eke na egwurugwu

Search This Blog

on April 07, 2006

Get link
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps

eke, grace and guts
egwurugwu, many colours of speech
spelling the times...

Get link
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps

Comments

Mmanwu Uli Animates Ibadanland

by Obododimma Oha Eke Ukwu 29 November 2009 was Anambra State Day in Ibadan, Oyo State. The celebration which took place at the Cultural Centre, Mokola, Ibadan,on the mandate of Anambra State Forum in Oyo State, witnessed many cultural performances by members of the various Anambra State town unions based in Ibadan. The ancestors were also there, travelling several thousands of miles from the land of the spirits. Emerging from ant holes and dripping with ancient songs and proverbs, Anagharakpo and Ekwusike -- two celebrated okorommuo from Uli --took the ogbo and turned the premises of the Ibadan Cultural Centre to a very lively asaa. The two masked spirits literally became the centre of the celebration that was intended as a fund-raising occasion.They sang, they danced, and sang their dance, the poetry of their spirit bodies casting a spell on the audience that seemed to keep growing every minute. The two okorommuo seemed to have been sent by the spirit world to provide the much-need

Some Sacred Trees in Igbo Culture: Squirreling One’s Way through their Mysterious Branches

by Obododimma Oha Igbo culture extends signification to trees. Dating back to ancient times, the idea of some things representing or standing for other things has reigned in public life. Along this line, something representing another thing is based on the hope that communication obstacles would be surmounted and that the other person would finally understand what we mean. Lucky enough, we have bodies and organs saddled with the task of articulating representations of the representation. Maybe if we were from another lifeworld and do not need the so-called speech organs, we would order our representations of representation differently. Maybe we would just see other entities and use other means to figure out their intentions and respond appropriately, as shown in some science fiction movies and writings. So, that some trees in Igbo culture are assigned representation roles is not strange at all. It only reveals our limitation in our world and an attempt to deal with such l

Obere Nwa Na-amụ Iri Elu

by Obododimma Oha The ability to climb trees is one of the cultural expectations of male children in the Igbo culture. And climbing certain trees, like the oil-palm, are completely the assignment to male children. Women, daughters or wives, are not supposed to climb oil-palm trees and harvest their nuts. If climbing trees involves risks, as it truly does, male children should get prepared for such risks. And so, one is not surprised the the late Igbo highlife musician, Oliver de Coque, proverbially sang in one of his albums as follows: Obere nwa na-amụ iri elu Obi ga-esi ya ike! (A child learning to climb Needs to be courageous!) Yes. One needs courage and not easily be scared of heights. It is about courage and risk-taking. Humans cannot get anywhere or make any breakthrough unless they take risks. Life itself is a risk, not just that it involves risks. A person learning and hoping to scale and go up has to have the heart. Life is not for the faint-hearted. It is for the

Powered by Blogger