₦airaland Forum

bigfrancis21:
Certain areas of Orumba and Nnewi souths generally speak sort of a mix of Anambra and Northern Imo dialects and their dialects are not close to what is considered mainstream Imo dialect or Owerri. With proximity to Imo state, it is understandable they picked up words from the Northern Imo axis.

Could another reason for the preference of Anambra Igbo by southern Igbo be because it is considered as 'classy'? I personally know Ezinne Akudo's (one-time most beautiful girl in Nigeria) mother (from Imo state, one of those boundary LGAs with Anambra state) and this lady prefers to speak Anambra Igbo instead. You would never tell she's not from Anambra. I had to ask her one day and she told me she's from Imo state, Arondizuogu I think. I also had another neighbour of ours from Arondizuogu who switches easily from Anambra Igbo to mainstream Imo Igbo when she wants. And her Anambra Igbo is flawless. This preference for Anambra Igb sometimes exhibited by people from the South is something I have witnessed too often.

The Igbo musician, Pericoma, is from Northern Imo i think but majority of his songs carry a strong mainstream Anambra flavour.

Enyiaa, speaking a southern dialect is much more than switching from /f/ to /h/ or /n/ to /l/. Southern dialects typically involve the use of other parts of the mouth or respiratory system (which Onicha-speakers do not employ) to facilitate nasalization, aspiration, and a generally faster rate of speech.

Bearing this in mind, Arondizuogu, and other communities in its environs, though being /r/-speaking, do not necessarily fall under southern Igbo. A more appropriate example of southern Igbo would be Orlu, Mbaise, or Ndoki. Amongst these peoples I don't believe there is anything that would indicate a preference of northern Igbo to their own. The naming factor would be a consequence of religious and political factors over the years. Had the Catholics first landed in, say, Emekuku, and used their language as a means of disseminating their religion, it would totally be a different story today. Don't you think?

Not to digress totally, but am I the only one to observe that early Igbo films heavily employed the use of southern dialects, or at least incorporated a greater percentage of cast members who were /h/ and /r/ speaking than films today do?

If you guys can recall, the father of Andy in Living in Bondage spoke a deep, rich Mbaise-like dialect, while other cast members, who were clearly from Imo, spoke their natural dialects without any fear of intelligibility whatsoever. In the film Rituals, Kanayo O Kanayo's village-based mother and relatives even spoke in Ngwa. I sometimes wonder what the cause of this obvious switch may have been.

Radoillo and ChinenyeN, would you guys happen to know the meaning of the 'Uka' in names like Ukadike and Ukanwoke?

Radoillo:
It's an expression I have heard, but I don't know what it means.

Hewu.

Radoillo:
Let me guess... Google Translate?

Dee, I'm guessing you aren't familiar with that expression either, huh?

Your explanation makes sense and even introduces me to a fresh, new perspective on this matter. Thanks, ChinenyeN.

[size=5pt]Otuna I ji da gbiila anyi amamwhne l'uche l'uka magburu ogwe e.[/size]

Please add the names/locations of these places. Also, just to point out, the identity, language, culture, and land of these people you are referring to is Igbo and not Ibo.

I know I'm late, but I think you guys should hear me out lol.

The other day I was reading a paper on a particular religious topic and the author mentioned how we Igbo are obsessed with things that bloom, particularly trees. This got me thinking about the etymology of the word osisi/oshishi (tree) and it suddenly clicked to me that there could be a connection between it and the 'cult of the source' which you guys discussed here. I took its meaning to be 'thing that blooms/grows/protrudes from an origin' and it made a whole lot of sense, since after all, trees are simply organic matter that sprout from the ground. Taking this new interpenetration into consideration I looked at the word osimiri/oshimiri/orimili and it too began to seem meaningful when decomposed into osi + miri (water that flows from a great source or origin). I don't know if someone has already hashed this idea out before me, but I'm just throwing my thoughts out there. What do you guys think?

Nde nke anyi ee, ngen ihe bu nwoke na nwanyi igwu "iche na madu bu eghu"? M ma ihe yam okwu pusara, kama o nke bu isi e bu nke edoo m anya.

