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

Anthropology and Ethnography Photos

Mourning Rituals of an Ikwerre Igbo Woman

An Ikwerre Igbo woman mourning the death of her husband. Note the clay hand imprints on her body. Photographed by Percy Amaury Talbot in the his book from tribes of the Niger Delta 1900s This photograph, taken by Percy Amaury Talbot in the early 1900s, captures an Ikwerre Igbo woman mourning the loss of her husband.…

ByChuka OdikeJanuary 15, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage Photos

Asaba masquerade dancing in Ikwerre Igbo area, present-day Rivers state. Photograph by G. I. Jones, in the 1930s.

ByChuka OdikeJanuary 2, 20250Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Photos

An Ikwerre wood carver in Rumuji.

An Ikwere wood carver! carving a mask for the Rumuji Owu play. [He has tattoos]. Photographs by G. I. Jones, 1930s.An Ikwere wood carver! carving a mask for the Rumuji Owu play. [He has tattoos]. Photographs by G. I. Jones, 1930s.

ByChuka OdikeDecember 30, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Indigenous Architecture

Art and Spirituality: The Ikwerre Mural Decorations and Chi Shrines in Percy Amaury Talbot’s Tribes of the Niger Delta (1932)

"The Ikwerre-Ibo mural decoration and Chi shrine" as depicted in Percy Amaury Talbot's book "Tribes of the Niger Delta" (1932), showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Ikwerre people, an Igbo subgroup in Rivers State, Nigeria. In Percy Amaury Talbot’s Tribes of the Niger Delta (1932), the depiction of “The Ikwerre-Ibo mural decoration and Chi shrine”…

ByChuka OdikeOctober 15, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage

Wrestling for Abundance: The Yam Harvest Ritual in Igbo Culture

"Wrestling to make the yams grow. Chief Elechi's place, Elele." This refers to a traditional ritual practiced in Elele, Some Ikwerre groups and the Igbo people at large to ensure a bountiful yam harvest. Elele, a town in Rivers State, Nigeria, known for it's rich agricultural land. Talbot captured the event holding in Chief Elechi place, A…

ByChuka OdikeOctober 14, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography

Shared cultural heritage between the Oratta (Urata) and Etche people

"The goddess of the earth," as described by P. A. Talbot, c. 1932. Musée du quai Branly. This may be Ala, the Igbo earth divinity and the man pictured may be an Eze Ala, a head priest of Ala. Ala is represented by trees and shrubs. Etche and Oratta tribes share several cultural, linguistic, and traditional…

ByChuka OdikeOctober 11, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography

The Role of the Chief of Ndelle in Ikwerre-Igbo Society: Insights from Percy Amaury Talbot’s Ethnographic Work

The Chief of Ndelle, Ikwerri-Ibo - P.A. Talbot 1916. In Percy Amaury Talbot’s book The Tribes of the Niger Delta (1932), he explores various groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, including the Ikwerre-Igbo. Talbot, a British colonial administrator and anthropologist, documented the customs, governance, and social structures of several tribes in this area, offering…

ByChuka OdikeOctober 4, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography

Igboland (Alaigbo): A Regional Breakdown of Ethnic Divisions, Tribes, and Sub-Tribes

"Alaigbo" A classification of ethnic divisions, tribes and sub-tribes. "Alaigbo" A breakdown of Igboland cultural regions, ethnic divisions, tribes and sub-tribes. 1. Cross River Igbo (Aro) - Location: Found primarily in the eastern part of Igboland, close to the Cross River area. - Key areas: Arochukwu, Afikpo, Ahaba, Nguzu-Edda, Ihechiowa, Ohafia, Isuikwuato, Abiriba, Bende, and Isiama - Tribes: - Aro - Edda -…

ByChuka OdikeSeptember 26, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography

An Ikwerri Ibo (Ikwerre-Igbo) village showing the Obiri

An Ikwerri Ibo village showing the Obiri, P. A. Talbot (1910s) The "Obiri" in a typical Igbo village refers to a communal gathering space or meeting house, central to community life. From the photo, it's an open-air structure where village elders, leaders, and members gather for discussions, decision-making, and other communal events. The architectural style often reflects…

ByChuka OdikeSeptember 23, 20240Comments