By Okoi Obono-Obla
The Cultural Symbolism of Liman: Spiral Bangles in Ugep Leboku Festival
The spiral brass bangles worn by maidens during the annual New Yam Festival in Ugep, Yakurr, Bahumuno, and parts of Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State are called Liman (meaning “currency” or “money” in Yako/Yakurr). These bangles are an indispensable fashion style and a highly prized social symbol.
Made of brass—an alloy of copper and zinc with a golden hue—the Liman is more than adornment. Historically, it was a form of currency known as manilla, widely used across West, Central, East, and Southern Africa. Manillas served as a medium of exchange for market purchases, bride price, and burials. Tragically, they also became a currency in the transatlantic slave trade, where Europeans exchanged manillas for enslaved Africans, who were then transported to the Americas. The value of a slave in manillas varied by time, place, and circumstance.
In Ugep, Liman symbolizes wealth and prestige, with ownership restricted to a few families. Traditionally, they are passed down matrilineally through female members of the family, known as lejimo. Males do not inherit Liman. Upon the death of a woman who owns them, the bangles are inherited by her daughters. If she has no daughters, the inheritance passes to her nieces from her maternal line, but not to nieces from her brother unless their mother belongs to the same maternal clan.
Beyond Ugep, ankle bangles are worn across Africa. The Himba people of Southern Angola and Northern Namibia, as shown in the picture, also wear bangles on their ankles. In many other African societies, bangles are worn on the hands, underscoring their widespread cultural significance.
Conclusion:
The Liman is more than jewelry—it is a living heritage, a symbol of wealth, identity, and continuity. Its presence at the Leboku Festival reflects both the resilience of cultural traditions and the layered history of African societies.
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