Goodboiyy:
As part of my agenda in exposing the culture of my people(Ilaje , Urhobo, Itsekiri, Ijo e.tc) to the world, today we will be discussing about The Umale festival of the Itsekiri and Ilaje people. Its no longer news that the Ilaje share so many things with The Itsekiri nation, Be it language, Culture, Monarchy e.tc as such I do classify The Ilaje as an Itsekiri Offspring (Disputable) .. Here we go..

Umale Okere - Itsekiri

People living in the ancient town of Warri often looked with nostalgia to the season of Awankere, also called Umale Okere, an annual masquerade festival with epicentre of the celebration at Okere main square. It’s a mix of culture, tradition, dancing and humour. Umale Okere is virtually the most popular Itsekiri festival in Warri with so much social fun and excitement, attracting indigenes and non-indigenes alike beyond ethnic divide. Visitors and residents of Warri, including eminent personalities from all walks of life converge at Okere to watch the festival.

People – young and old, including children, line up on both sides of the expansive Okere Road from Esisi junction to the centre point, a massive crowd, jostling curiously to catch a glimpse of the masquerades, men and women dancing to the traditional drum beats with amidst sexy, obscene remarks by women and tantalizing songs, emotional and romantic.

The elegance and beauty of the festival, graced by the masquerades in attires almost akin to the costume and apparels worn by Eyo masquerades in Lagos during Adamorisha festival are amazing.

The origin of Umale Okere festival dates back to pre- independence years in the era of British colonialism. It emanated from Ekpen family, owners of Okere that married a woman called Diden who hailed from the neighbouring Ekurede, the place where the palace of the Olu of Warri is located. An Ekurede woman married to Ekpen family of Okere. The masquerades are customary acknowledgement of the marital ties between the two.

The leader of the masquerades is called Öshogwa Umale”with several bodyguards while the others filed out in a single line for seven market days of Okere till the last day. At the rear of the masquerades is “Okwooye”, wearing a big hat and holding a whip, dressed in baggy attire touching the ground due to oversize.

The mother of them all, referred to as Queen, is called “Eleghe”, very gentle, majestic and moves in measured steps, walking on red carpet. It is rarely seen in public – once in 50 years. Many people see Eleghe only once in their life time. Its public appearance is now reduced to 25 years.

According to Erikowa who lived in Ekurede, since 1956, Eleghe came out twice. For the masquerades, after their appearance on the seventh market day, they go back to the shrine known as “Ekun”, opening their faces on the way.

Women come out to seek their blessings and favour for children, to strike out failures and curses from their lives, to seek success in life. On the last day also, everyone comes to appeal to the Umales as they return to the shrine to cast away their misfortunes and problems, bring prosperity, give them long life, take away sickness, troubles and not to have afflictions in life again.

[img]http://cdn2.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/300x200xAwankere-300x200.gif.pagespeed.ic.LrENFf2Uzo.webp[/img]

[img]http://cdn1.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/300x200xAwankere1-300x200.gif.pagespeed.ic.Sk8uOoS2Dd.webp[/img]

Umale Festival - Ilaje People

UMALE Aju is the anscestral masked dancer of the Jomoyetoyo royal family of [ Odojomo, Igbotako, Osooro] Ilaje, Ondo State in Nigeria. The dancers represent anscestral spirit, the costumes are carved headress in the shape of water fowls or masks with colorfull fabrics covering the body.

They dance to choreographed drum rhythms and dance steps. The festival is usually celebrated around Christmas time every 7 years. Many members of the family return home to celebrate the ways of our anscestors.



Credits: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/awankere-unifying-carnival-for-warri-people/

Nice one bro! I love seeing threads such as this that promotes our cultural and historical background

mulattoclaro:
Have you noticed it's those from that landlocked area of Biafra that are making the most noise? Edo seaport has been approved and work will commence soon. Go and die. Blame God for making your lands erosion ravaged. Edo has Gelegele, Ughoton and Agenebode areas with access to international waters.

This place is close to my community in ilaje side

HopeAtHand:



Show us map, i was of the opinion that Edo state is landlocked..no offense intended.

The area of obstruction between edo state and the Atlantic Ocean is the riverine communities in Ondo state

biafranqueen:
Rubbish!
We have heard of worst cases when it comes to killing people for dubious means...


OP High BP is a problem in this society you should of had an autopsy done instead of coming here insinuating nonsense.

Honestly I concur with what the OP said though my own reasons is not aligned with the village juju ish that he brought up. Mine has got to do with the rising crime rate in the land. The FG needs to empower the Bakassi boys in the east and the Opc in the west to curb these criminal activities.
The cri rate is so high now that they even robbed in my area as early as 8:30pm last week.

The police are incompetent

googlepikin:
A true leader. I will name my son Goodluck Jonathan

Honestly!
My pop wil be proud of him wherever he is. He's repping that name(Goodluck) so damn well

DiademSh07:

You seem to have identity crises as opposed to a true Ilaje who has none!
The basic thing is if Ife is the ancestral home as it is for Ilaje, Ondo, Ijebu etc, then they are all Yoruba!

How do you recognise a tribe? They share the same culture and traditional beliefs. Please help me outline one of these two things that is being shared across all territories in yorubaland?

DiademSh07:

Lol!
Ondo kingdom celebrates ayeilala and umale very well!
As a matter of fact, ilaje language is no different from Ondo dialects! I really don't know what the hell you are trying to saying here!
As matter of fact, what denotes a Yoruba is the descent from Ife, of which the Ilaje is also a descent!
I really doubt you are Ilaje though!

