It goes without saying that Waawa for all its negative connotations is just a clan found mostly in Enugu state that's marked by using wa (wa/awa when said emphatically) for no. Awka (and probably a few other towns by the Enugu border) people also use wa for no but it's obviously got negative connotations in Awka. What do the wider Nigerian/Igbo public consider people from Awka? Wawa or no?

?

Some people consider Awka as part of Waawa, but we have always rejected that name - vociferously. Historically, we do have strong ties with communities in 'Wawaland', though.

When I lived briefly in Udi (which is in 'Wawaland'), some of the indigenes told me that to them we are 'Ndi Vba Vba'. The 'Vba Vba' comes from the way we say 'kita kita' (now now).

There's even a spillover of Waawa food into Awka (fiofio, akidi, okpa, even correct abacha sef).

None of this is even from an outsider's perspective. I'm maternally from the Amikwo-Umuzocha cluster in said city.

AjaanaOka:
Some people consider Awka as part of Waawa, but we have always rejected that name - vociferously. Historically, we do have strong ties with communities in 'Wawaland', though.

When I lived briefly in Udi (which is in 'Wawaland'), some of the indigenes told me that to them we are 'Ndi Vba Vba'. The 'Vba Vba' comes from the way we say 'kita kita' (now now).

I know lay Igbos call anyone from Enugu and even the northern half of Ebonyi State (Abakaliki axis) Waawa but where does Waawa actually start and end in Enugu? The whole of Oji River, Udi, Enugwu township, Nkanu, Uwani and Nsukka all fall under Waawa and that's the bulk of that state. Is there anywhere in Enugu that isn't Waawa?

Probz:
There's even a spillover of Waawa food into Awka (fiofio, akidi, okpa).

None of this is even from an outsider's perspective. I'm maternally from Umuzocha village.

I honestly didn't know fiofio (vbiovbio) and akidi are of Waawa origin. That's something I'll have to ask my folks.

Okpa I grew up knowing as the stereotypical Enugu snack, so you're probably right about that one.



Interesting trivia: 'Okpa' in Awka dialect refers to groundnuts. If you ask a typical Awka man to give you okpa, you'll end up with groundnuts.

That thing Enugu people call okpa, our name for it is igba.

Probz:


I know lay Igbos call anyone from Enugu and even the northern half of Ebonyi State (Abakaliki axis) Waawa but where does Waawa actually start and end in Enugu? The whole of Oji River, Udi, Enugwu township, Nkanu, Uwani and Nsukka all fall under Waawa and that's the bulk of that state. Is there anywhere in Enugu that isn't Waawa?

There are two ways that I know the term Waawa is used. The widest meaning of Waawa covers all of the northern part of Old Anambra, i.e., today's Enugu state and Ebonyi state, except for the part that was sliced off from Abia. Going by this meaning, all of Enugu State without exception is Waawa.

A more narrow meaning of Waawa restricts the term only to Agbaja area and (sometimes) Nkanu, too. By this narrow definition, the Nsukka and Awgu areas of Enugu are not truely Waawa.

AjaanaOka:


I honestly didn't know fiofio (vbiovbio) and akidi are of Waawa origin. That's something I'll have to ask my folks.

Okpa I grew up knowing as the stereotypical Enugu snack, so you're probably right about that one.



Interesting trivia: 'Okpa' in Awka dialect refers to groundnuts. If you ask a typical Awka man to give you okpa, you'll end up with groundnuts.

That thing Enugu people call okpa, our name for it is igba.

They might be more shared foods than copied from Waawa. I dunno how popular okpa is in the rest of Anambra (as an indigenous staple) but it's always been in Awka even when I stayed there last year. The whole "okpa di oku" thing's a morning alarm for Unizik students sef.

AjaanaOka:


There are two ways that I know the term Waawa is used. The widest meaning of Waawa covers all of the northern part of Old Anambra, i.e., today's Enugu state and Ebonyi state, except for the part that was sliced off from Abia. Going by this meaning, all of Enugu State without exception is Waawa.

