World of Indigenous Igbo Culture, History & Their Neighbours
In Igbo mythology, Asele is a famous designer from Nimo, a town in the north-central Igbo region. She was the most skilled uli artist. Uli is a traditional Igbo graphic art used to decorate objects for social and religious purposes. Asele’s artistic talent came from Ala, the Earth Mother, who is the source of creativity … Read more
Chinua Achebe, one of Africa’s most influential literary voices, highlighted the deep-seated psychological and cultural challenges that countries like Nigeria faced post-independence. In a 1972 interview, Achebe described what he called a “crisis in the soul,” referencing the cultural alienation and internalized inferiority complex that colonialism had instilled in African societies. The Cultural Crisis Achebe … Read more
Under the waist, there are cloths or plant fibers stuffed to make it stick out, and canvas shoes are worn on the feet. The masquerade moves slowly, exchanging pleasantries with the audience. Known for humor rather than aggression, it entertains through jokes rather than by flogging. The close similarity in action between this Nsukka Oriọkpa … Read more
In the early 1910s, Northcote Thomas captured a photograph titled “Burning palm flower [man burying akalogoli charm to ward off evil spirits].” The term Akalogoli is thought to derive from the Igbo words akala, meaning sign or mark, and ogoli, referring to a wastrel or ne’er-do-well. It denotes a malicious, tricky, or malevolent spirit, believed … Read more