Preserving the Ede people's longhouse

To preserve their gongs and epic storytelling, the Ede people must also preserve their living space – one of the distinctive cultural features of the Ede. The Ede people traditionally live together for three or four generations in a large house. The longhouse is a typical reflection of the matriarchal system of the Ede people. Due to numerous economic and social changes, as well as strong cultural exchanges between communities, the new generations of the Ede people have changed their way of life, moving away from the extended family to establish their own families, and the matriarchal system is gradually fading. Therefore, the traditional longhouse is no longer thriving and is gradually being replaced by concrete houses.