A more narrow meaning of Waawa restricts the term only to Agbaja area and (sometimes) Nkanu, too. By this narrow definition, the Nsukka and Awgu areas of Enugu are not truely Waawa.

Yh, that's why I said Abakaliki axis. Afikpo/Edda's more akin to the Ohafia/Bende/Abiriba zone, I know.

It sounds like the majority of Enugu State'sWaawa either way.

What part of Awka are you from btw?

Probz:


Yh, that's why I said Abakaliki axis. Afikpo/Edda's more akin to the Ohafia/Bende/Abiriba zone, I know.

It sounds like the majority of Enugu State'sWaawa either way.

What part of Awka are you from btw?

Lol. I thought you've asked me this before. When I told you I was from your ikwunne, and you are my nwadiana. Remember?

AjaanaOka:


Lol. I thought you've asked me this before. When I told you I was from your ikwunne, and you are my nwadiana. Remember?

Short-term memory like a sieve. Ndo.

Awka's mixed through and through innit. Even ndu (presumably) comes from Igala.

Probz:
Awka's mixed through and through innit. Even ndu (presumably) comes from Igala.

Nah, 'ndu' is just our own variation of 'ndi' and 'nde' used by other Igbo groups. There's nothing Igala about it.

For a people that had extensive contacts with their non-Igbo neighbours, Awka culture shows very little evidence of borrowing and mixing. For example, Umuzocha, for all its dealings with the Igala in the past, only has one probably Igala name to show for it (Ata), whereas the Nsukka area has scores of Igala-derived names.

We aren't even that mixed, if our traditions are anything to go by. With the exception of two groups that came from Enugu State and Umudioka-Dunukofia, all of Awka insist that they didn't migrate from outside the borders of the town.

Did you know Awka takes influence from Edoid lects (aka vb/fv in place of the standard h/f)?

Probz:
Awka's mixed through and through innit. Even ndu (presumably) comes from Igala.

Ndu is just a dialectical variation of 'ndi'. My mom's place in Enugu say 'ndu' instead of 'ndi'. Owerri/Abia will say 'nde'. 'ndi', the standard form, I would say is Onitsha.

bigfrancis21:


Ndu is just a dialectical variation of 'ndi'. My mom's place in Enugu say 'ndu' instead of 'ndi'. Owerri/Abia will say 'nde'. 'ndi', the standard form, I would say is Onitsha.

Hmm. I only say so because I know Igala also use ndu. You reckon it’s a possibility they borrowed it from us or is it just a coincidence?

Probz:


Hmm. I only say so because I know Igala also use ndu. You reckon it’s a possibility they borrowed it from us or is it just a coincidence?

They use 'ndu' to mean 'people' as we do?

Also by Igala, you mean upland or 'core' Igala or ibaji Igalas (with Igboid influence)?

bigfrancis21:

They use 'ndu' to mean 'people' as we do?

Also by Igala, you mean upland or 'core' Igala or ibaji Igalas (with Igboid influence)?

Just had a quick re-check. It’s even abo that they use. God knows where I got ndu from.

Probz:
Did you know Awka takes influence from Edoid lects (aka vb/fv in place of the standard h/f)?

In a thread on Awka that I created with my old moniker I hinted at the possibility that 'vb' in Awka might have been picked up from the Edoid peoples. But it is only a possibility, a hypothesis. I won't say it's anywhere near being a fact.

There's a wide range of sounds that the Igbo peoples use in place of h/f. There's V, W, WH/HW, PH, etc across many dialects. The Awka 'Vb' sounds somewhat between 'V' and 'H'. In an environment of such phonetic diversity and divergence, it wouldn't strike me as odd that 'vb' could be a local innovation rather than an import.

About 'ndu': Are you positive the Igala use that word? I have never heard that before. 'Nd-' is very atypical of Igala words, as far as I know.

