Ndi Igbo kedu ka unu mere?

I opened this thread so that we can share our people's age-old poetry with each other. In doing so, I hope that we will refresh ourselves with knowledge of our people's exquisite conversational skills and imbue within us an appreciation for traditional arts and pastimes.

Please feel free to post both self-made and traditional poetry. All submissions must be in Igbo (but explanations can be in English) and, preferably, in their original dialects (meaning they don't have to be centralized).

I'll start.

I wrote this poem myself. The title is "Ihe emebiela".

[size=15pt]IHE EMEBIELA[/size]

Chai!
Ihe emebiela!
Osa egbuola egbe
Oku a taala nmiri
Evi amuola ewu
Oke elola agwo
Ogo ataala oku
Ihe emebiela!

odumchi:
[size=15pt]IHE EMEBIELA[/size]

Chai!
Ihe emebiela!
Osa egbuola egbe
Oku a taala nmiri
Evi amuola ewu
Oke elola agwo
Ogo ataala oku
Ihe emebiela!

I decided to write this poem because I was thinking about how the advent of the Europeans destroyed parts of the cultures of we Africans. This poem is simply meant to sum up my feelings towards that. The poem lists the abnormalities caused by damage done to our way of life.

Here's the line by line explanation:

Ihe emebiela! :: things have spoiled!
Osa egbuola egbe :: the squirrel has killed the kite
Oku a taala nmiri :: fire has consumed water
Evi amuola ewu :: the cow has given birth to a goat
Oke elola agwo :: the rat has swallowed the snake
Ogo ataala oku :: the village has burned
Ihe emebiela! :: things have spoiled!

I'd like to see you guys' contributions.

Need not be centralized; now we're speaking my language. Here's one I wrote myself as part of a collection entitled Edudu Erne ke Afonne.

Rigwem la Nkwa

Rigwem rigwem nji agho nkwa
Nwantakala uka ju avo
Ebele ngwa awaa
Njokoro amara ghorola omelala
O bu la a maara akaa, ta a kaa anuu?
Uwa ntoronu uto l'ogbede
Ma onye ntara akara ngasi ikwu ugwo ya

ChinenyeN: Need not be centralized; now we're speaking my language. Here's one I wrote myself as part of a collection entitled Edudu Erne ke Afonne.

Rigwem la Nkwa

Rigwem rigwem nji agho nkwa
Nwantakala uka ju avo
Ebele ngwa awaa
Njokoro amara ghorola omelala
O bu la a maara akaa, ta a kaa anuu?
Uwa ntoronu uto l'ogbede
Ma onye ntara akara ngasi ikwu ugwo ya

This is very interesting. You seem to be doing a lot of interesting things. I once read a thread in which you said something about a movie/documentary you were directing/writing. I'd like to know more about that.

I understood (or atleast I think I did) these parts:

Uwa ntoronu uto l'ogbede - the world is sweet in something.
Njokoro amara ghorola omelala - evil has become tradition.

It would be much appreciated if you gave us an explanation of your poem and the things that drove you to write it. However, if you decide to wait so that more people can attempt to decipher it, that's fine too.

ChinenyeN: Need not be centralized; now we're speaking my language. Here's one I wrote myself as part of a collection entitled Edudu Erne ke Afonne.

Rigwem la Nkwa

Rigwem rigwem nji agho nkwa
Nwantakala uka ju avo
Ebele ngwa awaa
Njokoro amara ghorola omelala
A ka la a maara akaa, ta a kaa anuu?
Uwa ntoronu uto l'ogbede
Ma onye ntara akara ngasi ikwu ugwo ya

Ike nwa gwulum sef; Bia, ibudi anwu nta ? Achuo gi na ubi I gaa na oba ! Kedu ka I ga esi bia na Igbo thread na ede ife onweghi onye nweli ike ighota ?

Anu emeelu ogo buluzi ogo emelu ya baa offia.
Nekwa na okenye anolu na uno ewu amuo na ogbuli.
Egwu adi chi wee welu efifie jie n'igwe.
Ana agwo okoli ibi ona eto afo.
Mana onye na egbu ngwu malukwa na ngwu bu osisi alusi.

Ekeneem umu Igbo na ife na ejelu fa ozi .

Odenigbo Aroli: Ike nwa gwulum sef; Bia, ibudi anwu nta ? Achuo gi na ubi I gaa na oba ! Kedu ka I ga esi bia na Igbo thread na ede ife onweghi onye nweli ike ighota ?

