




































 AJELLS: Awka Journal of English Language and Literary Studies Volume 7, No. 1, 2020 

 
 

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SIGNIFYING SYMBOLS IN TRADITIONAL DANCE:A 

STUDY OF NKWANWITE DANCE 

 

Akas, Nicholas C. PhD1 and Okeke Prisca I.2 
1, 2 Department of Theatre and Film Studies 

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 

 

Corresponding Author – Akas, Nicholas C., PhD 

Email: akasdancescholar@gmail.com 

Abstract 

The use of iconic symbols during traditional indigenous 

performances (Dance), has remained an indispensible tool. The 

major problem facing the use of signifying symbols during 

performances is because, they are seen as mere cultural artifacts 

or for aesthetic flexibility display. These assumptions might be 

generally accepted, but in core dance scholarship is not 

acceptable and must be redressed through this paper. The aim of 

this paper is to communicatively interpret some of the signifying 

symbols, used in dance towards understanding their socio-

cultural essence. Objectively, this paper would analyze the 

signifying symbols used in Nkwanwite traditional dance for the 

following reasons: (a) To acknowledge the use of cultural 

symbols as part of people’s mythology belief. (b) To interpret, 

analyze and document the signifying symbols as a socio-

communicative tool. (c)To give each of the signifying symbols, 

sense of belonging and value wherever they exist in the dance. 

In order to achieve this; Sense Making Theory would be used as 

theoretical frame work towards interrogating the essence of the 

signifying symbols. From the findings, due to lack of 

interpretation and documentation on the use of signifying 

symbols in dance. It is gradually going into extinction or mis-

classify as mere props. In conclusion, non dance scholars should 

mailto:akasdancescholar@gmail.com


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always attribute meaning to every signifying symbols used in 

traditional dances beyond the aesthetics perception; because in 

them people’s cultural identity and sustainability are imbedded.  

Keywords: Traditional Dance, Nkwanwite, Mythology Belief, 

Sense Making Theory 

Introduction 

Dance as an art used non-verbal forms to communicate with its 

audience. The non-verbal forms always come in the form of 

gestures, movements, symbols and otherwise. In non-verbal 

communication using a signifying symbol, rhythm and 

movement are of great essence.The use of communicative 

signifying symbols in traditional dances tells us the situation of 

events at a particular time, what gave rise to situation and proffer 

the possible way in resolving the situation. Akas Nicholas 

observed that “In dance the use of signifying symbols in 

traditional dance is not static, it changes because its thematic 

potency always centers on communal mythological belief 

system. (2). 

Aspasia Dania concurred; 

Signifying codes are a form of 

knowledge representation which retains 

the characteristics of things or behavious 

that are directly observable in the 

environment (eg trees, animals and 

people). (24) 

 

The use of useful and meaningful signifying symbols in dance, 

makes it symbolic language tool for communication. The level 

of the symbolic language exhibited in dance using signifying 

symbols cut across barriers of language and culture, making it a 



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universal tool for communication irrespective of; tribes, religion, 

tradition and profession. Roxy levy maintains that; 

Choreographers/dancers use symbolism to 

communicate with the audience. They 

usually have a certain story or idea in 

mind that they want to portray. This is 

what is called the “intent” of the dance 

world. (5) 

 

The essence of signifying symbols  in dance brings the people 

closer to their various dances with an interpretative mindset of 

seeing it beyond mere annual festivals and use of signifying 

symbols as mere artifacts  Akas suggested that; 

The movement pattern of symbols during 

performances  vary  greatly from one 

culture to another depending on the way 

in which environmental, historical and 

sociological circumstances are  portrayed 

semotically  through the use of symbols. 

(21) 

 

The dancer uses his body movement/signifying symbols to 

externalized the choreographer’s inner most emotion and 

reproduce it before an audience in order for them to understand 

the originality of the existing dance in form, styles, 

contextualization and otherwise.  

