OzikoroThe Awka Blacksmiths and the Carvers’ Tools
Among the Igbo of southeastern Nigeria, craftsmanship is highly specialized and deeply connected to the spiritual and economic life of the people. Two guilds, the blacksmiths of Awka and the woodcarvers found throughout Igboland formed an interdependent relationship that shaped the material culture of the region. Awka blacksmiths, renowned for their superior iron-working skills, produced…