Indigenous Crafts and Costume Design: An Exploration of Raffia Products of Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State

Abstract

Costume design is one of the most essential components in any artistic performances, but it is sad to observe that many costume design products used in Nigeria rely on are foreign products for end products that can be achieved with indigenous crafts from locally sourced raw materials. The importance of locally sourced products in the indigenous crafts is at the very foundation of the reason why the dependence of foreign costume design for artistic performances should be discouraged in order to pave way for the utilization of local crafts in designing costumes for theatrical performances. This paper is positioned to establish and emphasize the uniqueness of local raw materials that can be tapped and processed through indigenous craft processes for use as alternative to exotic costume design with focus on Raffia products of Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. However, this paper has situated a distinction of traditional crafts-production methods that will allow for the identification of handmade or traditional/indigenous craft-products that are capable of replacing the foreign products in the area of costume design.  The paper debunked the perception that indigenous crafts are for mere decoration and figments of fantasy and established their utilization, as costumes designed for artistic performances. Finally, the study recommends for indigenous crafts with local raw materials, especially the Raffia products of Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, in order to facilitate costume design products for artistic performances.