Ukuse Emokpolo (The Emokpolo’s Gourd Rattle)

About the interview
Object Context

Chief Utetenegiabi tells of how Emokpolo was arrested and brought to the Ọba of Benin with the intention of taking her to the royal harem. But because of her past, she was not fit for the Ọba’s harem, hence the Ọba gave her to Chief Ologbosere. While she was at the palace, Emokpolo taught the maids of the royal harem traditional songs like ‘Egbo’ and ‘Eghughu agba’. To this day, the gourd rattle is at the Ologbosere’s house and in the custody of the oldest woman in the Ologbosere family.

Chief Utetenegiabi sings some songs, adding that an ‘Egbo’ is sung without an instrument and the ‘Eghughu agba’ is performed with the gourd rattle or other musical instruments.

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Referenced in this interview

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