In Igbo language and culture, “Ejima” describes twins—two siblings born together from the same mother. Within Igbo traditions, twins hold a unique place, often regarded as a divine gift carrying profound spiritual significance. Beyond its basic meaning, “Ejima” also spurs the concept of a “mirror image” or “twin likeness” for many Igbo speakers today,…
The Igbo Mbari house is a traditional architectural and artistic expression of the Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria. On February 28, 1946, a notable Mbari structure was documented at Ebele, Owerri (now part of Imo State, Nigeria). This particular Mbari house featured figures of telephone operators, showcasing a blend of traditional Igbo art and modern…
An Oratta man [Amuneke]? from Owerri. Second slide, words from Amuneke from Owerri and translated by an Okirika man who is part of P. A. Talbot’s team. Photo: P. A. Talbot – Tribes of the Niger Delta, 1930s.
Place Owerri
Etche and Oratta tribes share several cultural, linguistic, and traditional similarities that is highly indistinguishable, mainly due to their close proximity and intertwined histories of origins. Today they have evolved to two different tribes despite being of the same stock. Oratta are made up of sub-tribes, i.e; Owerri, Uratta, Nekede, Umunoha, Ngor, Abala, Obudi, Umuakpo,…
Place Etche
In Percy Amaury Talbot’s book The Tribes of the Niger Delta (1932), he explores various groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, including the Ikwerre-Igbo. Talbot, a British colonial administrator and anthropologist, documented the customs, governance, and social structures of several tribes in this area, offering an outsider’s view of their traditional leadership and…