This photograph, taken by Swedish ethnographer Gustaf Bolinder during his travels in Igboland between 1930 and 1931, captures a recently married young woman standing in front of a dilapidated building in Awka, northern Igboland. Next to her is a carved figure, which Bolinder describes in Swedish as a symbolic marker placed outside a father’s house when his daughter marries.
The use of such figures reflects the deep cultural significance of marriage among the Igbo people. Traditionally, marriage is not just a union between individuals but a link between families and lineages (Uchendu, 1965). The placement of the figure may have served as both an announcement of the daughter’s transition into her new marital home and a marker of familial pride. Awka, historically known for its skilled blacksmiths and woodworkers, had a rich tradition of using symbolic carvings in social and spiritual practices (Basden, 1921).
This image provides insight into early 20th-century Igbo marital customs and the way material culture was used to signify key life events.
References
- Basden, G. T. (1921). Among the Ibos of Nigeria. Seeley, Service & Co.
- Uchendu, V. C. (1965). The Igbo of Southeast Nigeria. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
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