Minstrels and Global Reconstruction

Minstrels are found in many parts of the world performing primarily in the king's court where they sing praises to the king and members of his cabinet, praising their prominent sons and daughters, recounting the good deeds of their ancestors and also singing the history of their community thereby entertaining the audience with these displays. In recent time, there has been cry from eminent sons and daughters of Igbo tribe that Igbo language and its culture will go into extinction in near future if nothing is done to promote this language. Their observation is based on the fact that Igbo people do not love their language and culture. They love foreign language and foreign culture to the detriment of their language and culture. The writer, having observed the performances of the traditional minstrels and their audience, found out that Igbo people are so much endeared to the songs of traditional minstrels. They patronize these minstrels. In this paper, the writer grouped Igbo land into three zones basing on the attitude of the people from each zone to their minstrels and their performance. From that, the writer determines the position of the minstrels in Igbo land.

Keywords: Minstrels, Igbo, Ancestors, Audience, Performance