Lol?
Did you read what I wrote there?

eleko1:
Useless talk.do u think everybody that waka go his cinema are hungry pipu/poverty stricken lots? Selling guguru @ dat exorbitant price to ur customers is a wickedness.

Is he the only one that sells popcorn @ that price Genesis delux filmhouse all sell at that price. So what's the fuss
Mind you they did not force anyone to patronise them

Benjoh:
He did not even think well before he replied, you pays more than minimum wage means you're taking from the "have not" giving to the "haves". Abeg you are not trying.
Go and tell your staff to do smth on the price, shi kena.

Did he force anyone to patronise his cinema? if the guy is not pleased with the price he should stay in his house. Shikena
Nigerians and their mentalities sha. Person no force you @ gunpoint to buy him market una dey complain

Toyin Aimakhu is not even yoruba. She's from edo state

Angrybird

Olympiakos 2 - 2 arsenal

Quote me anywhere

Na smalls insurance go cover am

menxer:


A typical Naija way of answering questions with questions.

I am following up on your statement, if you said "Christianity is a way of life" and doesn't know the lifestyle of Jesus, you of all Christians is most miserable.
Or are u saying you follow who you don't know?
(Sorry for the insult)

Jesus said I am the way, truth and life...

scholes0:


What community is that?

Ilaje and ese-odo communities

scholes0:


What community is that?

Errm ilaje Ikale arogbo-ijaw itsekiri and the riverine communities of edo I think

menxer:


Is it safe to say that "Christianity is a way of life" after the lifestyle of Jesus Christ, a member of Judaism religion?

Describe the lifestyle of Jesus Christ and insert it in my post

noblegrex:
sorry!I guess we are talking about some one that's dead here not people alive.don't go out of point

The point is you cannot tell where the person's soul is. only God can. It just like telling us that you know when the trumpet will sound.

noblegrex:
well, I don't know if you're a christian but if you're let me ask you one question; then what's the need of being a burn again or devoted christian without any assurance of going to heaven.

I am a fully devoted human who try everyday to live the christ-like life. You don't make such utterances in public even if you have been given the assurance. Instead you continue to work hard to stay in the path of God's Kingdom. Let God be the judge

NB: Christainity is not a religion. It's a way of life

noblegrex:
does that looked like judgement to you.I don't think so.

No need to tell us the destination of her spirit. If u think it's right then he should start telling us where the other departed souls lieth

noblegrex:
he has every right to say that.to get to heaven is not a hidden thing.it has a criteria, a process one must follow to be sure you're going to heaven.what did BABA say? He said he was in abroad when he received her message of which he showed up and talked to HID,I'm sure you don't want to know what they discussed.eventually he beleived the woman is saved with God,so long she followed the criteria.he is not God fyn,but if you doubt that,then you doubt that theive that was saved at the cross.that's if at all you're a christian.follow the criteria and be saved.shikena.

God said one should not judge his fellow either God or Bad.... leave it for God to be the judge
It's only God that knows where she is right now.

uboma:
Adeboye can not tell who's in heaven and who's not.

He shouldn't have said that

NOBODYY:

Nigeria is not half as big as Russia or US

Lol...America is bigger than the whole of west africa

Russia is even bigger....in this case you have to combine west and north Africa

wytcat:
No, I don't believe you!
Your comments are that of a desperate Edo who has a lot to lose when nigeria splits, and risk being conquered by ijaws or ibos.

Me ne iru yi mo gha fo hun re

wytcat:
You are not!

Ilepete community
Ilaje - ugbo
N'udi oghonne

wytcat:
Yoruba created Ile ife

Where are you from? I hope you have a tribe you are proud of and can say out loud.
Oya say the name of your tribe!

Ilaje-ugbo

wytcat:
It's not going to happen! Nothing will stop us from having a true Yoruba nation once this is over. The land where 'kaa ro o ji ree' is the standard. All Yoruba blood.

Any group that can't say they are a Yoruba subgroup will not be allowed in the Yoruba nation, in fact it will be the first requirement to be in our new country. You will be either be with biafra or ijaw/Nigerdelta to Lord it over you.

You must be insane to mention ogun as part of your poultry empire. Did you hit your head in a bike accident or you have just been certified a lunatic? I don't play that shhitt! Don't ever bring your nonsense to ogun again! In ogun, we ride horses to shoo you and no one rides a roach to ours.

Ok

Zeus777:
just like Jesus rising up to the skies or Mohammed flying on a winged horse are all fallacies . .. Or what do u think?

Lol

wytcat:
Yoruba created Ile ife

Oduduwa created ile-ife

oluamid:




Then Ilajes are Yoruba. EOD.


Except you want them to be something else which you have the right to.

How would I know who created Ife? I wasn't there . But history says Ife has always been even before Oduduwa 'descended' from wherever he descended from.

OYo-ruba existed before the pre-ife era
Ileife was created by Oduduwa when he arrived ife. Read more on the great Benin Kingdom

NB: Oduduwa did not fall from any sky. It's all fallacy. Oduduwa came from the eastern part of the then yoruba community

onuwaje:
mine s onetuwaje (someone who eats wealth

Oh that's cool....it looks kinda similar in context

wytecat:
Nice!
I was surprised to see any part of ondo on biafra map until yesterday, Now I know.
Biafra is still being pushed, no one knows the way it's going but we have seen the maps, and if what I've read here is anything to go by, when nigeria splits ilaje of ondo will be in the republic of niger delta if they don't go with biafra. That's important for we Yoruba to know now because non Yoruba must not be allowed in the new Yoruba country.

A united oduduwa republic will consist of all who have ties and history with oduduwa
That means the likes of Benin empire of old will be in that map

Benin Empire consists of present day South Ogun, Ondo some parts of delta