TOMBIANA EGBELEGBE MASQUERADE PERFORMANCE, AS A MEANS OF CULTURAL PRESERVATION

 Life of man on earth is coordinated, controlled, preserved, promoted, and transmitted from generation to generation through cultural festival performance process in the sense of per formative learning by rote, oratory, griot, music, dance, masquerade display as experienced in the Tombiana Ekine Egbelegbe masquerade festival in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State in Nigeria. The research method for this study is qualitative, while the methods of data collection will entail the primary and secondary methods of data collection. The theoretical framework is based on Richard Sechecner,s Performance Theory. The findings show that these social events are means of cultural preservation transmitted through performance which in a sense is drummed language of communication, embodies the narrative history of the culture and tradition of the people. The language of performance Ekine drum language is spoken and understood by initiated indigenes and elders of society. Language which is the major means of communication can come in varying forms; verbal, non-verbal, Spoken, chanted, sung, drummed. Recommendations Cultural performance ranges from birth death, planting, harvest, purification, initiation, coronation all in the life of the African is hinged on performance which is accompanied with drums, music, dance, chants, ululations, invocations acrobatics; that is it embraces a total theatrical performance process orchestrated by the drummed language of communication which needs to be encouraged by being inculcated into the educational curriculum because it preserves the peoples culture by creating peace, harmony and conviviality in African societies.