those who want to learn, we will not turn back any of our people," says the queen.
Sources: Professor Verene Shepherd - historian at the African Institute of Jamaica.