Lejja Sacred site, Nsukka, Enugu

Onu Oshuru (lit. Oshuru Bottomless Pit), one of several structures found at the Lejja communal sacred solar plaza, Nsukka. Utu-Udele-Igwe, a solar-tree deity of justice in this locale is said to rise from the pit each day. Image source: Acholonu and Davis (2013). The Lejja sacred site, located in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. This site, including…

ByChukaOctober 13, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage

Ala, Ani, Ana, Elí, Aja – The Earth Mother/Goddess in Igboland

Ala by the artist, Ezem, in Enyiogugu, Aboh-Mbaise, Nigeria, 1960. Photo by Herbert M. Cole. In Igbo mythology and traditional religion, Ala (also known as Ani, Ana, or Eli) is the Earth Goddess or Earth Mother serving as: - Fertility and agriculture: ensuring fruitful harvests and abundance - Morality and justice: maintaining social order and punishing wrongdoing - Protection:…

ByChukaOctober 12, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The Spiritual and Economic Importance of Yam Crops in Anioma: A Connection to Influence of Nri kingdom

Yam holds an important and general position amoung Anioma people , aside being a staple food, it's also a vital representation of spirituality, economic power, and status. This crucial traditional practice with yams mirrors the traditional practice from Nri kingdom, an ancient Igbo kingdom which played crucial role as the cultural and spiritual source of most…

ByChukwuwike OssaiOctober 12, 20240Comments

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

Ada Nshi and Okpala Nshi: The Role Nri traveling Priests played in Building Anioma’s Ritual and Cultural Practices

Ndi Anioma, like other Igbo groups, have long kept deep cultural and spiritual ties to Nri, an ancient aristocratic and theocratic kingdom dated from 9th century. An important part of the connection was made possible by male and female ritual specialists of Nri, Okpala nshi (male priest) and Ada nshi (female priestess). Eze Nri sent sent them…

ByChukwuwike OssaiOctober 12, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Ethnohistory

Nibo people of Awka

A woman of Nibo, present day Anambra State, Nigeria photographed by British government anthropologist Northcote Thomas, c. 1912. Nibo, a town located in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, known for its skilled blacksmiths and craft workers in pre-colonial times. According to oral traditions, Nibo was founded by an ancestor named Ifite, who led his…

ByChukaOctober 12, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography

Shared cultural heritage between the Oratta (Urata) and Etche people

"The goddess of the earth," as described by P. A. Talbot, c. 1932. Musée du quai Branly. This may be Ala, the Igbo earth divinity and the man pictured may be an Eze Ala, a head priest of Ala. Ala is represented by trees and shrubs. Etche and Oratta tribes share several cultural, linguistic, and traditional…

ByChukaOctober 11, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography

The Significance of Arioku: A Deity of the Mbaise People in Eastern Nigeria

March 1, 1946. Deity recorded as Arioku, a deity that is sworn to, in Enyiogugu, Mbaise, central Igbo area, Eastern Nigeria. British Museum. Ariọkụ, is a deity primarily associated with Enyiogugu and some communities in Mbaise, a town in Imo State and also neighbouring communities in Abia State. The worship of Arioku is deeply intertwined with the…

ByChukaOctober 11, 20240Comments

Cultural Heritage

The Otu Odu Society: Matriarchal Influence and Social Prestige among Onitsha Women

An Onicha woman of the Otu Odu society In Onitsha (Onicha), women who belong to the Otu Odu society hold significant social and spiritual influence. The Otu Odu is an exclusive and prestigious group traditionally composed of high-status women, often those who are married to wealthy men or have demonstrated considerable wealth and contribution to their…

ByChukaOctober 10, 20240Comments

Cultural Heritage

Okpogho and Okpoho: Igbo Heritage through Traditional Brass and Copper Adornments

The general name for brass and copper rods in Igbo is okpogho or ikpeghe. These coiled 'snake manilla' rods could form part of a bridewealth payment and could be, as modelled in this photo, used as jewellery. Photo: @Beyonce by Tony Duran for Flaunt Magazine, July 2013. Okpoho refers to traditional brass or bronze bracelets commonly…

ByChukaOctober 10, 20240Comments

Ethnohistory Historical Studies

Eboe Town: A Cultural Landmark of Igbo Heritage in Belize

Eboe Town in Belize City, Belize in the 1829 Honduras almanack. Columbia University. It existed until the mid-19th century, when it was destroyed by fire, but played a significant role in shaping the local Creole culture. The town’s population was predominantly of Igbo (Eboe) descent, along with individuals from other African groups such as the Ashanti…

ByChukaOctober 9, 20240Comments

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Lejja Sacred site, Nsukka, Enugu

Ala, Ani, Ana, Elí, Aja – The Earth Mother/Goddess in Igboland

The Spiritual and Economic Importance of Yam Crops in Anioma: A Connection to Influence of Nri kingdom

Ada Nshi and Okpala Nshi: The Role Nri traveling Priests played in Building Anioma’s Ritual and Cultural Practices

Nibo people of Awka

Shared cultural heritage between the Oratta (Urata) and Etche people

The Significance of Arioku: A Deity of the Mbaise People in Eastern Nigeria

The Otu Odu Society: Matriarchal Influence and Social Prestige among Onitsha Women

Okpogho and Okpoho: Igbo Heritage through Traditional Brass and Copper Adornments

Eboe Town: A Cultural Landmark of Igbo Heritage in Belize

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