Kalabari tribe

TheKalabariare a sub-group of theIjaw peopleliving in the easternNiger Deltaregion ofNigeria.Originally, they were known as the Awome. The name Kalabari was derived from their ancestor Perebo Kalabari who was a son of Meinowei.Their original settlement was spelt asCalabarby thePortuguesewhich was pronounced Kalabari. This settlement (town) was abandoned as the people moved to other fishing settlements. Portuguese settlers continued to maintain the name Calabari which became surrounded by the Efik people ofDuke town. When theBritishcame the word Calabari was pronounced as Calabar (Kalaba) instead of Kalabari. At this time the original Ijoid Kalabaris had moved to a new location which became the new Calabar territory since the old Calabar is occupied by different people. Old Calabar became anEfiktown with time which has the name Calabar.
Elem Kalabaribecame a large kingdom that has about 35 settlements including Bakana, Abonnema, Buguma, Tombia and others.
King Amachree XI (Professor Theophilus Princewill CFR), passed onand was buriedin November 2003. The Kingdom is currently being overseen by a Regenttill a new king is crowned.
The king along with his  Chiefs, most of whom are royal princes, form  the  royal court.
The Kalabari people areIjaw speakingsettlers who came from the lineage of a man called Mein Owei. The people were originally fishermen before the coming of the Portuguese to the West African coastline.
The Kalabari, like most Nigerian coastline tribes, were wealthy as a result of their interactions with the Europeans. There are some Ijaw who consider the Kalabari as a different ethnic group and vice versa.
Historically Kalabari settlements have always been close to a river, this is because they believed their powers came from deities in the water.
There are a variety of traditional dishes (or native food) of the Kalabari, the three popular dishes are Onunu (pounded yam, ripe plantain and palm oil), Tominafulo (freshfish,prawns,periwinkleand oyster and other local ingredients), Odo’fulo (aka Native Soup made with freshseafoodand other local ingredients).
Marriage
Kalabari people have one of the cheapest forms of legal marriage in the south-south region of Nigeria, their marriage is cheap compared to the neighbouring cites such as theIkwerre,Okrika,Ahoada,Ogoni,Bonny, andOpobo. The cheapest form of marriage which is recognized  in Kalabari is called "Ari Ibara emi" (meaning she is with me). As the name implies, her parents should not look for her elsewhere, for she is with me.Kalabari tribe has about  three types of marriages, theIya,Igwa, andWaribiobesime. TheIya marriageis said to be the highest and most expensive form of marriage in the Kalabari culture.The Iya is the most expensive form of marriage in Kalabari land. The special thing about this type of marriage ceremony is that, at first, there are some catchy traditions that may seem weird for other cultures or tribes, but all of them are respected and they must be honored in the ceremony. For instance, the marriage cannot be complete until the ceremony of BIBIFE (buying the mouth) is being done.BIBIFEsignifies that the potential wife can not eat any food until her “mouth is bought”. There must be a rite in order to “buy her mouth” and only after that, she is able to eat in her husband's house. This BIBIFE signifies the responsibility and role of the man towards his wife that shows his willingness to care and feed her for the rest of her life.
Abonnema,Abalama, Abisse, Angulama, Aleleama, Atuka, Angalabio, Adumama, Amosama,Buguma, Bukuma,Bakana, Captain kiri, Cawthrone Channel, Dialafiari ama, Elem Tombia, Elem Kalabari, Elem Ido, Elem Ifoko, Elem Bekinama, Elem Abalama, Elem Sangama, Horsefall ama, Harrison ama, Ido, Idama, Ilelema, Ifoko, Ipokuma, Kula, krakrama, ke, Kien ama, Minama, Mbiakafiama, Ngeribarama, Oporoama, Obonoma, Oguruama, Okpo, Owoko, Obuama, Omekweama, Omekwetariama, Ogo ama, Opubenibo ama, Soku, Sama, Sangama, Tema, Tombia, Usokun, Ipokuma Degema consulate, Arugbana, Ekweoboko .
http://www.sav.sk/index.php?lang=sk&charset=&doc=journal-list&part=list_articles&journal_issue_no=11113615
http://www.sav.sk/index.php?lang=sk&charset=&doc=journal-list&part=list_articles&journal_issue_no=11113615