Igbo Ancestral Halls: Why They Matter and Their Different Names

Ekpe (leopard society) meeting house. Photo - G.I Jones The Igbo people of Nigeria love their culture, family, and ancestors. A big part of this is their ancestral halls, called names like Obu , Obi , Ịbaa , Obiri , and Ovu in different Igbo areas. These halls are special…

ByIdenze EzemeMay 12, 20250Comments

Photos

Ekpe Meeting House in Umuajatta Village, Olokoro – Annang Art and Ngwomo Influence

A view of the Ekpe meeting house in Umuajatta village, Olokoro, near Umuahia. The structure features a tall thatched roof and walls adorned with paintings by an Annang artist, reflecting the style of Ngwomo ghost houses Ekpe Society Meeting House in Olokoro, Umuajatta, Umuahia. Ngwomo Ghost House – G.I. Jones 1930s.

ByChuka OdikeJanuary 24, 20250Comments

Photos

Mgbokwo of Öka (Awka), 1910-1911 – Colourised by Ụ́kpụ́rụ́, 2018

Mgbokwo of Öka (Awka), photographed by British colonial anthropologist Northcote Thomas (1910–1911). Colourised and cropped from the original black-and-white by Ụ́kpụ́rụ́ in 2018. Courtesy of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge.

ByChuka OdikeJanuary 24, 20250Comments

Photos

Entrance Portico of Chief Ogbua’s House, Onitsha, 1950s – Zbigniew Dmochowski

Entrance portico of Chief Ogbua’s house, viewed from within. Onitsha, Nigeria, mid-20th century. Photo by Zbigniew Dmochowski.

ByChuka OdikeJanuary 24, 20250Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Photos

Mbari house female painter in Owerri.

"[An Igbo] spirit worker painting the walls of an Mbari nearing completion. Note the double Mami Wata images at left. Photo 1930s, [Near Owere (Owerri)]." - Herbert Cole, 1988.

ByChuka OdikeDecember 23, 20240Comments

Cultural Heritage Indigenous Architecture

War Towers of Igbo Compounds: Guardians of a Troubled Past

A tower like this was used in the Igbo hinterland for defensive purposes specifically in the Anambra area during the era of the slave trade, an area which was ravaged by raiders coming mostly from the east. Most towers are gone today. Photo: Awka Nibo Nise, Zbigniew Dmochowski. During the Atlantic slave trade, Igbo communities in…

ByChuka OdikeDecember 7, 20240Comments

Indigenous Architecture

Igbo Compound Entrances: A Study of North-Central Igbo Architecture

The architecture of the Igbo people offers unique insights into their cultural heritage, artistic creativity, and spiritual beliefs. Among the most distinctive architectural features are the entrances to Igbo compounds, particularly in the north-central regions. These entrances are not only functional but also symbolic, encapsulating the aesthetics and cultural identity of the Igbo community. Igbo compound…

ByChuka OdikeDecember 7, 20240Comments

Indigenous Architecture

Mbari Houses: A Living Tradition of Igbo Architecture, Spiritual and Artistic Expression

Urata-Igbo Mbari house dedicated to Amadioha, photographed by William Fagg in Owerri. British Museum. Introduction Mbari houses are unique cultural and spiritual edifices found in Igbo land, particularly in the Owerri region and some substantial number of towns in Imo states and Rivers States, Nigeria. These ceremonial structures serve as artistic expressions of gratitude to Ala,…

ByChuka OdikeDecember 2, 20240Comments

Ethnohistory Indigenous Architecture

Pre-Colonial Igbo Canoe Construction and Military Innovation

A war canoe boat in the Igbo area of Niger Delta. The Igbo people, often referred to as the “Heebo, Eboe, Ibo people” in historical records, demonstrated remarkable expertise in the construction of canoes during the pre-colonial era especially tribes in the Niger Delta areas like the Aboh (Ndokwa), Oguta (Ugwuta), Ekpeye, Awarra, Enuani, Onitsha, Ogbaru,…

ByChuka OdikeNovember 24, 20240Comments

Indigenous Architecture ⁠Religion and Spirituality

Art, Spirituality, and Authority: The Ekpe Society’s Ngwomo-Style Meeting House in 1930s Igbo Culture

Ngwomo Ghost House - G.I. Jones 1930s. "View of Ekpe (Egbo) society meeting house in Umuajatta (Olokoro) village [Umuahia area]. The house had a tall thatched roof, and a wall painted by an Annang artist in the style of Ngwomo ghost houses. Surrounded by trees." G. I. Jones, 1930s. The from the 1930s fieldwork of G. I.…

ByChuka OdikeOctober 22, 20240Comments