Social Relevance of <i>Salẹkẹ</i> Music in Puberty Rites Custom of the Okpẹ People

Abstract

Salẹkẹ music is a component of puberty rite practice (Osamo) among the Okpẹ people in Delta State, Nigeria. The puberty rite portrays maturity when Okpẹ girls are most times matrimonially engaged and circumcised for marriage. This tradition has not sufficiently benefitted from the intensive study of its music component. It has become imperative to examine the performance practice of Salẹkẹ music and its social relevance; collect, transcribe, notate and analyse existing songs for the records and knowledge for children within and outside Okpẹ land. The Theory and Methods in Ethnomusicology was adopted and the result showed that Salẹkẹ songs function as social paradigm as they are instructive to mature girls, their mothers and the entire society. The musical practice is currently dwindling going by the influence of the 2008 World Health Organisation declaration on the practice of circumcision. It is, however, recommended that Salẹkẹ music should be adapted to proximate social activities in the society and also benefit from scholarship and art music creativity.