Rosemarie Samaritan further postulates that; 

For the dancer’s body to communicate 

effectively using signifying symbols, it 

must undergo series of training, formation 

and adaption in order to enhance the 

communicative cum interpretative essence 

in dance movement. The dance steps are 



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well crafted within the signifying symbols 

during dance festivals, in such a way that 

it will make a positive statement before 

the live audience. (185) 

 

Theoretical Framework 

All analysis in this paper is anchored on Sense Making Theory 

by Dervin Brenda. Sense Making Theory helps to examine the 

communicative value in any creative work of art; be it dance, 

music, printings and drawing. It gives the artistthat sense of 

belonging that at the stage of creation every idea matters, 

especially when utilized positively. Naresh Kumar Agarwal 

observed that; 

Sense Making Theory is all about trying 

to reconcile apparent differences and 

polarities without wishing away the 

difference, but reorganizing them as 

important. (106) 

 

Dervins Brenda as cited by foreman Wernet opines that; 

The use of sense making theory while 

analyzing cultural symbols paysexplicit 

attention to the “hows” of communication 

that occurs at every level of performance, 

that helps us not only to understand how 

performance communicated, but rather to 

intervene, change and improve the 

potency. (116) 

 

The above assertion shows that no cultural symbols exist in 

abstraction; rather the environmental factors give rise to its 

existence and substance. The essence of any symbols used in 

traditional dances is to pass the required information across, but 



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in a situation whereby the intended message is not achieved, it 

automaticallybecomes ordinary props. Dervins Brenda stated 

that; 

Be it in music, dance, symbols, play 

analysis and costume analysis the sole aim 

of any creative work is to; bridgethe gap 

of complex or multiple misinterpretations 

placed on content analysis of 

performance, rather than aiming to assist 

individuals and community to make sense 

in the usage of cultural symbols beyond 

generalized assumption. (64)  

 

This paper adopted this theory in order to give the iconic 

symbols used in the dance understudy (Nkwanite) sense of 

belonging and socio-cultural values. Devins maintained that; 

If the communicative gaps in the use of 

symbols are not well analyzed, interpreted 

and documented. The required essence 

(communication) becomes mere art for art 

sake only. (4)  

 

Dervin further stated that every cultural symbol used in 

performance or literary work must be appreciated by the 

evidence from its point of pictorial diagram. 

 

 

 

It is based on this pictorial analysis by Drevin Brenda that the 

various symbols used in the dance (Nkwanite) would be 

analyzed for effective understanding. 

Help  

Gap  Understanding   



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The Socio-Cultural Values of Signifying Symbols 

Akas posits that “though symbols are beautifying in the eyes, its 

usage before the choreographer automatically becomes a 

corrective instrument”. (65) 

Uji Charles concurred that; 

People should always look beyond 

aesthetic cultural attachment in the use of 

symbols: rather what should be is the 

interpretative utilization before the ideal 

audience. (48) 

So far, every signifying symbols in dance to be identified and 

appreciated, it must always perform the following cultural 

values: 

1. It always stands as a corrective tool. 

2. It stands as a watch dog. 

3. It stands as historic referral for proper documentation 

especially in oral traditions. 

4. It aids in cultural identification. 

 

Perspectives on Signifying Symbols in Traditional Dances   

The use of signifying symbols in dance is gradually been 

misinterpreted as artistic enhancement or indigenous tool for 

performative display. This assumption based on generalized 

perception is true and acceptable, but in this paper it goes 

beyond that. Scholarly wise, in dance, for any signifying 

symbols to be culturally acceptable as communicative tool, it 

must undergo four due processes such as: 

(a) What gave rise to the emergent of the symbols? 

(b) The effectiveness of symbols beyond its assumed usage. 

(c) The communal belief system on the symbols. 



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(d) The socio-cultural essence of the symbols in solving 

situation of things in the community. 