Dee, when will these terms enter the lexicon of auto mechanics and technicians in Nnewi and Aba?

@Bigfrancis21

Nnaa, ihe onwa I dere mediri m jidi si ka m juoteeri ma I sodi na nde na-akpu uzu Bekee?

Gboliwe:
Bia, o bu gunwa mahasinwa nnu ele anya okpo?

Cc Odumchi: am I improving?

Ngen bu ihe obu?

Chijioke, Chi gi ana nyela gi oke ruturu gi. O si na Chi n'ezie. Aha onye za na-edu ya!

Radoillo:
Literally, "Father is an elephant". True meaning should be something along the lines of "Father is a great man." It is an Ozo title-name. The bearer honours his father's greatness and (usually) wealth which had probably paved way for the bearer himself to amass enough wealth to take a title.

Interesting. And yes, I am familiar with Nnanyelugo and omenani so abuba ugo. Thanks so much!

What's the meaning of the name 'Nnabuenyi'? Deede OdenigboAroli na Deede Radoillo, unu biatu woo.

debbie:
Odumchi nda agi mere? hope i tried small.
I have a question i want you to clarify me.Why is it that the NWA-MGBEDE tradition is gradually phasing out in Aro. I have noticed that during traditional marriages.Plus Aro people have started imbibing the culture of other people in ceremonies....it is even more common when you travel to Aro.
Also does AROCHUKWU celebrate IKEJI festival like those of them in ARONDIZOGU?

I gbaliri woo.

Unfortunately, the decline of our nwa mgbede tradition is a direct result of our carelessness with regards to the extent to which we are embracing Westernization. Moreover, education and economic factors influence and pressure modern day youth to the extent that it has become disadvantageous, economically and socially speaking, to isolate oneself and abide by all of the customary sanctions and regulations which nwa mgbede are subject to during their ino mgbede period. For example, modern young women who have careers and occupations no longer seem to have the time to isolate themselves for weeks nor to learn to live life and go through their day to day activities while wearing ola (ankle bracelets). Besides, since Eurocentric beauty standards have become the universal definition of "beauty", our people's traditional perception of thick and shapely as "the ideal" has phased out. What we know today as mgbede is the watered down remains of what mgbede truly was. I'd say the last generation to truly experience genuine and unadulterated mgbede was born in the 20s or 30s.

The Ikeji festival was brought over to Izuogu by its founders (like at all other Aro settlements). Ikeji Izuogu, however, due to the influence of non-Aro cultural elements, has significantly diverged from Ikeji Aro (the one at Arochukwu). For example: in Izuogu it's celebrated in August, while in Aro it's held in September; Ikeji Izuogu features masquerades such as mmanwu and ekpe, whereas Ikeji Aro features ekpo and ekpe; Ikeji Aro has special days and mini-festivals that are unique to it such as Eke Ekpe, Orie Ogbugbu and Avo Osu. Interestingly, it's actually quite common to find pilgrims from Izuogu and other Aro settlements participating in the Ikeji held at the Aro homeland.

Radoillo:
Odumchi,

Abiakwa m ozo.

Do your immediate neighbours to the north (the Ututu and the Ihechiowa) have the Otusi institution like you do in Arochukwu?

[I know the institution exists farther north among the Abiriba and co., but I'm asking specifically about your immediate neighbours.]

Yes, they do. Although, they might call it by another name of which I'm not sure.

Radoillo:
Between your response and the above quote, I think I have my answer. Daalu rinne!

Nsogbu aditughiri ma olu.

Previously, I was of the opinion that our pre-colonial ancestors did not answer 'Chi-' prefixed names as far too many of us do today. Nowadays, we are losing our meaningful naming heritage, and as time passes, it seems like Kalu, Okonta, and Alaribe will be lost to Chidinma, Chimuanya, and Chinazo. Depending on who you ask, the widely-accepted meanings of these names are all related to the Christian God:

Chidinma - God is good
Chimuanya - God is vigilant (and present)
Chinazo- God saves

After re-evaluating my thoughts and also coming across names like Chima and Chibueze in early/precolonial-themed works (which I sadly can't recall at the moment), I am of the impression that this 'Chi-' prefix might not be as recent as I thought it might be. Analyzing the meaning of these names from a more traditional Igbo perspective gave me:

Chidinma - [my] Chi (personal spirit) is well and strong; one who things go well for.
Chimuanya - [my] Chi is vigilant; typically someone who has escaped/survived some form of danger/life-chaning event.
Chinazo - [my] Chi saves me; leads away from harm; directs.

