COSTUME AS A SYMBOL OF CULTURAL REPRESENTATIONINTHETRADITIONAL MARRIAGE CEREMONY OF THE ESAN PEOPLEOFEMU

Costumes are symbols of cultural representation and it serves as an element of culture. Aman's culture can be ascertained from the way he is dressed. That is to say, that costume is one of the significant visual aspect of culture. A man learns about his culture from birth, thus culture is the bedrock of every growing or developing society. Culture as it concerns costume is losing it symbolic and cultural significance due to ignorance and other societal factors. It is therefore imperative that this study aims at documenting costume as a symbol of cultural representation using the Emu people of Esan Land as a focal point
through pictorial representation of key persons in a traditional marriage ceremony of the people. The study aims at identifying the costume in marriage ceremonies as a form of cultural identification and to determine measures to be taken to enlighten people on the significance of these costumes to the tradition of the people. In actualizing the aim of this study, interviews were carried out on indigenes of the stated people, visual representation in respect to the pictures of the costumes were used and various related literatures relevant to the study were also used. The study was able to show that there are various types of Esan materials but there a specific fabric used for marriage ceremonies. These costumes are able to display the cultural aesthetics of the people and the social status of the wearer. To preserve the culture, it is recommended that awareness seminars should be held, cultural preservative organisations should be established and the media can play a great role in preserving our cultural heritage