Signifying symbols vary in their usage but what should be the 

basic perception of any choreographer is its sociological 

function. It is the sociological perspective attached to the use of 

symbols in traditional dances that reawaken people’s 

consciousness to begin to value the use of symbols in dance as a 

communicative tool. Akas affirms that; 

The use of signifying symbols must be 

made sacrosanct for the initiate only, 

because they are the ones who understand 

and uphold the cosmological ideology 

imbedded in them as cultural signifier, 

identifier and sustainability.  (47) 

 

The Origin of Nkwanwite Dance 

This dance centers on women and their various experiences in 

their matrimonial home. The dance started in 1905, according to 

Mrs Orji Agha in an interview by a woman called Mrs Udu Ibeh, 

who was believed to be the first woman to perform this great and 

ageless dance in Afikpo community. Mrs Udu Ibeh in an 

interview said; she played a symbolic role in this dance because, 

she was the first woman to get married at the age of eleven in 

Afikpo community. So, because of her inexperience in what 

marital life is all about, she suffered a lot in the hands of her 

husband. According to Mrs Ibeh   in an interview too, her 

husband beat her every day because she was not good in sex, she 

did not know how to wash her husband’s clothes and she was 

not good in cooking. So because of all these, her husband beat 

her claiming he wanted his wife to be strong, sexually active and 

caring. According to Mrs Julian Uruh in an interview, “the 

beating was so much on Mrs. Udu Ibeh that as a child, she ran 



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back to her parents for help. But her parents would return her 

back that same night to her husband telling her that in marriage, 

parents are not allowed to interfere. On several occasions, Mrs 

Udu Ibeh was disgraced in public by her husband for forgetting 

to call him the pet name he loves which was “di m oma”. Mrs 

Ejem in an interview said; ‘It was recorded that each time she 

forgot to call him the pet name, her husband would flog her with 

any available stick around. Mrs Udu Ibeh was highly maltreated 

in the hands of her husband who was 45 years older than her’’. 

Her husband on his part was a drunk, a womanizer and a chain 

smoker. On several occasions, the husband would be so drunk 

that he would end up inside a gutter, at times her neighbours 

would call her and say "thatyour drunk and good for nothing 

husband has chosen his comfortable place again as usual, go and 

carry him”.   Mrs Udu Ibeh in her interview said once she heard 

this, she would run out to go and save her husband. Mrs Julian 

Uruh still in an interview explained, “If Ibeh sleeps inside the 

gutter till the next day, he would kill his wife the next day”. So 

each time she hears her husband was inside a gutter, she rushed 

out to save her husband. So one fateful day, according to Mrs 

Ibeh, she was trying to carry her husband who was heavy both in 

size and body structure, when she had a dislocation and was 

taken to a midwife for treatment. It was in the house of the mid-

wife under serious pains that she started crying and singing. Her 

crying and singing was narrating her ugly experiences in the 

hands of her husband, starting from the first day till that 

particular moment. She said in one of her songs that “marriage 

has a sweet and bitter taste; it is the duty of a woman to accept 

both taste for peace to reign”. It was her cries of lamentation that 

originated Nkwanwite dance in Afikpo till date. Nkwanwite 

dance performance in Afikpo bases its origin and 

communicative potency on some metaphoric guide, serving as a 



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reflective pointer and as a reminder in the mind-set of any 

woman in Afikpo that wants to get married. 

Nkwanwite Dance Performance in Afikpo, Ebonyi State 

Initiation Ceremony 

The initiation ceremony into Nkwanwite dance performance is 

of great essence semiotically. It is strictly meant for young ladies 

between the ages of 20-34years. The reason for this age is 

because it is believed that at this age bracket, any young lady in 

Afikpo is supposed to be in a relationship and/or preparing to get 

married. So once any lady in Afikpo has gotten to this age 

bracket, she will be fully initiated into the dance. During the 

initiation ceremony, there is no sign of ritual of any kind, rather 

the body of dancer determines whether they will be initiated into 

the dance or not. The body of the dancer stands as the only 

decisive tool in becoming a member of this group. The body of 

the dancer remains highly indispensable symbolically; because it 

helps to determine whether the young men who will come to 

watch the dance will be attracted and afterwards seek for any of 

the ladies’ hand in marriage. According to Mrs Ibeh in an 

interview; ‘what makes a good dancer and a full initiate in this 

dance is the ability of the dancer to take care of her body. It is 

believed that once she can achieve that, she will look charmingly 

attractive in the eyes of young men who will be searching for 

their future wives during the performance’’. In order to achieve 

the required body configuration to be a member, the selected 

young ladies to be initiated will be assembled together in a 

compound fenced round which symbolically is called Ngkachi 

Umunwaanyi (protector of the ladies). The essence of this 

symbolic fence (ngkachi umunwaanyi) is to protect the outside 

world from seeing the ladies until the D-day. Inside this 

compound, the initiates would be taught a lot of things like; 

a. how to seduce their husbands 



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b. how to feed their husbands and children 

c. how to take care of their mothers- in-law 

d. how to avoid being a gossip subject 

e. how to manage in the time of lack in the family 

f. How to take care of themselves and still be in good shape 

before and after giving birth. 

