Interesting. Men the shear number of shrines in Anambra state makes me shiver o!
I do not think the Idemiri people worship the python, rather its the Ide bi na Miri that they worship, either the river or the being that is believed to own the river, the python is just a signature manifestation of the deity.
What am curious about is why most streams in Anambra are deities, infact streams and rivers are so venerated that they seem to have a personality of their own. As a kid I fear fear going down to the stream alone, or passing any of those Giant Akpu Trees.

KenGali: Interesting. Men the shear number of shrines in Anambra state makes me shiver o!
I do not think the Idemiri people worship the python, rather its the Ide bi na Miri that they worship, either the river or the being that is believed to own the river, the python is just a signature manifestation of the deity.
What am curious about is why most streams in Anambra are deities, infact streams and rivers are so venerated that they seem to have a personality of their own. As a kid I fear fear going down to the stream alone, or passing any of those Giant Akpu Trees.

May be I will carry out a rich documentary on these 'mysteries' in Idemili one of these days! Really, I am fascinated by them!

Viewing this topic: berem!(f), agoha_vivi(f), tomakint

baby common say something, thank God you are here I am waiting........

in my village in orlu, it is forbidden to kill pythons too.though i havent asked my parents why.i remember in 1997 when i and my mum travelled for the burial of my grandad,i and my cousins saw a baby python.we just passed and when we later returned to that same spot it was gone !

berem!:
in my village in orlu, it is forbidden to kill pythons too.though i havent asked my parents why.i remember in 1997 when i and my mum travelled for the burial of my grandad,i and my cousins saw a baby python.we just passed and when we later returned to that same spot it was gone !

My position has always been, places where animals are shown love they tend to be docile and friendlier unlike places where they are being killed, they tend to be shy and hostile, this is more established unlike the spirtual undertones of animals as objects of totemism!

^^^you really do love animals right? this part of the world where we come from dont really care about animals.as long as that animal is edible,we got no problem with it.i am gonna ask my dad why its a taboo to kill pythons in my village.

berem!:
^^^you really do love animals right? this part of the world where we come from dont really care about animals.as long as that animal is edible,we got no problem with it.i am gonna ask my dad why its a taboo to kill pythons in my village.

trust me if you take time to study these 'wonderful creatures' you will be startled on how intelligent and reasonable they could be at least in their own little way..I love animals a lot, thats why favourite tv channel are AnimalPlanet, NatGeo T.V and wildlife documentaries! Please remember to ask your Dad for the reasons why they don't kill them, wao what a culture!!!

python (eke or eke atammili) is reverenced in my area ihiala although it's had to be seen around like b4 since Christian(believers) don't care ,they kill & harm the harmless creature it's had to be sported or seen moving around like when I was growing up.
oooh I remember how this serpent will craw into our house then, when I complain my dad will say "go & sleep the eke will leave anytime it feel like " but there's no way we(I & my brothers) can sleep while it's hiding somewhere in the room so what we does is , get some kerosene & pour the poor thing,it will run like powerbike & will never near our house again. NT without my dads knowledge

I have more to say especially about what kerosene does to the creature,but no time.

Zet72: python (eke or eke atammili) is reverenced in my area ihiala although it's had to be seen around like b4 since Christian(believers) don't care ,they kill & harm the harmless creature it's had to be sported or seen moving around like when I was growing up.
oooh I remember how this serpent will craw into our house then, when I complain my dad will say "go & sleep the eke will leave anytime it feel like " but there's no way we(I & my brothers) can sleep while it's hiding somewhere in the room so what we does is , get some kerosene & pour the poor thing,it will run like powerbike & will never near our house again. NT without my dads knowledge

I have more to say especially about what kerosene does to the creature,but no time.

But how big can they be in your village, because for a python to be considered 'big' it must be at least 10 feet long with at least a diametre of about 15 inches! How do you feel when you see one, have you ever thought of touching one at all,trust me those creatures are wonderful when tamed!

sweerie I can see you viewing this topic, you wanna say something?

i could rmbr last 3wks i saw some fulani men with a headless snake.i dont know if it was a python or boa constrictor.but it was as long as 6ft.they were carrying it ready to be cooked.how can such a creature be eaten when it can be kept in a zoo? that is where the problem is.

berem!:
i could rmbr last 3wks i saw some fulani men with a headless snake.i dont know if it was a python or boa constrictor.but it was as long as 6ft.they were carrying it ready to be cooked.how can such a creature be eaten when it can be kept in a zoo? that is where the problem is.

it should be rathar eaten than kept in a zoo. they should be in the bush not in a cage.

berem!:
i could rmbr last 3wks i saw some fulani men with a headless snake.i dont know if it was a python or boa constrictor.but it was as long as 6ft.they were carrying it ready to be cooked.how can such a creature be eaten when it can be kept in a zoo? that is where the problem is.

