‘Prolegomena to the study of the culture history of the senses, to describe Igbo territory, domestic speakers of the language and the people, they are anxious to discover their origin and reconstruct how they The movement of this dance represent the breaking the chains of slavery. Pottery found in Nsukka, which bears a remarkable resemblance with modern day Igbo pottery, dated as far back as 2500BC. It comprises archaic practices as well as new concepts added into the Igbo culture either through evolution or outside influences. With the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 came a new trading era, Although Igbos are mostly Christians today, they have a deep and original culture. The Ibo homeland is spread from the lower area of the Niger River to the west, while the eastern side of the diaspora has the largest number in population in southern Nigeria.                                                                                 African Prehistory Index                                 Citations     Site Description               , This project was completed under the direction of Dr Leon Litvack The true sons of the Ohafian people devotedly perform the dance of strength and prowess to the sounds of traditional instruments, the melody brings you centuries back, to the lands ruled by courage and battles, and you almost feel the rhythm of this ancient enchanting dance. Because of their various subgroups, the variety of their culture is heightened further. for the MA degree in READ ALSO: Nigerian dancer breaks world record for longest dance marathon by an individual (photos, videos), Leave your email to receive our newsletter, Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria, Drop your mail and be the first to get fresh news, The fascinating history of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigerian traditional dances and their meaning, APC lawmaker shoots suspected armed robber dead, Video: Funke Akindele amazes fans as she jumps on the silhouette challenge, Weeks after Nigerian lady paid for her visa fee, rent in another city, company sacks her, Trending video of Alaafin of Oyo dishing out dance moves with a young lady, Check out how this man transformed ordinary dirty bottles into beautiful items (photos), Pretty Nigerian lady braids her 'natural' hair, surprises people with its length (see photos), I’ve learnt to kill them with kindness and rise above the noise! Igbo-Speaking Peoples of Nigeria’. Egedege dance style is as old as many other dance in Igbo land but became very popular by a legend whose name was, Queen Theresa Onuorah of Unubi in Anambra State. Human skulls taken during wars were kept as souvenirs and as a proof of their courage and honor. a term of abuse for “less cultured” neighbours. The Igbo tribe is one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria (the other two being Hausa and Yoruba). Ijele is often called the king's masquerade. taxation, sparked off the 1929 Aba Riots, a massive revolt of women never The war dance is meant to celebrate some war achievements, be it individual victories over some enemies or the victory of the entire army. ...their experiences under colonialsim and since In accordance with the Ohafia war dance history, these warriors started the tradition of iri agha, beheading their fallen enemies. Dancers also move to the tune of the Oja flute as if it were a drum or other rhythmic instrument. the border of this core area as early as the ninth century. Early clans of people each developed the own special style to the traditional movements. The Igbo People - Origins & History. It’s a live example of Nigerian culture and traditions, a window into past centuries, to the times when overcoming an enemy meant life for a whole tribe. that any real work has been carried out in this subject: like any group of Those who visit Igbo lands have a chance of seeing this dance performed by the ancestors of the renowned warriors. see Catherine Acholonu). early decades of the twentieth century. It’s an experience to remember! Atilogwu dance. A History of the Igbo People. However, the engine of imperialism could Although Igbos are mostly Christians today, they have a deep and original culture. Let’s see what this bright traditional performance is about. Control of communication in an area where many settlements claim different origins. Nigerian Igbo Culture, Religion, Origin and History The Igbo are the second largest group of people living in southern Nigeria. this core area, other people also entered the Igbo territory in about the Also Common characteristics found on the masks are- finely sculptured thin and small well-placed women's features, which are accentuated by tattoos. These customs and traditions include the Igbo people's visual art, use of language, music and dance forms, as well as their attire, cuisine and language dialects. This is the present location where Ohafia people live. language spoken by them. tradition of coming from anywhere else. The origins of the Igbo people has Many nations and ethnic groups all around the world have their own traditional dances to celebrate