Èkpé and Abakua with Chief Dr. Ivor Miller, Asukuo Ukpong and Roman Diaz.

In recent radio show here in New York I had the opportunity to broadcast from the home of Afro Cuban master drummer  Mr. Roman Diaz. We sat down with Chief Dr. Ivor Miller, Asukuo Ukpong, Pan-Africanist, architect and scholar, to discus the nature and context of select Calabar Highlife and urban styles of Cuban Son that feature Èkpé and Abakuá themes. Click on the links below to hear the programs. You may also download the archive if you like.


 Tuve la dicha de transmitir dos programas con ilustres maestros de las sociedades Èkpé y Abakuá, reunidos en  casa del maestro Roman Diaz, para llevar a la luz la raiz y el contexto de temas culturales dentro del genero Highlife de Calabar y el Son urbano de Cuba. Escuchemos la influencia del Èkpé y el Abakuá, respectivamente, llevado por custodios de la cultura como eran Ekpe Ita y Ignacio Piñeiro. Dos generos tan importante en la cultura popular en ambos lados del atlantico. El Embakara, Dr. Ivor Miller de la Universidad de Calabar y el señor Asukuo Ukpong del Calabar, junto a el maestro Roman Diaz, hablaran con mucha profundidad sobre este tema  para todos aquellos que aman esta cultura, llevenadola siempre a los niveles mas altos de la esfera socio-cultural.



Abasi menguame,

 Onel Mulet

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blackwholeradio/2014/05/30/habana-harlem-live


  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blackwholeradio/2014/06/06/habana-harlem-live

Okim Agbor Esija "The True Essence"

Okim Agbor Esija. Interview by Dr. (Chief) Ivor Miller with H.H. Okim Agbor Esija, Clan head of Ikom, Village head of Abokim Ngbabor, Ikom Town. February, 2008.

Chief Agbor Esija introduces himself, then explains what the term 'brikamo' means in the Nkòmè language spoken by the people of Ikom urban. Among Cuban Abakuá, 'bríkamo'is a reference to 'the real origin', the sacred land of Usagaré. While visiting this chief, I heard the term 'bríkamo' in reference to palm wine, and the local gin made from it, used to pour libations to the ancestors. 'Brikamo' means 'the real one', the best quality drink, or, 'the essence of' the drink used by Ékpè. One can see how this term would become used in Cuba to mean 'the essence of Abakuá'.

Since Chief Esija passed away in April of 2008, we are posting this five minute video in his memory, and so that Cuban Abakuá can learn about the culture of the source region of their own traditions.