Odumchi, care to clarify this thread and my post for Odenigbo? I feel as though my own words would only fall on deaf ears.

odumchi: This is very interesting. You seem to be doing a lot of interesting things. I once read a thread in which you said something about a movie/documentary you were directing/writing. I'd like to know more about that.

Yes. I am working on a number of arts/media/entertainment projects, the biggest projects being one hopefully feature film and a mini series. The feature film (which may just turn out to be just a short film, or to make things easier, a mini series) is a modern adaptation of the historical events that surrounded Ngwa/Aro relations in the 18th/19th centuries, but it is centered in a single, fictitious town, with fictitious characters.

The mini series is a screen adaptation of a story a friend of mine in the UK (from Aro, as well) is writing. It is basically about a young diaspora Igbo man's struggle to grow out of his father's shadow. Those are the two biggest projects I'm working on, alongside other smaller, but equally deserving projects.

odumchi: I understood (or atleast I think I did) these parts:

Uwa ntoronu uto l'ogbede - the world is sweet in something.
Njokoro amara ghorola omelala - evil has become tradition.

You understood correctly. Also, that something (ogbede) is youth.

odumchi: It would be much appreciated if you gave us an explanation of your poem and the things that drove you to write it. However, if you decide to wait so that more people can attempt to decipher it, that's fine too.

I have no problem giving explanation. I understand how unlikely it is that anyone would just understand the poem and it's meaning, since much of the idioms I used are very specific to my region. Unless one is familiar with my region/people's vast array of idiomatic expressions, there is no way one would be able to initially interpret the poem and its message.

The poem was my response to something I had witnessed in the life of someone I had known for a very long time, since we were small small children. Essentially I had been there and seen the progression of events in said individual's life, as well as the inevitable outcome, but it was not until I witnessed the outcome that I began to remember the progression of events. After thinking on it (because this individual was someone I knew well), I began to notice how the lives of some others I had known in passing, either through school or through summer programs, had mirrored a similar pattern of development. The signs had been there. Had I paid better attention, I would have seen the end result coming, and possibly did what I know to do as a friend (and this applies to anyone who has found themselves in a similar position as I). Things that could have been avoidable, essentially became inevitable.

Rigwem la Nkwa (Grinding & Dancing)

Rigwem rigwem nji agho nkwa (Small steps lead to dancing)
Nwantakala uka ju avo (Little by little dispute fills the basket)
Ebele ngwa awaa (Someone else's calabash shatters)
Njokoro amara ghorola omelala (Evil becomes as tradition)
O bu la a maara akaa, ta a kaa anuu? (Is it that what could have said was not said, or that what was said was not heard?)
Uwa ntoronu uto l'ogbede (Life is so sweet in one's youth)
Ma onye ntara akara ngasi ikwu ugwo ya (But one who bites into the akara has a debt he must pay)

Odumchi,how can you say no need to centralize ?? Will you be able to pronounce what Chinenye writes or you just want to give him some room to show his burning desires to write in Ngwa I mean,are we here to learn new dialects or what ?? Nwokem,wepu aka enwe na ofe tupu oghoo aka nmadu!

Odenigbo Aroli:

Anu emeelu ogo buluzi ogo emelu ya baa offia.
Nekwa na okenye anolu na uno ewu amuo na ogbuli.
Egwu adi chi wee welu efifie jie n'igwe.
Ana agwo okoli ibi ona eto afo.
Mana onye na egbu ngwu malukwa na ngwu bu osisi alusi.

Nwanna, ihe a I dere di ikpiti (deep). Props. Did you write it yourself, and care to explain it?

Anyway, Chinenye didn't do anything wrong by posting poetry in his Ngwa dialect. The purpose of this thread is to explore Igbo poetry and works in all dialects plate appreciated. Personally, I prefer writing poetry in my dialect as to Central Igbo because I can craft my words much better and supplement then with deeper idioms in my dialect than I can in Central Igbo. If you need a clarification/explanation, ask.

ChinenyeN:
Yes. I am working on a number of arts/media/entertainment projects, the biggest projects being one hopefully feature film and a mini series. The feature film (which may just turn out to be just a short film, or to make things easier, a mini series) is a modern adaptation of the historical events that surrounded Ngwa/Aro relations in the 18th/19th centuries, but it is centered in a single, fictitious town, with fictitious characters.