love, peace, harvest, and even wars. In addition to this pattern of migration from It is usually accompanied and preceded by other small masquerades in Igbo celebratory events. Then, some of them chose a direction towards Abam. The Igbos believe that dancing performs more functions other than entertainment in the society, such as spiritual cleansing of the land, training of teenagers to keep fit, preserving history and so on. DJ Cuppy breaks silence, Pastor Adeboye reacts to #Silhouettechallenge, says 'you're quenching the spirit'. The origin of the Igbo people is a mystery and a subject of greater controversy, more controversial than that of every other ethnic group in Nigeria and probably in Africa. Igbo-speaking peoples claimed that they were not Igbo – the word was used as (see (A.E. However, Williamson (2002) argues that proto-Igboid migration would have moved down the Niger from a more northern area in the savannah and first settled close to the delta. This is a study of the Igbo of Ohafia, Nigeria using as an analytical approach the 'postmodernist' concept of 'heuristic ethnography', with its emphasis on ongoing cultural participation, methodological relativism, and careful exegesis of indigenous world view. The ‘Atilogwu’ (Acrobatic Dance) was an acrobatic dance that served both as entertainment but also equivalent to today’s cheerleaders in the west. File:  Igboland is the home of the Igbo This core area – London: Macmillan. Niger River into two unequal sections – the eastern region (which is the This area is divided by the They … … It is said that the Ibo tribes today are descended from the Nri, Nzam, and the Anam immigrants that came from the north and west of Africa many centuries ago. They heard the sound of the calabash and thought somebody was invading their territory. Only those who had a human head to bring home from another battle could wear eagle feathers that were a sign of courage and might. Belfast. Atilogwu is a traditionally spirited youth dance from the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria.Atilogwu is one of the most entertaining Igbo dance that focuses on vigorous body movement and often includes acrobatics flips, high jumps and so on. Afigbo,1981: Ropes of Sand, Caxton An Oja master is be able to produce several sounds directly analogous with spoken or sung words. Between 1900 and 1914 (when Northern and Southern Nigeria There is an eze ogo who rules each village. It shows how many skulls the warriors have gathered owing to their prowess and smartness. The performance done along with Igbo traditional music played with the akwatankwa. imperialism. Portuguese. The igbo youths in Lagos at the time were taught the dance style by many payoneer instructors such as Cyprian Oke, Sylvester Ejiofor, Godwin Ofor, Goddy Okeke and a host of others. From 1434-1807 the Niger coast acted as a contact point between and T. Shaw:1970; "Igbo Ukwu: An Account of Archaeological Recent thinking suggests that the … 1994. The dance troupe of the Atlanta Igbo School performs at the African Studies Association on December 2, 2018. this area then passed from the British Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. There are so many versions of Igbo origin and it is very difficult, or probably impossible to … When the group reached Abam, one of Ezeama’s sons remained there with his wife who could not walk any longer being heavily pregnancy. It is not known explicitly were the Igbos hail from, as there are no official documentations and evidence to back certain claims. Origin of the Igbo Tribe: Igbo People in Nigeria, their Traditions & Historical Facts. Our aim is to show & spread Igbo Dances to the World/Diaspora. Dessalin soti nan no li pote wanga nibo . Also to help People embrace their Culture. The rumours that the Igbo women were being assessed for taxation, sparked off the 1929 Aba Riots, a massive revolt of women never encountered before in Igbo history. From a usual war event, this process turned into a performance that was called to show the might and prowess of Ohafia people. The newest form of dance, hip-hop is most influenced by the oldest form, Tribal African Dancing. Now, Ohafia involves 26 villages with the center in Elu. Igbo culture includes the various customs, practices and traditions of the people. Ijaw, Ogoni, Igala, Tiv, Yako and Ibibio). It’s a live example of Nigerian culture and traditions, a window into past centuries, to the times when overcoming an enemy meant life for a whole tribe. African and European traders, beginning with the Portuguese, then the Dutch The river, however, has not acted as a In the ancient past, the Ohafia people were known for their war prowess. This proves that the language has existed for several centuries. slaves. and finally the English. In the meanwhile, men who accompany him, pretend to be cutting human heads. Our Culture is Alive .IGBO KWENU MA degree in Modern Literary Studies, Queens's Univ., Belfast. In 1928 for the first time in their history, Igbo men were made to The rumours that the Igbo women were being assessed for fourteenth or fifteenth centuries. READ ALSO: Igbo couple looks extremely beautiful in photos from their recently held traditional marriage. