xylophone, Ikon, Ikon Eto

Xylophone system used by the Ibibio people of the Akwa Ibom state in southern Nigeria, described by Ekong and Udoh (2018). The instrument itself (Ikon Eto in Ibibio) is a wooden xylophone with five to fifteen keys suspended by a wooden frame or by banana or plantain stems. The language is tonal, with H and L level tones, derived contour tones and downstepped H; tone is grammatical as well as lexical, as aspect marking on verbs involves tonal alternations. (Urua, 2004, 108). According to Ekong and Udoh (2018), the "xylophone is a surrogate instrument which means that it has the capability of talking or speaking the language of the people, be it Ibibio or any other Akwa Ibom language and can sing the songs of the people, too" (81). The authors suggest that the xylophone is tuned according to the "tones accepted in Ibibio language and musical culture" (81), likely reflecting a tone-based surrogate system (characteristic of the region).Historically the xylophone was the "exclusive preserve of the male gender" (79) though this is no longer the case. ​ Among others, content includes "send[ing] messages to other instrumentalists or musicians including the cantor and the audience" (81). ​

Ekong, G. E., & Udoh, U. A. (2018). IKON (THE XYLOPHONE) PEDAGOGY IN IBIBIO CULTURE OF NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF THE NEW DAWN ENTERTAINERS. Humanitatis Theoreticus Journal, 1(2).,Urua, E.-A. E. (2004). Ibibio. Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 34(1), 105–109.