What do you think? Any similar thoughts or input? I'm looking for someone to rub heads with.

Ndi Imo na ndi Anambra o sulara unu?

MrsPhyno:
Just want some clarification o abeg
I di - you are
o di - it is
adi m - i am
hope these are correct?

Radoillo, my apologies for the delay. I want to help answer your question to the best of my ability, therefore I had to make a few inquiries here and there.

According to my father and my grandmother, there is a plantation in Ibom (a village in Arochukwu) called "Ovia Bianko" (Bianko's forest). Interestingly, there also exists an underground slave trail and cave network that connects the Ibini Ukpabi oracle (which is situated in Ibom) to Uzuakoli, and by extension Bende. In the past, this route was frequented by slave traders who escorted their human cargo to the Agbagwu and Bianko markets for sale. With regards to the names of these markets, my father observed that in the past great market fairs such as those of Bianko and Agbagwu were often named after prominent individuals or traders who frequented or helped establish them. As to the exact origins of their names, he isn't sure.

He also confirmed that both Bianko and Agbagwu were at Uzuakoli. My thoughts lead me to believe that both of these market fairs could've been hosted on separate market days (for example Bianko on Nkwo and Agbagwu on Afo) and on separate weeks. After quickly revisiting Omenuko, I came upon a passage that read:
"Ma Otu ihe di nke Igwe chefuru ikoro Omenuko bu na ahia adighikwa na Bende, na e bughariala ya na Ozuakoli. Nke ozo kwa na mgbe mbu, o bu Bianko bu oge ukwu karia Agbagwu, ma ugbu a Agbagwu bu oge ukwu karia Bianko."

This also further supports my hypothesis that both Bianko and Agbagwu were distinct market fairs that were both regularly hosted at Uzuakoli at alternating times.

Gurgle:
Please, can somebody help me translate this

bia Gurgle kpachara anya gi o, agame me gi strong thing ina num,why iji na cast m otua?

Trans: Listen, Gurgle, mind yourself. I'll do something awful to you, are you hearing me? Why are you casting me like this?

Nwa ada, rije ukwu ani gi na o kwesiri gi!

Gurgle:
Yeah there is a song about it, by Abigbo Mbaise


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFXqGskcsqE

Yup. My question actually sprung after listening to this song.

Gurgle:
Ok. Thanks, noted

do you ever participate in masquerades? Ekpe or otherwise

I participate in Ekpo, which is another similar masquerade genre. As for Ekpe, not yet.

Gurgle:
The masquerade in your profile picture is beautiful...which one is it? and when does it come out

It's an Ekpe masquerade and it's name is Okonko. It comes out during the burial ceremonies of initiated members/important people as well as during New Yam Festivals and public processions (such as that in the pic). Back in the day, it was used to issue arrest warrants.

Phut:
Gini bu iku ngwori?

Mperete o bu akwuna akwuna?

Madu iku ngwori putara na onye ahu na-eme onwe ya obi uto site na ińu nmanya, igba egwu, ikwori aku, igba arabanko, iri oriri ma umu ihe ndi ozo di otu ahu. Na Bekee akporo ya "jollification" ma o kwanu "catching fun".

Nwa mperete bu abogho mara nma.

MrsPhyno:
Please translate

"Our people, let's laugh at ourselves a bit!"

Hahah, onwa bu asiri beer parlor.

I've heard a fair share of these funny stereotypes myself. Apparently it's thought that northern Abians are naturally disposed to violence while Nde Owere hold advanced degrees in iku ngwori and producing umu mperete.

Nde anyi ka anyi chitukwanu onwe anyi ochi!