The mini series is a screen adaptation of a story a friend of mine in the UK (from Aro, as well) is writing. It is basically about a young diaspora Igbo man's struggle to grow out of his father's shadow. Those are the two biggest projects I'm working on, alongside other smaller, but equally deserving projects.


You understood correctly. Also, that something (ogbede) is youth.

This is very interesting. More grease to your elbows.

ChinenyeN:
I have no problem giving explanation. I understand how unlikely it is that anyone would just understand the poem and it's meaning, since much of the idioms I used are very specific to my region. Unless one is familiar with my region/people's vast array of idiomatic expressions, there is no way one would be able to initially interpret the poem and its message.

The poem was my response to something I had witnessed in the life of someone I had known for a very long time, since we were small small children. Essentially I had been there and seen the progression of events in said individual's life, as well as the inevitable outcome, but it was not until I witnessed the outcome that I began to remember the progression of events. After thinking on it (because this individual was someone I knew well), I began to notice how the lives of some others I had known in passing, either through school or through summer programs, had mirrored a similar pattern of development. The signs had been there. Had I paid better attention, I would have seen the end result coming, and possibly did what I know to do as a friend (and this applies to anyone who has found themselves in a similar position as I). Things that could have been avoidable, essentially became inevitable.

Rigwem la Nkwa (Grinding & Dancing)

Rigwem rigwem nji agho nkwa (Small steps lead to dancing)
Nwantakala uka ju avo (Little by little dispute fills the basket)
Ebele ngwa awaa (Someone else's calabash shatters)
Njokoro amara ghorola omelala (Evil becomes as tradition)
O bu la a maara akaa, ta a kaa anuu? (Is it that what could have said was not said, or that what was said was not heard?)
Uwa ntoronu uto l'ogbede (Life is so sweet in one's youth)
Ma onye ntara akara ngasi ikwu ugwo ya (But one who bites into the akara has a debt he must pay)

Ah, I see. It's amazing the way many of our past experiences influence our futures and mindsets (as yours clearly did).

Nice thread.
I used to think that "mgbede" is old age.

Ukwu nkwu juru eju.
Owa nje nje.
Anu elu bia obelu ta,
Anu ala bia obelu ta.
E rue ka mbe biara ibe,
Ijiji kee ya okpo na isi,
I-koplolo I-kpololo
Mbe dalu dalu dalu
Dajie Nwa mgbada ukwu,
Nwa mgbada tiri tiri tiri tiga na ulo Ikpe,
Ndi ocha no na ya,
Ha asi ya "get away"
Nwa mgbada asi ha "umu otondo" !

One of my favorite nursery school rhymes.

Odenigbo Aroli: Odumchi,how can you say no need to centralize ?? Will you be able to pronounce what Chinenye writes or you just want to give him some room to show his burning desires to write in Ngwa I mean,are we here to learn new dialects or what ?? Nwokem,wepu aka enwe na ofe tupu oghoo aka nmadu!

Nwanna m, Igbo na asu na olu na olu kama anyi kwa ukwaara o bu olu. Poetry is like music. If all music were sung in Central Igbo, then music would be boring. The freedom of dialect allows one to take craft his/her words/sentences and thoughts as he or she would like. It gives the poem the flavor derived from that dialect.

The truth is that you probably didn't understand the entire langiage in my poem and I did not in yours. However, we can help each other interpret our poetry. Poetry isn't meant to be understood immediately. Rather, it's meant to be digested and thought about.

ifyalways: Ukwu nkwu juru eju.
Owa nje nje.
Anu elu bia obelu ta,
Anu ala bia obelu ta.
E rue ka mbe biara ibe,
Ijiji kee ya okpo na isi,
I-koplolo I-kpololo
Mbe dalu dalu dalu
Dajie Nwa mgbada ukwu,
Nwa mgbada tiri tiri tiri tiga na ulo Ikpe,
Ndi ocha no na ya,
Ha asi ya "get away"
Nwa mgbada asi ha "umu otondo" !

One of my favorite nursery school rhymes.

Ify ndeewo nu! Thank you for this excellent contribution.

Okeke tara ose oji
daa n'ala tie.

Andre Uweh: Okeke tara ose oji
daa n'ala tie.

Brief and to the point! Excellent contribution.