The above pictures shows what some women suffer in their 

husband's house; all these would be taught to the initiates by a 

special woman nicknamed Mma ugogbe nwada (the beauty of 

the maidens). Mma ugogbe nwaada remains a symbolic woman 

during the initiation because during her days as a young lady and 

a full member of Nkwanwite, she kept all the rules and 

regulations guiding the initiates then. She had up to eight suitors 

all asking for her hand in marriage, and there was a general 

saying that ‘whenever she is dancing, all the men watching her 

performance would be carried away to empty their pockets on 

her’. So during the initiation, she makes sure that the initiates are 

very attractive, charming and beautiful for the young men who 

will be watching their performance on the D-day. It is a belief 

that any initiate who has gotten to the age of marriage and keeps 

the rules and regulations guiding the dance must surely get her 

future husband from the young men who are watching the 

performance. During the full initiation into the dance of 

Nkwanwite, the initiates always appear in three symbolic dance 

line formation; 

a. The sampling formation 

b. The bravery formation 

c. The readiness formation 

 

All these formations are communicative in nature more 

especially, in exposing the different stages nkwanwite initiates 



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pass through before becoming full initiates. The communicative 

potency of this formation is as follows: 

The Sampling Formation 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plate 1: A cross section of maidens on the sampling formation 

This Sampling formation is dotingly called the formation of 

queens. This formation is solely meant for maidens who are 

complete women and have all it takes to make their various 

would-be husbands remain forever faithful to them.  The idea of 

being complete women is that the maidens are virgins who will 

get impregnated on their first sexual intercourse with their 

would-be husbands. The special gift from their ‘chi’ to those 

who maintain their virginity before becoming initiates into the 

dance is a male child. The male child serves as a proof of 

faithfulness of the woman before getting married to her husband.  

At this point, the initiates are told to always be attractive to their 

husbands before, during and after child bearing, because once 

they stop being attractive, their husbands will have the necessary 

justifications to cheat on them.  They are also advised to always 

expose those attractive parts of their body like their stomach, 

breasts, waist, laps and hair, because once all these are well kept 

too, their husbands will forever remain faithful to them. It is at 



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this point that the initiates are fully educated and informed on 

what it takes to be a wife both in child bearing, looking 

attractive to their husbands and also knowing how to encourage, 

motivate and sustain the family during agonizing moments.  

The Bravery Formation 

Plate 2: A cross section of maidens on bravery formation 

This can be interpreted as the moment of tribulations in the 

various families the women will be married into. The initiates 

are here reminded that marriage is not a bed of roses, rather at 

times the taste differs like; 

a. Some marriages are sweet sweet sweet 

b. Some marriages are bitter sweet bitter 

c. Some marriages are bitter bitter bitter 

d. Some marriages are neither sweet nor bitter 

But whichever situation they meet in their marriages, all they 

need to do is to give unswerving support to their husbands and 

guide their children. The bravery formation fortifies and presents 

the various realities of life to the initiates by telling them that 

depending solely on their husbands will at times warrant 

dehumanization, starvation, and make the woman a ‘non-



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locomotive  engine’ before the eyes of her husband’s mother in-

law and her husband’s siblings, thereby belittling the  woman to 

the general adage of ‘oriaku’. So in order for the initiates to 

maintain their respects in their husbands’ house, they must 

contribute positively at home. 

The Readiness Formation 

  

 

 

 

Plate 3: A cross section of maidens on readiness formation 

The body communicative potency of initiates here presents them 

as being fully trained, informed and equipped on how to take 

care of the house, their husband and their children. Also, it 

means the initiates are fully prepared for marriage and any man 

that marries them at this point, marries forever to breakthrough 

and open doors. The semiotic- interpretative gift that follows the 

initiates at this point is always showcased whenever they spread 

their hands during performance which implies – ‘we are a 

blessing to any man that marries us and remains faithful to us’. 

