Ala by the artist, Ezem, in Enyiogugu, Aboh-Mbaise, Nigeria, 1960. Photo by Herbert M. Cole.
In Igbo mythology and traditional religion, Ala (also known as Ani, Ana, or Eli) is the Earth Goddess or Earth Mother serving as:
- Fertility and agriculture: ensuring fruitful harvests and abundance
- Morality and justice: maintaining social order and punishing wrongdoing
- Protection:…