CULTURAL INTERPRETATION OF COSTUMES IN KUNLE AFOLOYAN’S ANIKULAPO

ABSTRACT Costume and culture expression is a very important aspect of people. The culture of people identifiable by the kind of costumes they put on, as it is always the first call of attention, not only for the external covering of the body, they are unique identities of a particular culture, period and location. Costumes and culture as it is concern among many other is gradually taking another dimension, losing its sacredness, artistic and aesthetic values. Costumes also as a cultural visual of the people, plays an important role in characters descriptions in any filming performance although, the wrong interpretation of people culture and costumes can lead to ridicule, violence and cross cultural misunderstandings. The study used inductive approach , which is the individual approach to validate the date from oral sources . The possible research questions and instructions for the interview is related to the topic under investigation and the questions where stated duely. The study uses Aesthetics Theory of Arts as the theoretical framework. Costume is also a part of unity that cannot be separated from social life and as a medium to explore expression and idea, communicate, promote and place a formation of ideology. This study reveals costume and culture as being symbolic, which gives expressive and explanatory information on the wearer to the audience as an aid to characterization. Having established a definition of Costume and Culture, this study proceeds to broaden its application, by using costumes in defining the cultural identity of its inhabitants and expressing its real essence in highlighting its richness in culture. I recommend that every production, having its cultural backgrounds in its content, must tend to express every tendency in creating costumes for the culture which he/she uses in his/her performance, as this will aid in identification of culture.