Ọsụ caste

Modern Responses to the Igbo Caste System: From Ceremonies to Cultural Ideas

The Igbo say: “Ọ̀ge erugo, ihe gbanwere”—the time has come, things have changed. For centuries, the divisions of Ọsụ, Ụ́mụ́, Ọhụ, and Diala shaped the way people lived. But in recent decades, new winds have blown across Igbo land. From symbolic cultural ceremonies to the voices of young people in towns and on social media,…