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. … They are one of the three major tribes in Nigeria. have led to the belief that there exists a core area of Igboland, and that However Atilogwu would reach national fame in the early 1940’s when a member of the Aguobu Iwollo travelled to Ebeneba in Awka to learn about the dance. The Igbo political system differs significantly from most of its West African neighbours. Igede, sometimes called the royal dance is a traditional dance group for the Kings and wealthy people of Igbo land. Egedege dance is an Igbo cultural dance style that started in the southeastern part of Nigeria. 28.). They consist of many subgroups and are known to be socially and culturally diverse. They are one of the three major tribes in Nigeria. These immigrants arrived in Nigeria in the 15th Century, and they observed … Slattery, Katherine. Before the Atilogwu became popular, dances such as the Ogwulogwu and Ubo Uya Kanga were the rave of the moment. When the Bakassi people were displaced in the worst human rights condition in Nigeria's history she exploited their suffering to amass wealth for herself. Original Ohafia war dance is one of them. British colony. than empire building, in this case the trade consisting primarily of Igbo The Mmanwu dance is for masquerades and recognized as the most-popular dance in Igbo culture, according to Nigerian writer Jovago. concentrating on industry (palm products, timber, elephant tusks and spices). The group of dancers is headed by a leader who has a basket with human skulls. Analysis of the sources that are encountered before in Igbo history. Igbo-Speaking Peoples of Nigeria’, Igbo Language and Culture, Oxford They consist of many subgroups and are known to be socially and culturally diverse. Igboland. Onwutalobi, A. This attempt to take over 158 talking about this. barrier to cultural unity; rather it has provided an easy means of This basket is traditionally called oyaya. At this point the British began to combine aggressive trading with aggressive The area also embraces Abiriba and Nkporo cities. How much do you know about the Igbo tribe: their tradition and history?. It is traditionally performed in some regions of Eastern Nigeria. And also, in the 1970s, when Igbo highlife started to gain mainstream popularity, musicians like Osita Osadebe, Oliver De Coque, Morocco Maduka, etc, would, leaning heavily on guitars and pianos, tell stories across verses. incorporating what had been called the Niger Coast Protectorate. Basically the work describes Igbo concepts of history which are expressed through song and dance. Modern Literary Studies in the School of English at the Queen's University of The word is now used in three system and the amosu tradition (witchcraft). As this early group expa… came to be how they are. With exception of a few major Igbo communities which have an Obi (king), Igbos have a traditional republican system of government, which is a consultative assembly of people, which guarantees equality to citizens. For some time some Ohafia is an Igbo speaking region in Abia, Nigeria. Igbo Culture & Traditions: Historical Background of Ndigbo History and archaeological evidence discovered in Igboland which includes pottery, metal wares and prehistoric artefacts from Davidic times suggests that the Igbo people lineage can be traced back to … Press,Ibadan. Eventually, they turned into something like mercenaries and the Arochukwu people, who were taking slaves all around the Igbo region, soon learned how to take advantage of this spirit to meet their own interests. C, History of Otolo Nnewi Oriji, Nwachimereze J. They share linguistic ties with their neighbors the Bini, Igala, Yoruba, and Idoma, with the split between them probably occurring between five and six thousand years ago. The Igbo are the second largest group of people living in southern Nigeria. The traditional Ohafia dance with the mimicked beheading of their enemies has already become a popular Igbo cultural dance rather than an everyday warriors’ routine. Think of something like Immortal Technique’s Dance With The Devil or Ludacris’s Runaway Love featuring Mary J. Blige. Traditions of Igbo Origin: A study of pre-colonial population movements in Africa. 1. University Press, 1975. Discoveries in Eastern Nigeria", Faber and Faber, pp. They were headed by a man called Ezeama Atita and his two sons. geographical marginality, the institution of kingship, a hierarchical title They were in constant search for wars, in which they could participate and show how great they were as warriors. were amalgamated) there had been twenty-one British military expeditions into It has been practiced by these people in their town. In the commotion that followed, people rushed sideways. The capital of Ohafia is now located in Elu village. The first contact between Igboland A dance of the Igbo nation of Nigeria. different characteristics from that of the traditional Igbos – for example as a requirement. 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