______ " HISTORY OF KUTEB PEOPLE " ______
Kuteb is a tribe of about 90,000 population, they live mainly in Takum and Ussa Local Government Areas of Taraba State. They are also known as Kutep and Kutev. They claim that their ancestor migrated from Egypt through Ethiopia to a place in Cameroon, from which they further migrated into Nigeria. There are still about two or three hamlets of Kuteb speakers in Cameroon.
Although the Kuteb say they are not part of the Kwararafa kingdom, the Ichen claim they left Kwararafaa together. The likely cause of the Kuteb denial of the Kwararafa origin is the feud they have had for some years with the Jukun over supremacy.
Kuteb people speak the Kuteb language. Kuteb is also similar to the Yukuben language. The Kuteb claim that Yukuben is a clan of Kuteb, but the Yukuben disagree. They say the language similarity is due to their proximity, and that they are part of the Kwararafa family. The Yukuben language seems to be a mixture of Jukun and Kuteb.
In the Kuteb culture, boys are circumcised between the age of 6 and 11. This is probably the time they are initiated into the ancestral cult.
Traditionally, marriage was by exchange, where a man gives his daughter to a family he is sure they would give a wife for his son. Polygamy and divorce use to be common among the Kutebs.
In Kuteb villages, it is common to see a bunch of fresh leaves weighted with a stone by a path leading to a house. This means that the house has beer available, either free because they are doing a ceremony, or for sale.
A Chief in the Kuteb tradition is not buried until the rest of the chiefs have gathered. His normal regalia is put on him, and no one is allowed to cry near the palace. He is kept in a sitting position and relations and well-wishers come to say farewell. He is buried in his palace.
A Kukwen priest is not buried by ordinary men, but by the Ato, the junior priest. Anyone who attempts it will develop a terrible headache,become blind or die. All the rituals are performed before the death is announced. All the other Kukwens must attend the funeral rites and sacrifices. The grave is guarded by the other Kukwens for 7 days. Any animal found nearby is killed immediately because it is suspected of being a counter spiritual power.
Four to Seven days after burial is the ceremony which ends the mourning period. If the deceased is a traditional worshipper, they demonstrate his profession so that when he is reincarnated he will be better at it. When a new baby is born, they look for a sign on his body to see if it is the dead ancestor who has returned. A year after death, there is another ceremony to bid the man the final farewell to the world of the ancestors.
Each clan of the Kuteb has a Kukwen, who is the chief priest of the clan. They work with Ukwen, the village heads, and the overall chief of the tribe who lives in Takum town. Riman is the name of the supreme God, and the Kukwens act as mediators.
They also worship the thunder and the sun, which they believe have power to guide and provide their needs. Apxin is the name given to all idols. They differ from clan to clan, some are stones, others are Images or trees. Their mode of worship also differ. These idols have different functions, some are for human fertility, some for good harvest, and some for casting away the attacks of witches.
The Apxin festival takes place after the harvest and it last for seven days to thank the gods. Each clan's masquerade appears for the festival. They are called Iki and there are of two types. Both fight against witches and their evil powers.
A Kukwen is highly respected and revered among the Kuteb. The Kukwen usually wears a black or navy blue gown. He must not eat from modern plate. He is the ' wife' of Rukwen, which is a hill cult. This means that spiritually he is a female, and he wears a blue bead necklace.
A Kukwen does not eat fruit, leaves or any raw food. When eating, he must finish the food or else there will be famine in the land. He does not bathe, but purifies himself, and that is not often. He just dips himself in the water and comes out without scrubbing himself, or else the crops will not yield. He must not touch a stranger, or the land will face disaster, and he must not say he is hungry or there will be famine.
His staff stops two people fighting as soon as he point it at them. When there is a shortage of rain, he performs the rites to the gods and spreads his gown on the roof of the sun. Immediately, it is believed, clouds will gather and give rain.
All the members of the clan are expected to give him from their harvest so he seldom farms. The Kukwen performs the rites before the crops are harvested or else there will be a poor harvest.
Anybody suspected of witchcraft is given a liquid made of sassword to drink, usually in the presence of a large crowd. People are suspected if they are reported to be prone to being possessed by spirits.
If calamity persist in a village, everyone is asked to bring his idol to a central place where they are all dipped in the same water. Anyone who the gods are angry with has to drink the water as a suspect. If the person is a wizard, it is believed he will sooner or later.
Kuchicheb is a big festival held from March 24 to 31 in the Ussa hills. During this festival, women wear leaves and waist beads, going topless. The men wear the old leather loincloths. They do all the things their ancestors used to do during this festival. Before the festival, the Kukwen who is over them all calls a meeting of all the Kukwens and elders of Kuteb. The usual rituals are performed to appease the gods and to drive out the evil spirits. Each elder holds a blazing bunch of grass representing the clans.
Ukob is the memorial ceremony for those who have died. It is held for one day in January or February.
The Kuteb believe that when a man sleeps, his soul departs to have a chat with the ancestors. Therefore, he must not be woken up suddenly or else he will have a serious headache and die. If a man has bad dreams, he must make sacrifices to the ancestors to bring good spirits. Bad spirits are believed to be around to kill people in the family if they don't observe funeral rites to quench the thirst of the deceased in the family.
The Kuteb people ....
Chrispodiah Emmanuel.
The Lyon Of The Tribe, King Of The Jungle.
Saturday. 28th day of August, 2021.
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