AjaanaOka:



In a thread on Awka that I created with my old moniker I hinted at the possibility that 'vb' in Awka might have been picked up from the Edoid peoples. But it is only a possibility, a hypothesis. I won't say it's anywhere near being a fact.

There's a wide range of sounds that the Igbo peoples use in place of h/f. There's V, W, WH/HW, PH, etc across many dialects. The Awka 'Vb' sounds somewhat between 'V' and 'H'. In an environment of such phonetic diversity and divergence, it wouldn't strike me as odd that 'vb' could be a local innovation rather than an import.

About 'ndu': Are you positive the Igala use that word? I have never heard that before. 'Nd-' is very atypical of Igala words, as far as I know.

No I corrected myself about Igala up there. Turns out they use abo.

The Awka people were/are never Wawas. Though people carelessly or hastily allude Awka to be part of Wawa because of its usage of 'wa' for 'no'.


One thing that stands Awka out is its dialect: it's very unique. No other community shares that dialect with Awka. Believe it or leave it.


It's evidently clear that Awka has strong ties with some 'wawa' communities. There are some traces of similarities in their customs and traditions. They freely inter-marry.

Owing to the itinerant nature of Awka blacksmiths in the olden days, I would agree that Awka tradition has been influenced by outsides cultures and traditions. Most blacksmiths came back with strange women and idols from those lands. And as we know, the idols must certainly be appeased; and appeasing them is a tradition.


Apart from the name 'Attah' borrowed from Igalla, they have the likes of 'Agbo' etc.


Awka started eating Fiofio before the Wawas. Fiofio thrives on their land; they plant it as a flower to decorate their compound and as feeds to goats.


Amongst the Awkas, groundnut is simply 'Okpa' as AjaanaOka enthused.


What the Wawas call 'Okpa' its full name in Awka is 'Igbagu-Okpa'.


Thank you

room089:
The Awka people were/are never Wawas. Though people carelessly or hastily allude Awka to be part of Wawa because of its usage of 'wa' for 'no'.


One thing that stands Awka out is its dialect: it's very unique. No other community shares that dialect with Awka. Believe it or leave it.


It's evidently clear that Awka has strong ties with some 'wawa' communities. There are some traces of similarities in their customs and traditions. They freely inter-marry.

Owing to the itinerant nature of Awka blacksmiths in the olden days, I would agree that Awka tradition has been influenced by outsides cultures and traditions. Most blacksmiths came back with strange women and idols from those lands. And as we know, the idols must certainly be appeased; and appeasing them is a tradition.


Apart from the name 'Attah' borrowed from Igalla, they have the likes of 'Agbo' etc.


Awka started eating Fiofio before the Wawas. Fiofio thrives on their land; they plant it as a flower to decorate their compound and as feeds to goats.


Amongst the Awkas, groundnut is simply 'Okpa' as AjaanaOka enthused.


What the Wawas call 'Okpa' its full name in Awka is 'Igbagu-Okpa'.


Thank you

And is Igbagu-Okpa indigenous to Awka?

Probz:


And is Igbagu-Okpa indigenous to Awka?

I can't really say, that's what it is known as there

.

AjaanaOka:


Nah, 'ndu' is just our own variation of 'ndi' and 'nde' used by other Igbo groups. There's nothing Igala about it.

For a people that had extensive contacts with their non-Igbo neighbours, Awka culture shows very little evidence of borrowing and mixing. For example, Umuzocha, for all its dealings with the Igala in the past, only has one probably Igala name to show for it (Ata), whereas the Nsukka area has scores of Igala-derived names.

We aren't even that mixed, if our traditions are anything to go by. With the exception of two groups that came from Enugu State and Umudioka-Dunukofia, all of Awka insist that they didn't migrate from outside the borders of the town.

I wouldn’t know about that though. Ogbono soup’s an Umuzocha staple and they say they got it from Igala (and migrated from there). At least at some point. You know how Awka’s got links with other parts of the country through trade. Igala and Umuzocha get strong links.