You see what I am saying now,our culture needs to be upgraded, its just too barbaric, I remembered the expedition I went for in Iceland then in 2004, you need to see whales fraternizing with humans, dolphins and all sorts of sea creatures but if na here, remember the baby blue whale that was washed ashore then at bar beach in V.I, before you could say Jack Robinson, Lagosians don finish everything not minding what killed the whale, its that bad baby

even in MBAITOLI LGA of IMO state,they dont kill the snake,but my mummy tried killing it one day,i noticed the resistance
she faced from my grand parents,that she can go an practice her chritianity in the town not in their domain

tomakint:
You see what I am saying now,our culture needs to be upgraded, its just too barbaric, I remembered the expedition I went for in Iceland then in 2004, you need to see whales fraternizing with humans, dolphins and all sorts of sea creatures but if na here, remember the baby blue whale that was washed ashore then at bar beach in V.I, before you could say Jack Robinson, Lagosians don finish everything not minding what killed the whale, its that bad baby

how is our Culture barbaric, when our true culture respects Snakes and other animals These Fulani are muslims for your kind info.

Make person no chop again? Some people live side by side with snakes, while others See it as correct chop. No monopoly on chop.. Even man dey eat man In some villages..

i think why pythons are not eaten in some parts of igbo land is because of its medicinal purpose.can we ever forget the healing powers of ABUBU EKE? It is used mainly to heal fresh scars.but i wonder it is extracted from the pythons.

berem!:
i think why pythons are not eaten in some parts of igbo land is because of its medicinal purpose.can we ever forget the healing powers of ABUBU EKE? It is used mainly to heal fresh scars.but i wonder it is extracted from the pythons.

the same thing too is applicable too in Yorubaland where the 'fat of pythons' are used as medicines. Pythons and many wild animals are delicacies in my place!

tomakint:
the same thing too is applicable too in Yorubaland where the 'fat of pythons' are used as medicines. Pythons and many wild animals are delicacies in my place!

eew!

NRI PRIEST:
eew!

What?

tomakint:
What?

Where r you from,mate?

NRI PRIEST:

Where r you from,mate?

Ondo State! and you?

PAGAN 9JA:
excellent post. this tradition and religion of Seprent worship is also present among the Nair and Bantavaru tribes of South-West India. they call themselves the Nagas or Serpent race. they worhsip Seprents to a large extent, especially the poisonous King Cobra. apparently these Serpents rarely harm human beings members of these tribes , especially around the Sacred Groves. if a person even witnesses a dead snake , he/she must conduct an appropriate funeral for the deceased snake and feed the entire village (approx 100 persons). if a person kills the snake, that individual must be ready to face the much feared wrath of the Cobra. apparently the influence and the power of the Serpents in these areas is such that muslims who live there have also secretly taken to worshiping these snakes.

You do know that some Nagas use snakes to harm people. They use black magic and even likened to assassins. That was then I don't know about now.

Interesting stories. Snakes scare me though.
Now I'm scared to sleep

ijebabe:
You do know that some Nagas use snakes to harm people. They use black magic and even likened to assassins. That was then I don't know about now.

hmm i guess so. i have some Naga friends. i must ask them . .

Alright. If I remember correctly they worship Shiva (he is always pictured with a snake) and he is known as the Destroyer.

ijebabe: Alright. If I remember correctly they worship Shiva (he is always pictured with a snake) and he is known as the Destroyer.

that is different. Shiva , the God of Destructive Forces is worshipped by all Hindus. However these Naga Tribes of South India (not to be confused with the Naga headhunters of North-EAstern India)apart from Shiva, worship Snakes as Ancestors and have Serpent Shrines in sacred forest groves near every home, consisting of different Serpent ANcestors. (no Shiva)

You must be right. From what I have read from the Mahabharata I know them more in relation to their gods than otherwise.

ijebabe: You must be right. From what I have read from the Mahabharata I know them more in relation to their gods than otherwise.

The Mahabharata is a good source of Indian Tribal history. TOday many of those tribes are extinct, while many of the tribes still exist under slightly different names or divided into sub-tribes/clans.

The Naga race is one among them.

I am more intrigued than judgmental about their culture their beliefs. Its a shame its eroding with modern times.

ijebabe: I am more intrigued than judgmental about their culture their beliefs. Its a shame its eroding with modern times.

yes it is eroding fast as the Indian govt. and Indian mentality is getting more and more anti-tribal by the days. the proportion of mixed-ethnic Indians is increasing as we speak.

a few of the upper castes are in fact Tribes , yet they do not recognize it, as the govt. of India recognizes only some Afro-Asiaic and nprth-eastern Indigenous groups as tribal groups.

on the other hand , the lower-caste tribes and indigenous tribes are fast losing out their culture due to missionary activity and in the name of progress.

Well progress is a good thing, its just a shame that certain must go for progress to take shape. The caste system is just the effect of capitalism cos in the days of Shiva every person had a dharma and were respected for it. Not everyone was born to be a Kshatriya or a Brahmin.

I enjoyed reading the Mahabharata and the Ramanayan and was questioned at home alot about it as its unchristian. I couldn't be bothered because it was all out of curiosity and interest. I don't think there is any hindu god I don't know of and I don't think there's anything wrong in that.