Metallurgical skill

From Colonial Rails to Ceremonial Cannons: How the Re-use of Industrial Scrap Transformed Igbo Indigenous Pyrotechnics

The transformation of Igbo pyrotechnic culture from locally forged iron tubes to the sophisticated ceremonial cannons used today offers a remarkable case study in technological adaptation. With the arrival of British colonialism and the expansion of Nigeria’s railway infrastructure in the early 20th century, new forms of scrap metal became accessible to local artisans. Igbo…