Efik people
The Efik ( Ibibio or Efik ) is an estuary of the rivers Calabar and Cross River living in southeastern Nigeria people. The settlement area of the Efik includes the south of Cross River State, a region in the east bordering Cameroon. Their cultural and political center is the city of Calabar, which has been founded by them in 1600. In total, about 500,000 people are among the Efik. They speak Efik, a language related closely with Ibibo. Most Efik are members of various Protestant churches.
The name of the people is derived from the Ibibio verb fik (German suppress ). The Efik took the name despite the negative Beiklangs, they described themselves as Iboku (English about: lie with the Ibo in the dispute ). Both results indicate their warlike past in Cross River Delta.
History
The Efik are like the Ibibio probably immigrated in the first half of the 16th century from the north to their present settlement area. In addition to agriculture and fishing, trade was at an early stage the main livelihood. They exchanged mainly salt and fish against agricultural products they produced not in itself a sufficient extent. Since the estuary of Calabar and Cross River is one of the best natural harbors on the West African coast, the Efik came early into contact with European traders, who made there on the way to India station.
Approximately at the turn of 16th and 17th century began the Efik cities to found, the oldest was Ikot Etundo. It was called by the Europeans Creek Town. However, the most important foundations were Old Town ( Obutong today Calabar ) and New Town at the Calabar River. They became centers of trade with the Europeans. The cities of the Efik had 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants. The population was divided into clans (houses) which are understood respectively as descendants of the founders. The clans inhabited own districts, by a head ( prince) were conducted with the assistance of a council of elders. Creek Town originally comprised three such established on descent houses. It was not until the late 17th century arose in connection with the increasing trade activities, the Office of the City chief. This referred to the Europeans over as king. A realm, so a over the cities beyond the territorial state, have not formed the Efik. Nationally, the social and economic relations of the Efik were controlled by a powerful secret society. The so-called leopard society also had religious functions.
Even before contact with Europeans slavery in the Efik, as with many other peoples of the region, as an institution was established. The slaves were used for the management of plantations, they served in the households of their masters, and as rowers in the big canoes with which the Efiks on the rivers traded. From his own people, people came because of poverty and debt slavery, other slaves were captured in wars.
Since the end of the 17th century, the overseas slave trade from Old Calabar established. Especially English ships arrived to the area and bought by the Efik slave for the American colonies. In the 18th century, tens of thousands of slaves were sold to the British about Calabar. The total number is controversial in the research, but there are a whole been more than 1 million people and Old Calabar slave trade was the most important place in the whole of Africa. From there, almost a third of all slaves to have come to the American colonies.
The slave trade with the Europeans brought the economy of the Efik long-lasting prosperity and he changed their society profoundly. At the top of society, the owner of successful trading houses came with a numerous clientele that is no longer founded on relationships. Successful denied the Efik Europeans the settlement in Old Calabar. These were allowed to create any forts. Rather, the captains of European ships trading charges had to be paid to the city leaders of Old Town and New Town. Many Efikhändler tended to acquire the English language, they took over parts of European culture, especially the writing that was for the successful completion of trade with the Europeans of central importance. The Efikhändler stood in constant correspondence with their English business partners. In the 18th century sent some Efik, encouraged by the Europeans, their sons to be educated in England. Christianity was at that time no input in the Efik; to the missionary, the masters of European slave ships but had no interest. The dominant economic position of Efik in the Calabar region founded on the fact that they held a key position in the Atlantic triangular trade. They were able to give the Europeans the slaves, and got in Africa wanted commodity: metal goods, weapons, European clothes, etc. These goods were not least the capital with which they peoples, for example, in Germany, the Aro slave bought from. Only rarely took the Efik in the 18th century even raids to capture slaves.
Until 1767 Old Town was the most important commercial city among the rulers of the family of Robin John. Through an assault could break the supremacy of the Robin Johns Ephraim Duke, the Prince of New Town. From then on his city 's most important trading center.
After the abolition of the slave trade in the early 19th century by an Act of the British Parliament, the economy of the Efik changed greatly. The city men now forced the plantation economy. They were in the course of the 19th century the world's main exporter of palm oil. During this period Scottish Presbyterians began the missionary work among the Efik. 1884 Old Calabar was placed under British protectorate. However, the commercial elite and the city leaders retained their influence. To date, there Calabr in a King of the Efik ( Obong ).