FESTIVALS


Kutebs have rich and variety of cultural activities displayed during relevant seasons and occasional festivals. The festivities are either for opening and closing farming seasons or for death and birth among others. The famous is that of opening and closing farming season: "The Kuchicheb" a thanks giving festival for good harvest. It comes up every 25th day of March. It is celebrated by first making a pilgrimage to Ussa hill to receive fire and a procession back to Takum amidst Dances (sae) such as Sae Iki, Sae Kwop, Sae Rika, sae Iwen, Sae Utarong/ Kutaron, Sae Kufa, Sae Ipwein, Sae Pippi, Sae Rifyain, Sae Kumburu.

The festival depicts Kutebs mode of pre-colonial dressing, respect for law and order as commanded by the ancestors and passed on by elders, Kukwen and the Ukwe. Its a show of farming and hunting tools: a mark of Kuteb industry, show of hospitality through lavish provision of food and drinks to Kutebs and quests, the love for education through the strong participation of the younger ones in the festival to receive words of wisdom from the Ukwe, etc. This festival attracts participants and spectators from near and afar.

The rukwen is the Special property of the senior clan, Likam. The rukwen rite is performed twice yearly. This is done before farm preparation for crop production, and after harvest. It begins first at the fung(farm stead) followed by "surkwen" (clan hill) level ritual. At the sorkwen level all clan members attend it from near and far settlements. It is accompanied by Iki (masquerade) dances at village squares. The rule guiding this festivals is that no one prepares a new farm until the clan rites have been performed and no clan may perform these rites until Likam has first performed them and is to be attended by clans representatives to acquire new virtues before clan ceremonies. Therefore if there is drought the Kukwen performs the rites at Mbarikam hill . He spreads his blue robe which then is followed by heavy rain fall after the last persons in his company steps his feet on the base of the hill. And the rain do not touch them as the move back home.