Nigeria is a nation of over two hundred tribes with different cultures and styles of doing things in various aspects.
Although civilization and westernization has nearly erased a huge cultural parts of Nigerian tribes to a certain extent most tribes act alike. However, a popular tribe has steadily stood it ground in resistance to such cultural genocide, the Tiv people of Benue state. They are notably the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria and posses a lot of beautiful cultural acts. Aside Tiv traditional dance which attracts lots of eyes to the stages, the Tivs have a wonderful cultural style of eating "swallow", a popular Nigerian dish enjoyed by almost all the tribes in the country.
The "swallow" as it is famously called by Nigerians is any pasta made with pounded yam, cassava flakes also known as "garri", fermented cassava also known as "akpu" and lots of other flours such as maize. This meal is served with soup or sauces always as it a genuine way of eating pasta in Nigeria and it is however eaten by swallowing morsels. Some say that soup apart from being the main agent of enjoyment while eating also aides in smooth swallowing of the whole combination.
However, the Tiv people always prove that things can be done differently and also wonderfully as they rather have another style of eating pasta called the "uka uka" method. This style involves chewing of ordinary meat or fish pieces and at the same time swallowing morsels of pasta. It is normally said by some Tiv persons that the chewed meat normally create the presence of soup and morever, the ""uka uka" is also a quick way of eating when soup cannot be prepared or afforded at a particular time or period.
It is however, a great idea of refreshing at a low cost. The Tivs have demonstrated that at critical periods, nutrients should be less thought of but rather survival should stand as the main goal.
Content created and supplied by: Fairdance (via Opera News )
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