Chioma Ebinama: Weaving Igbo Myth and Modern Freedom in A Spiral Shell

Chioma Ebinama captured in natural light, reflecting the harmony between creativity and nature. Image Credits: SOUTZOGLOU CARPETS In a quiet gallery in New York, soft watercolour hues meet the gaze like whispers from another realm. Figures float between the real and the ethereal, brown-skinned, adorned in cosmic symbols, their faces serene yet defiant. This is …

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 31, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage

Between Faith and Heritage: The Catholic Priest Protecting Igbo Traditional Artifacts

Father Paul Obayi. Image: thestreetjournal.org The Igbo say, “Ọnụ anaghị atụ egwu, ọ na-agwa mmadụ eziokwu”( the mouth that tells the truth does not tremble). And in Nsukka, one man dares to tell the truth about a forgotten part of Igbo identity, the truth hidden behind wooden masks, dust, and silence. Father Paul Obayi, a Catholic…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 20, 20250Comments

Guardians of the Wild: Totemism and the Hidden Ecology of Igboland

Ụwa bụ ndụ; ndụ bụ ụwa (The world is life, and life is the world). The Forest as a Living Ancestry In the time before tarred roads and concrete skylines, Igboland was a vast, breathing organism. The forest hummed with stories of spirits in trees, ancestors in rivers, and creatures that carried divine messages. To the…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 9, 20250Comments

Igbo elder under the ancient sacred tree for community meeting

Cultural Heritage Historical Studies Indigenous Architecture Photos Proverbs & Idioms ⁠Religion and Spirituality

The Sacred Bond: Totemism and Igbo Respect for Nature

Mmụọ na mmadụ na-ebi ọnụ n’ụwa a—Spirits and humans coexist in this world. This proverb reminds the Igbo that the visible and invisible share one space and nature is not separate from human life. The Story of Sacred Kinship In Igbo culture, totemism represents the sacred link between humans and nature. This article explores how…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 8, 20250Comments

Overgrown Igbo shrine symbolizing the fading of totemism.

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Historical Studies ⁠Religion and Spirituality

When the Sacred Fades: The Decline of Igbo Totemism and Its Lessons for the Future

Ihe atụfuru n’aka nne ochie, a na-ahụ uru ya mgbe e mesịrị (The treasure lost in the grandmother’s hand is valued only after it is gone). This proverb whispers the truth about memory, that people often realize the worth of their traditions only when they fade away. The Silence of the Shrines There was a time…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 8, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage

Ogwugwu: The Great Igbo Spiritual Mother

Uli painting on the walls of the Ogwugwu shrine, Nibo, present-day Anambra State, Nigeria. Photographed by one of Northcote Thomas’s assistants in 1911. Photo: Re-Entanglements. Ogwugwu is a special ancestral spirit in Igbo culture, deeply loved as a powerful mother figure. She connects the living with the spiritual world, especially through rivers and land. This article…

ByIdenze EzemeJuly 28, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage

Udo Deity: The Igbo Spirit of Peace and Harmony

Community shrine to the deities Udo and Ogwugwu (with the shrine's priest), Oba Uke, 1983. Photo by Herbert M. Cole. In the rich spiritual world of the Igbo people in southeast Nigeria, peace is more than just a goal—it is a sacred force embodied by Udo, the ancestral spirit of peace. Known as Odozi Obodo…

ByIdenze EzemeMay 24, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage

Igbo Water Divinities: Guardians of Rivers and Lakes

Map of major rivers linked to divinities within Igboland. Photo - Ukpuru In Igbo culture, rivers and lakes are more than just water—they’re alive with powerful spirits. These water divinities, often called river gods and goddesses, are sacred to the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. They represent fertility, wealth, beauty, and power, and their presence shapes…

ByIdenze EzemeMay 15, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage

Akalogoli Charms: Warding Off Evil Spirits

A man buries an Akalogoli charm made from burning palm flowers to repel evil spirits, a powerful Igbo ritual captured in the early 1910s. Photo - UkpuruIn Igbo culture, spirituality weaves through daily life, connecting the living with ancestors and the unseen world. One fascinating practice is the use of akalogoli charms,…

ByIdenze EzemeMay 12, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage

Dogs in Igbo Culture: Guardians, Hunters, and Spiritual Companions

A Local Dog (Eke Uke) Photo - Igbo Histo Facts Dogs have been loyal companions to humans for thousands of years, and in Igbo culture, they hold a special place that blends practical roles with deep spiritual meaning. From their origins as hunting partners to their sacred roles in rituals, dogs are woven into the fabric…

ByIdenze EzemeMay 7, 20250Comments