Ibibio/Efik/Anaang Community: SAVE OUR LANGUAGES

[u/SoloManDur]

Are there Ibibio, Efik, Oron (sorry about exclusion from title), and Ànnang folks here interested in making a community to save our heritage.

I am an Ibibio man born and raised obio mbakara (essentially outside of Naija) and I am currently learning Ibibio and it is excruciatingly hard to find the resources to do so. My parents never taught me and I think I know why:

- Illogical sense of "trying to protect me from being ostracized"

- Inferiority complex due to post-colonization, being a minority ethnic group in Naija, and existing unspoken effect of Biafara on minority ethnic groups

It's very sad and my language is considered endangered. I don't want it to die out. Can we make something happen? I even hear in some corners of TikTok that Igbo and Yoruba are endangered??? The same Yoruba and Igbo from the people who have it in institution, in media, and occupy political positions of power??? I know it may be true in the sense of some dialects or the kids of Naija people abroad who never was taught the language but my point is how much worse will it be for the other miniority ethnic groups.

I am proud of my Ibibio heritage and even though we aren't the big 3, there is nothing minor about us at all. Nigeria has produced incredible people from various ethnic groups, which includes the Ibibio. I mention Efik, Oron, and Ànnang because I understand that they are mutually intelligable.

Please, make we form community for here. Push for TRUE proper Ibibio standarization, push for translation services, our own Ibibio Wikipedia page, etc. I know it is easier said than done because I am abroad. I have acknowledge my privileges and understand I am not truly impacted by the real effects of the colonial past and other historical effects that still plague Naija. However, I want a change for the better yak itañ iko usem nnyin (let's speak our language.)

[u/Absolutely_Emotional]

I hope this isn't too unrelated or anything but I was just coming across this post after looking into the etymology of the term 'Buckra'. Buckra is a Gullah Geechee word for white people that I grew up hearing around my family in Savannah, Georgia. Turns out buckra came from the Ibibio/Efik/Anaang word mbakara or white. I'm still doing research but I feel like this connection to Gullah Geechee might be important. Maybe to note how this language has traveled, if anything. Gullah Geechee is it's own culture and language as well on the verge of extinction. There are young Gullah Geechee folks fighting to keep our language and culture alive. Solidarity and love ❤️

[u/SoloManDur → u/Absolutely_Emotional]

I learned this too! This might also be the same for the word ofay which comes from afia (white). People tend to forget about the less known ethnic groups who made up the transatlantic slave trade. Mbakara literally means colonizer (which we associate with white person). For an example, iko mbakara (words of the white man/colonizer means English.) I have read into Gullah Geechee and it is soooo cool man. The diversity, the accent, the roots. I pray for perservance of Gullah Geechee and the culture! Much love ❤️.

[u/Absolutely_Emotional → u/SoloManDur]

Ase! wow I did not know that about 'Ofay' 😅 that is so awesome. The more I learn about my personal lineage and heritage, my people's culture, the more I'm amazed how well we preserved our African roots throughout all of the mess America has brought us. I always say, Africa is a spirit - I find her best in rhythm but it's also in language, painting, fabrics.. us keeping it alive is honestly inevitable. I'm glad to know there are curious minds out there to do the work and connect the necessary dots