Thursday, December 11, 2014

Basic Guide To The Igbo Culture

By Claudine Hodges


There is not much centralized unions tribes, hereditary aristocracy, monarchy; The exceptions are the kingdom as NRI, Agbor and Onitsha. This political system has changed significantly after the arrival of British colonizers in XIX century; Power of king (Az) was introduced in most of local tribes. Chinua Achebe wrote the book "Different things, " in which he described the changes in culture and customs of colonial period (Igbo culture).

Most Igbos groups lived, like their neighbors in egalitarian, largely democratic social structures: in autonomous settlements without a central authority, each extended family for himself as an independent unit under the leadership of one or a family elders. The affairs of village community were decided by a council of elders, composed of both men and women.

Most Igbos are Christians. In traditional religion of "Lord of Earth" has the highest religious prestige. He secures a priest of earth goddess Ala fertility of land. The earth goddess stands as her consort the God of Heaven Chi aside. In addition there are numerous divine addition to powers and spirits. Particularly significant is among Igbos of ancestor worship. Funerals and festivals occur masked dancers, who are grouped together in special secret societies. A few thousand Igbos also consider themselves to be Jews.

The art Igbos (z. B. Large clay figures of shrines and altars as well as figurative and abstract masks) is usually in a religious context. 1938 and 1964 were discovered (in Igbos -Ukwu) numerous bronze tools and the grave chamber of very important person in north of Igbos area. The ornate, carved excellent bronzes are cast using the lost wax. If the date is the 9th / 10th Century's right, it is the oldest example of processing of copper and its alloys in West Africa.

As a food source was the cultivation of yams and cassava, which was often supplemented by extensive fishing. Igbos their neighbors had to suffer until the 19th century greatly from the slave traders. By 1900, continued in whole area of British colonial administration through. Today Igbos Yoruba and Hausa, in addition to one of state-supporting groups in Nigeria after her attempt to create a State failed after years of bloody fighting against the Nigerian central government. (Biafran War 1967-70).

Igbos (or for, self - "forest dwellers") - the people in south-eastern Nigeria. Number of approx. 26 million people. Speak the language of Igbos, which belongs to Benue-Congo language family Niger-Congo makrosemi. Segodnya most of them speak English, along with Igbos (the result of British colonialism).

Speak the language of Igbos -volt Niger family. The most common dialects Onitsha and Owerri. On the basis of Onitsha developing literary language - the "standard Igbos ", there is also a "united Igbos ", created in 1915 by missionaries based dialects Onitsha, Owerri, Bonnie, and ingvana arochuku. Many other dialects have their own written tradition. Writing based on Latin graphics.

The most important tuber crops in Africa places of residence of Igbos is yam; celebration in honor of harvest yams are held annually. Other essential crops are cassava and taro. Prior to British colonization Igbos were politically fragmented groups. There were changes in culture, for example, in artistic styles, clothes and religious practice. Subgroups of Igbos formed by belonging to clans leave, to any village or linguistic criteria, such as dialect.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment