ABSTRACT
A Study of Mwaghavul Festival Costumes in Plateau State Costume plays significant roles during festivals, because they add to the beauty of events. Such festivals provide opportunities where beautiful costumes of different ethnic groups are showcased in promoting the culture of the Mwaghavul. Costume is a distinctive style of dress of an individual group that reflects their class, gender, profession, ethnicity, or nationality. The study of Mwaghavul festival costume in Mangu Local Government area of Plateau State is the scope of the study, which was delimited to three (3) districts; Panyam, Mangu, Pushit, The reviewed of the background of study is on social, cultural, religious, and political, in order to come out with facts. The research design is qualitative technique that covers historical and descriptive approach. Primary and secondary sources are the major data collection techniques. The gradual dominance of modernised costumes used for cultural festivals in Nigeria is a matter of concern. These concerns give rise to the need to document the Mwaghavul festival costumes of the Mwaghavul of Mangu of Plateau State before it goes into extinction, because there is lack of literatures on costumes used for Mwaghavul festival. It is therefore on this basis that, the problem of this study is premised. Based on the area of study, the researcher review literatures base on the following; etymological definition of costume, history of costume, African costume, costume in Nigeria and festivals that promoted the costume of the people. The research analysis is base on categorization method using Simple Random Sampling and Purposive Sampling techniques with descriptive and interpretation of aesthetic component of the costume. Images of costume are categories base on gender (male and female) dance costume, according to festival to hunting and ceremonies occasions of Vellang,Mbel,Cher and JirapWar-Shar group. Descriptive analysis was made alongside the pictures, of artistic elements and function as well. The researcher discovered that the costumes used for festival is declining due to some social, cultural and religious influences. Recommendation were given to tackle the changes, that costumes should be well preserved in order that they do not get damaged or lost, and that further studies should be carried out on other aspect of Mwaghavul musical instruments. Findings are discovered based on the stated objectives; it is discovered that, the costume of the people is divided into four (male, female, hunting, rites of passages). The costumes are made of different media such as cotton, wool, animal skin, leaves, and raffia. The costumes of the people are for entertainment, communication and beautification. The costume of the people is on the verge of declining due to religious and other social influences. The contributions to knowledge of the study are; some of the functions of the costumes are used for entertainment, identification, communication and for aesthetic purposes, while other costumes are used for charms and rituals. The costume are ephemeral, that?s why it does not last longer for preservation due to the quality of the media, and it also serve an academic reference material to the researcher, who wish to research similar or add to the existing materials for further documentation.
