NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2023 9 HANOVER IS the only parish in Jamaica where members of the Ettu tribe can still be found. In Jamaica, Ettu both describes the dance as well as the communities of Pell River, Cauldwell and Kendall in Hanover. The Ettu people of Hanover claim Nigerian ancestry because they are descendants of Africans that migrated to Jamaica as indentured labourers. They identify their strongest heritage practices as music, dance, language, and food, in that order, and they are only used on special occasions such as death, wedding of persons within the group, when their ancestors need to be appeased, or whenever a member has a serious illness. The functions are regarded as ‘dinner plays’. Only two drums are used for all ceremonies. The drums are called the Accata, which is a tin drum, primarily a kerosene oil tin pan, and the Irrie, which is a double-headed wooden drum covered with the skin of a female goat, because the male goat skin produced a coarser sound. The drums are also at the centre of every Ettu ceremony and they announce the beginning and the end of each song. The dance is controlled by the drums, and the dancers perform facing the drums. For an Ettu dance to end, there is a signal from the dancer to the drummers. It seems simple and straightforward, yet requires specific coordination between feet and right arm. When dancing to the music, the dancers perform solo acts, except when the dancer is being ‘shawled’. This is done as a mark of appreciation and encouragement by the members of the group, who steps forward with a long scarf and throws it around the dancer’s neck. The shawler then presses the dancer’s torso backwards from the waist and stretches his or her arms in turn, by raising each one diagonally from the shoulder. Throughout the dance, feet are flat and in contact with the earth. Men dance with more energy and agility than women, who use subtle or angular hip movements, body erect or slightly tilted forward, with knees bent. This shows that what they are doing is genuine and they are more focused on their cultural practices, rather than pleasing the individuals around them watching. Because of the importance of contact with the earth, stage performances of Ettu are not taken seriously by the group. Among the Ettu group, appeasing the ancestors is very important. They depend on the “ancestors to advise them in matters such as healing and betrothals”. Ancestral help is also required to ensure rest for the spirits of the departed. Because of this, from time to time the Ettu people host dinner plays to entertain and appease their ancestors. The main foods are tum-tum, or fufu, to be eaten in the traditional manner; soup or stew of okra, spices and annatto seeds; and offal. Some food is earmarked for the spirits, and therefore cooked without salt. When a member of the group passed away, a ‘forty night’ was held on the 39th night after the death of the individual. The rituals for both ceremonies were said to be the same, except for the food served. – Oshane Robinson Hanover’s Ettu population Among the Ettu group, appeasing the ancestors is very important. They depend on the “ancestors to advise them in matters such as healing ... .” HANOVER 300TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE HANOVER 300TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE | SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2023
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