THE INE FESTIVAL AND ITS LINGUISTIC IMPACT ON SOCIAL VALUES IN ISSELE-UKU, DELTA STATE.

ABSTRACT

This study centers on Ine festival and its linguistic impact on social values in Issele-Uku, Delta State. The primary aim of the study is to examine how the Ine Festival, a cultural event in Issele-uku and social values within the community, with the specific objectives of investigating the activities involved in the Ine Festival of Issele-uku's community, the messages conveyed through traditional communication methods, the symbols used in communication during the Ine Festival of Issele-Uku and the songs traditionally sung and the costumes commonly worn during the festival. The methodology employed for data analysis is a historical analysis and qualitative research methodologies, combining information from both primary and secondary sources. The findings of the study emphasize that language is a carrier of cultural elements during the Ine Festival. It identifies traditional communication methods, such as chants and songs, as a means of transmitting cultural wisdom and preserving the community's legacy. Symbolic rituals during the festival, strengthen values of courage, unity, and reverence. Traditional attire, including the Oshulu and regal attire, symbolizes wealth, prestige, and royalty, reflecting the cultural significance of clothing in representing traditions and identities. The study adopts Lev Vygotsky Sociocultural Linguistics Theory, predominantly made during the early to mid-20th century. Notable works like "Thought and Language" (1934) and "Mind in Society" (1978, published posthumously) by Vygotsky laid the essential theoretical groundwork for the sociocultural perspective on learning and development within the context of language.