The initiates at this point are seen as full initiates and are 

officially welcomed into Nkwanwite dance performance. 

Music 

The use of the music called Akwa Oyiri in Nkwanwite dance 

performance is of a symbolic essence. It is of symbolic essence 



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because the thematic strength of the song centers on reminding 

any married woman in Afikpo, the disadvantages of being a 

barren woman. According to the thematic analysis of the music, 

any married woman in Afikpo that is not pregnant nine months 

after her wedding or that has stayed years in the marriage 

without any child, is always seen as a she-he and cannot be 

associated with.  

The husband of the barren woman or wife is free to marry 

another wife once it is confirmed that the barren woman fondly 

addressed as ‘she-he’ cannot give birth to a child, or she will be 

asked to go back to her parents. The music semiotically portrays 

the various sufferings barren women go through in their 

husband’s house in Afikpo.  This suffering goes as follows: 

a. She will not be allowed to cook for her husband, because 

it is a belief in Afikpo that once a barren woman cooks 

for her husband, he will not be able to impregnate any 

woman again should he decide to re- marry. 

b. She is not allowed to send the children of her co-wife on 

an errand, because it is believed that sending the children 

on an errand blocks the favour that will follow the child 

when he/she gets married in the future. 

c. She is not allowed to stay in the same room with her 

husband, rather she is subjected to a thatch house, the 

reason for subjecting her to this symbolic thatch house is 

to remind her that she is not yet a full woman. 

d. The barren woman is also subjected to constant cries 

which are full of rhetorical questions for her ‘chi’. The 

symbolic essence of the cries of the barren woman is to 

beckon on her ‘chi’ to remember her and give her own 

child.  

Aside the suffering of the barren woman stated in the song 

Akwa-oyiri, the theme of the song for effective interpretative 



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understanding is divided into three symbolic sub-headings such 

as; 

a. Akwa Oyiri na chi ya (The cry of the barren woman to 

her God) 

The woman is expected to ask the gods of fertility in Afikpo 

why she is still barren while others are giving birth in numbers. 

According to Mrs ibeh in an interview, it is of their mythological 

belief in Afikpo; that once the barren woman can cry well, she 

might touch the heart of the ‘god of fertility’ and she will start 

bearing children again. In order to achieve this effectively, the 

woman is expected to do three symbolic things like; be totally 

faithful, avoid envying those who have children and their 

children and to be always submissive to her husband. 

 

 

 

 

 

Plate 4: This dance movement symbolically represents akwa 

Oyiri na chi ya 

b. Akwa Oyiri bere di ya (The cry of the barren woman 

to her husband) 

This is another symbolic action in the dance. The barren woman 

is expected to cry to appeal to the heart of her husband not to 

marry another woman, not to rule out her chances of giving birth 

completely and not to address her as she-he again. At this point, 



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Oyiri (the barren woman) is advised to always do everything 

humanly possible in putting a smile on her husband’s face. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plate 5: This movement represents Akwa Oyiri Bere Di ya 

Dance Movement 

The dance movement here is very symbolic, communicative and 

of great semiotic essence. The semiotic interpretation of the 

dance movement lies in the symbolic communicative formation 

of the dancers on stage. It is the symbolic communicative 

formation of the advanced women dancers that portrays the 

message of the dance to the audience. The dancers being 

advanced women and not young ladies is of symbolic essence. It 

is believed that these women dancing are real women and they 

all gave birth in their various husband’s houses exactly nine 

months after their marriage and all their first issues are all males. 

So they are seen as complete women and not ‘she-he’ (barren 

woman). Another effective essence why advanced women are 

the only dancers, according to the belief of Afikpo, is that 

women performing Nkwanwite dance is to prove three symbolic 

thoughts on women such as; to prove the strength of women 

irrespective of their age, to prove their fertility and also to prove 

their readiness to give birth to more children if age permits them. 



