Page:Niger Delta Ecosystems- the ERA Handbook, 1998.djvu/217

Human Ecosystems: Sangana in Akassa 19 THE HUMAN ECOSYSTEMS: SANGANA IN AKASSA
 * Location
 * Topography
 * Soils
 * The Natural Ecosystem
 * Natural and Viable Society
 * Modern Society
 * The Economy
 * Social and Political Status

19.1 LOCATION

Sangana is located on the West side of the Sand Barrier island of Akassa, and on the East side of the Sangana estuary, about 30 kms West of Brass, (see Map 10.).

The main geographical features to which the people of Sangana relate themselves are the Sangana Estuary, West, and the island between this Estuary and the Nun Estuary, East. They see themselves as the largest community in the Akassa Clan but rather than looking East towards Akassa, they tend to look West across the Sangana Estuary in the area of which there are Sangana settlements and settlements owing allegiance to Sangana.

Studies of Sangana and Akassa also took into account "Brass" Island (including the towns of Twon and Okpoama) between the Brass and St. Nicholas estuaries.

The Sangana people speak the Akassa dialect of the Ijo sub-group of dialects within the Ijoid language group. The Ijoid language has been defined as a separate group within the Niger-Congo family of languages, by way of the Volta-Congo subfamily and Benue-Congo branch (Professor Kay Williamson, Department of Linguistics, University of Port Harcourt). The Akassa dialect is close to the Nembe dialect (also in the Ijo sub-group).

19.2 TOPOGRAPHY OF AKASSA ISLAND

Like all the Niger Delta Sand Barrier Islands, Akassa is the result of the longshore drift of sand along the coastline (which continues as sandbars across the mouths of the estuaries). Sand is thrown up by the Atlantic to form a high beach in front of a lagoon created by streams running from the island. The beach finally rises above the high tide level and stabilises. The result of this continuing process is a low corrugated plain, no more than 1 or 2m above sea level, with sandy ridges running parallel to the coast line, alternating with swamps and occasionally small rivers or even, on the estuarine edges of the islands, tidal creeks. The pattern repeats itself from the coast Northwards to the lower mangrove swamps and creeks further inland. 215