₦airaland Forum

@OP

Anyway, there's no such thing as 'Igbo religion' since 'Igbo religion' cannot exist independently from Igbo culture. To understand Igbo religion (which greatly varies from place to place) you'd have to understand Igbo culture (which also greatly varies). It would take you a long time to understand the various sub-cultures of the entire Igbo nation.

I suggest you pick a particular Igbo sub-group and study their own religious worship styles and sub-culture.

Ufeolorun: Oyinbo is two words joined together that's rooted in Yoruba language hence makes more sense than your onye igbo story but your story is funny though
. lol
Yin=scratch bo=peel. I think the first yorubas who saw the white men thot they have peeled skin that's why they looked reddish hence Oyinbo

You should take a look at Mbatuku's link.

Awka is Nigeria's least developed state capital

Hmmm. What about the capitals of Kebbi, Niger, Nassarawa, Ekiti, and the rest?

I'd rather have a state with spread development (like Anambra) as opposed to one where the only developed place is the capital.

Ptolomeus: Dear friend:
These maps are published in the book "Orishas" Pierre "Fatumbi" Verger, Ed Carrúpio. Indeed, it is in Portuguese. The maps are not dated, I understand that these maps point to indicate the location of the various Yoruba kingdoms and nearby areas, to facilitate the explanation of the rest of the book. This is undoubtedly the pre-colonial, so I thought it might be an important contribution for all. Verger (París 1902, Brazil 1996), besides having made ​​the traditional religion was an important French anthropologist who lived several years in Africa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Edouard_Leopold_Verger

I remain at your disposal.
My fraternal greetings,

Thanks, they truly are interesting and inciteful. I'll take a look at them.

Chinenye, I'll update the Nri influence line as soon as possible.

Ptolomeus: Dear friend Odumchi.
Thank you very much for your wonderful and kind response.
Unfortunately I do not dominate the African language, and I have great difficulty with English. I am Uruguayan and I speak Spanish.

In this dance of war, is very marked the presence of a rooster (chicken), even at one point is passed over the body of a person.
If my question does not involve violating some secret (not my intention to do so) could you explain the meaning or symbolism of the rooster?
Came after his sacrifice?
In the case of the masquerade, it is the representation of an ancestor, or just something decorative?
I hope my questions are not inappropriate, but I really appreciate African traditions, and exposure seemed to me excellent.
Warm regards dear friend Odumchi!

The rooster is meant as an offering to the oracle where the dancers are spiritually "fortified". In an actual war dance, the cock is beheaded before an oracle and its blood is poured at the feet of the oracle in exchange for protection and fearlessness for the dancers. Some of this power is also sent into the dead body of the chicken which is ocassionally passed over the bodies of the dancers to revitalize or rejolt them.

There are different types of masquerades but for the "ekpo" ones that I posted, they are meant to be symbols of spirits. "Ekpo" literally means spirit in the Ibibio language. When someone wears an ekpo masquerade, they are said to lose consciousness and also lose control of their actions. And yes, Ekpo masquerades are the spirits of the ancestors.

I am sorry that you are having difficulty with English. I will try and be as clear as possible.

I prefer "oyibo" as opposed to "oyinbo" simply because it maintains the original feel of the word. The word "oyibo" itself was a nickname given to Europeans by Igbo people since they found it difficult to pronounce "onye Igbo" and instead said "oyi ibo" when referring to Igbos.

Oyinbo just sounds weird to me but I guess it's a matter of preference.

It looks like a lot of people prefer rural life to city life.

Living in the village gives one the time to truly enjoy life (in my opinion). When I lived in the village, as a very small child, I used to go hunting, swimming, and tree climbing. Then, I used to wonder what it would be like to live in a city (since the largest city I had ever been to was Aba ). Now, I'll do anything to relocate again. Lol it's a funny thing.

Enyi, ele otu o si eme ya?

Traffic the verb or the noun?

Lol. I'm sure many others would prefer the village over the city since It's so relaxing and nostalgic. Palm wine beats mineral

I'll go first. I myself am a village person. I would trade the busy city life for the village life any day. To me, living in the village is better for your health, cheaper than the city, and more interesting.

I'd like to heat some other opinions.

Some people love the hustle and bustle of the busy city while other prefer the serenity of the village. So, my question to you guys is: which do you prefer? Are you a city person or a village person?

Ndaa ndi no ebe a?

Igbo agbavuola? Ndi anyi eye ka inyi no?

"Nsonso soro nsonso soro nsonso" - everything leads into something else.

"Onwee ebe uzo Aro za di nso, Ebe owula igasara anya" - the road to prosperity is not easy.

"Atuo nti na ali a nu opi ndanda" - you will learn more when you listen.

"Egbe si na umu Ugo agaghi ano ndu na egbukwa umu nke yo" - If you dont let your fellow human being live, you too will not live.

NRI PRIEST: Edoma ala, since you are so sure Ngwa wasnt influenced by Nri I want you to join ChininyeN in answering my question!
Did I hear you say Aro has their own version of eke,oye,afor and nkwo ? Is it the Aro which is younger than Onicha or are you talking about some other Aro I dont know ?? I pray you do not provoke me !! ever wonder what we mean when we say "NRI ENWELANA" ?

I remember him saying that the Ngwa had an earlier calendar which was replaced by the Nri one. Personally, I don't think the Aro or the Ngwa experienced Nri influence directly. I think that that whatever pieces of Nri influence that lies in Ngwaland or among the Aro arrived there indirectly.

@All

So this is the battle for the readjustment of the Nri influence line? We shall see .