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The communicative semiotic essence in the dance is divided into 

three symbolic dance formations such as: 

Aka Ije Oyiri 

This dance movement based on its symbolic interpretative 

essence centers on women of Afikpo especially the married 

ones. It exposes the negative effects of been barren for years 

after marriage and not being able to conceive in the first nine 

months after marriage as the tradition demands. It is of great 

belief in Afikpo,  based on the interpretation of the dance 

movement ,that any barren woman in the community is yet to be 

accepted by her husband, her husband’s siblings and husband’s 

kinsmen based on the fact that anything can happen to the fate of 

the woman. The use of the tale of a black horse as a prop during 

the dance movement is of great significance. The black horse 

tale symbolizes the uncertainty in the married life of the barren 

woman in the community. The black horse tale based on its 

symbolic hand movement during the dance, reminds the barren 

woman of the following; 

i. That her husband has the right to return her back to her 

parents. 

ii. That her husband can still keep her as a wife but totally 

ignore having any sexual intercourse with her. 

iii. That her husband can still keep her while he remarries. 

iv. On no account is she allowed to send the child of the 

favoured wife on any errand. All these can be witnessed 

with the symbolic throwing of hands by the women with 

the tale of the black horse in their hands during the dance 

movement. 

Oyiri nnoo 

This dance movement is highly symbolic and communicative in 

nature. The symbolic, communicative and interpretative potency 

of the dance movement centers on the following; the two 



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women, black horse tail and the white handkerchief. This dance 

movement communicatively portrays the total acceptance of any 

married woman in Afikpo community in her husband’s 

community. The total acceptance is always effectively based on 

the mutual understanding between her and whatever she meets 

in her husband’s house. The following portrays the yardstick for 

measuring total acceptance in oyiri-nnoo dance movement 

formation. Those yardsticks are as follows: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plate 6: This dance step symbolizes Oyiri Nnoo 

a. To be an achiever. 

b. He wants his wife to be a go- getter.  

These are symbolic meanings placed on the open arena 

performance space, which any woman married into the 

community is expected to fulfill throughout her stay in her 

husband’s house. The open performance arena transients from 

being a mere venue to a serious reflective tool for married 

women in Afikpo community which helps them imbibe good 

character in their homes. 

Conclusion 

From findings so far, signifying symbols is an indispensible tool 

in any traditional performance in Nigeria and beyond. What 



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should always be the working metaphor of any choreographer is 

to make use of communicative iconic symbols to avoid myopic 

misinterpretation. At this point if possible, the choreographer 

should always alert the audience before and after production; 

that beyond the mere props used by the dancers there is an 

interpretative undertone in them. It is through the undertones 

that dance (especially Nkwanite), will be appreciated as didactic 

tool. In conclusion, dance scholars should put more effort in 

analyzing, documentary and preserving symbolic cultural 

artifact before they are been misinterpreted as  log of wood or 

ordinary sculptural  work. 

Works Cited 

Akas, Nicholas. Dance, A sociological tool in a Child’s 

development:Dancing monster and  Uzo asexamples, 

Global Journal of Human Social Science Arts and 

Humanities, Vol. 15 (2) 2015. pp 38-48. 

Aspasia, Dawia: The Ability of Using Symbols and its 

Contribution to Dance Learning: The Laban Notation 

System. Athens: University of Athens Press, 2015. 

Dervin, Brenda: Audience as Listener and Learner, Teacher and 

Confidante: The Sense-Making Approach. Michigan: 

Michigan University Press, 2003. 

Foreman, Wernet: Rethinking communication: introducing the 

Sense –Making Methodology. London: Harington Press, 

2003.  

Naresh, Kumar Agarwal: Making Sense of Sense Making: 

Tracing The History And Development of Dervin’s 



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Sense-Making Methodology. London: University of 

London Press, 2017. 

Roxy, Levy. Semiotics in Information System. Texas: University 

of Texas Press, 2014. 

Samaeritter, Rosemarie: Body, Movement and Dance in 

Psychology. Netherland: Netherland University Press, 

2009.  

Uji, Charles: “Towards the Theories and Practice of the dance 

Art.” International Journal of Humanities and Social 

Science, Vol. 4 No. 4, 2014.  251 – 259. 

 

 


