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Tag: colonialism

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Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Folklores Historical Studies

The Aro Confederacy and the Long-Distance Trade Network

  The image is a depiction of the flag of the Aro Confederacy The Aro Confederacy was one of the most influential pre-colonial political and economic systems in southeastern Nigeria. Established by the Aro people in the late 17th century, the confederacy became a dominant force in West Africa through its control of religion, trade, and diplomacy.…
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Ethnohistory

From Dahomey to Benin: Decolonization and the Quest for National Identity

  Photo Credit: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Approximate greatest territorial extent of Dahomey (c. 19th century). The modern West African nation now known as the Republic of Benin has undergone a profound transformation, moving from its origins as the powerful indigenous Kingdom of Dahomey, through a century of French colonial rule, to finally achieving independence and forging a…
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Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Folklores Historical Studies

Benin’s Great Walls: Africa’s Forgotten Architectural Marvel

  The image is an illustration of the Walls of Benin, also known as the Benin Moat. The image is a drawing from the 1975 book “The Archaeology of Benin City by Graham Connah”. Among the greatest achievements of pre-colonial Africa stands the Great Walls of Benin, a vast and complex earthwork system that once surrounded the…
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Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The Benin Bronzes: Artistry, Plunder, and the Fight for Repatriation.

  The image shows a display of Benin Bronzes, and the photo credit; "Photograph by Mike Peel.   The Benin Bronzes represent one of Africa’s greatest artistic achievements and one of the world’s most infamous cultural thefts. A collection comprising thousands of exquisite plaques, heads, and sculptures made of bronze, brass, and ivory which represents the pinnacle of court…
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Historical Studies

The Influence of English on the Igbo Language and Identity

Igbo and English. Dmitri van den Bersselaar (1997) "Creating 'Union Ibo': Missionaries and the Igbo Language"   The Igbo language, despite being one of the major languages of Nigeria, has faced significant challenges in establishing a strong literary tradition. Unlike Hausa and Yoruba, which have developed into widely used written and literary languages, Igbo has remained secondary…
February 16, 20250Comments

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Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Photos

Igbo Masquerades as Colonial Satire: The Ghost Policemen and Oyibo Masks

Igbo ghost policemen masks, representing symbols of colonial authority, were part of the same masquerade performance as the Oyibo or Onye Ocha mask from Amobia (Amawbia), previously mentioned. Captured by G. I. Jones in the 1930s. MAA Cambridge.   Masquerades hold a central place in Igbo cultural and spiritual traditions, often serving as a means of social…
February 15, 20250Comments

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Ethnohistory Historical Studies Photos

Onicha Olona and the Ekumeku Resistance: The Legacy of the Enuani People

  A young Igbo woman from Onicha Olona, or surrounding settlement, c. 1912-13. Onicha Olona is an Enuani settlement of the western Igbo people, located west of the Niger River in present-day Delta State, Nigeria. The Enuani, like other western Igbo groups, trace their ancestry to migrations from the eastern Igbo centuries ago. Their historical interactions with…
February 9, 20250Comments

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Historical Studies

Nnamdi Azikiwe and W. E. B. Du Bois: A Transatlantic Connection in the Fight Against Colonial Oppression

W. E. B. Du Bois with Nnamdi Azikiwe, ca. 1930 by Cecil Layne, University of Massachusetts Amherst. In January 1930, during the height of the Women’s War in Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe, one of the most influential figures in Nigeria’s struggle for independence, penned a powerful letter to W. E. B. Du Bois. This letter, written from…
February 2, 20250Comments

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Historical Studies Indigenous Architecture

The Women’s War of 1929: A Defiant Stand Against Colonial Oppression

In November 2019, the 90th anniversary of the Women’s War, known in Igbo as Ògù Ụmùnwaànyị was commemorated. This historic uprising, which took place from 1929 to 1930, remains one of the most significant anti-colonial movements in Nigeria’s history. It was not just a protest against economic injustice but a bold declaration of women’s political…
February 2, 20250Comments

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