“Etu Ayisi Ejegwu Na Obodo Mmiri,” choreographed by Queen Theresa Onuorah with her Original Famous Egedege of Africa, is a strong showcase of the rich cultural heritage of the Egedege dance: a renowned traditional Igbo royal-styled cultural dance from Unubi in Southeastern Nigeria. Founded in 1985, the Egedege dance is a modernized version of an ancient moonlight dance initially performed by the ancestors of Unubi.
Egedege dance performance is a combination of song, dance, instrumentation, and lots of colorful traditional outfits. Elaborate fluting signals the entrance cue for the group led by the queen during the introduction of their performance. The queen, carrying a big umbrella, is brought in by one man and fanned by another, and she gets to the stage and the microphone to start singing. She sings with the rhythm of the instruments and sometimes dances.
Theresa Onuorah made the Egedege dance widely recognized among the people of Unubi Town. The name “Egedege” was derived from local slang for richness and bravery; the word reflects the character of the dance as it should be performed in front of royal homes and wealthy families. Queen Theresa Onuorah, who lives happily married in Unubi, remains one crucial cultural figure helping carry forth the tradition of Egedege dance into contemporary audiences through works like “Etu Ayisi Ejegwu Na Obodo Mmiri.”
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