Ptolomeus: Dear friends.
I put your consideration two other old maps of Africa.
I await your comments.

This is interesting. It looks Portuguese. What century do you think it could have been? I'm guessing it's not too early since it shows the interior in detail.

Edoma ala: Odumchi it looks like you dont know about another vasion of this four market days story,among the people of aro chukwu,arondizuogu probable the poeple also aro ngwa etc, the belive that the four market days originated through what the call IKE IJ which the celebrite during the time for new yam festival.

I didn't say that that was the only version. I was just repeating that of Nri.

And what you're referring to is Ikeji. Ikeji is the Aro new yam festival that was developed around the four market days. The Aro version of the market days are Eke, Nkwo, Orie, and Avo. They are an adaptation of the original Nri-Awka market days (Eke, Oye, Afor/Awho, Nkwo) and were introduced by the Eze Agwu and Okennachi clans (who carried it over from the Igbo heartland). Nowadays  all other Aro communities, except for Arochukwu, have diverted from it.

The Ikeji festival itself lasts for two weeks. The most important days are: Eke Odu, Nkwo Ekpe, Avo Osu, and Orie Egbugbu.

Kojiek: Names from Ikwerre area:
Ihunda - father's face
wenenda - father's brother
Nmerukini - what did i do
Owhornda - father's ofor
Wokekoro - man is lacked?
Ndamzi/Nnamdi - father is...?
Oroma/uloma - fine/good hom
Nneburoma- mother is good
Muachim - me and my God
Ogbonda- father's namesake
Ovunda/obinna - father's mind
Eke - creator?
Elechi - ?
Amaechi - ?
Aleruchi - ?
Ejekwu - ?
Amadi - ?
Oroefula - home do not loss?
Dieli - son of the land/soil
Nyeweli- landlord

Thanks for the translation.

Here are some that I know:

Nnamdi - my father is alive. Personally I think it should be "Nnamno" or "Nnamdindu"
Elechi is a short form of "Anamelechi" meaning I look to God
Amaechi - Is tomorrow known?
Amadi - free man

PapaBrowne: I think there are Ijaws in every area where you find water. Ondo,Edo,Delta,Bayelsa,Rivers,Akwa Ibom and Cross River. Even in the creeks of Lagos you find Ijaws who have been there for ages. I personally cannot comprehend 16 Million, but 10 million would be fair game and if 10 million is it, then surely they are the fourth largest in the country.

But really what advantage does having a huge population have anyway?? Hausas are by far the Largest ethnic group and yet the poorest by a long shot. Itsekiris are barely noticeable with population of much less than 1 million and yet they are doing pretty good.

Off the shores,
Bangladesh- 160 million people. GDP- $266 Billion
Singapore- 5 Million people. GDP- 290 Billion

Population= zero advantage = huge liabilities. except you know how to use it right.

There aren't any Ijo in Akwa Ibom or Cross River. In Akwa Ibom, the coastal areas are occupied by the Annang while in Cross River they are occupied by the Efik.

The last time I checked it was said that the Ijo numbered 14 million people and are concentrated mainly in Bayelsa with a considerable number in Delta and Rivers. Nowadays Ijo are counted as 10% of Nigeria. With 160m plus people, Nigeria theoretically has in excess of 16 million Ijo.

When you come to think of if, based on current population records it's to believe that the population of these three states combined even reaches 16 million not to think of having 16 million Ijo. The Ijo themselves are considered minorities in Delta and Rivers states. I think it's either the Nigerian census bureau has failed to provide accurate population records and has resorted to deflating the populations of certain states (which is very possible) or that the Ijo are inflating their number.

nene1: @ odumuchi and emofine, I just realized you echoed my same sentiments. Good job. We always have the negatives of black people thrown at us. Europeans use the excuse that we were savages to justify their atrocities. If Europe is so great, why did they have to steal from Africa. If Africans controlled our resources and stopped fighting each other due to these silly tribal wars, we would be the richest people in the world. The Arabs are smart and control their oil whih is why they are rich. We need to control our own natural resources. Now the Chinese want to take their turn. They would never let Africans go into their countries and get so rich of their resources. I think as blacks our main problem is unity. The divide & conquer method worked with us.

Couldn't have said it better.

@Princepee
Enyi, ndewoo I gbalasala ama Ndi Igbo.

@Ify
Ify biko gbaharam. Ke mgbe isi'm na Aro na asu "nawa" m'nobe na eche makaya. Ihe mere bu na i kotatara ya. Olu Aro bu "nawa" owughi "nagha". Ihe mere o ji gbawujuo mu anya bu na otutu ndi nokesara mu na asuya. O ihe m'si k m'mee ka i mara.

Ptolomeus: Dear friend Odumchi:
Excellent presentations ... my most sincere congratulations and thanks!
As a researcher I am very impressed with everything, but mainly
by "ogu dance".
I want to apologize for my ignorance, but I would like to ask you if that dance is a war dance, or have any connection with the Orisa Ogun originating of Iré or if it is another divinity?.
I reiterate my congratulations and my thanks dear friend!
I'm at your service.

Yes, it's a war dance. And no it has nothing to do with Orisa or Ogun. It was performed during and after a war with the heads of decapitated war prisoners. I'd be glad to answer any other questions you may have.

Isn't a brief account/description already "akukọ" ?

Ex: Describe it to me: "Kowara mu ya"
Ex: What is your account: "Gini bu akuko gi?"

@ Ify

I guess there are other stories as well. Maybe one day they can all be recorded.

A group picture in Aro in 1972, shortly after the Biafran war.

Ekpo masquerade. Inum Iyaga