Umu tii
The children.
Culture & Way of Life
Culture & Way of Life
“Culture, they say, is a people’s way of life and as a result, the pride of a people. A people without culture, is a people without origin and therefore a dead people.”
Source: Obinofia Ndiuno Historical Archive, Book, p. 43.
Hospitality, Kola & Food
The people of Obinofia Ndiuno, regardless of age, social or economic status, are sociable, friendly, humorous, comic, tolerant and accommodating. The book notes that they love strangers more than their own people and are more generous to them.
- Visitors are always presented with kola; when there is none, regrets are expressed.
- The visitor is offered water to drink and wash hands before kola is presented.
- Visitors are invited to a meal no matter how small it may be, to show love and hospitality.
- Cassava is the commonest and most staple food, often eaten as a salad with smoked or fresh fish, meat, garden egg and its leaves, mushroom, Akpaka and Agba leaves.
Returning from the rivers or streams like Ogbuto and Gwogwo rivers, one always hears the voice inviting a passerby: “Taa nujigbo mii”.
The people praise achievers but never worship them, finding comfort in the rhetorical question, “Does he or she feed me?” (O na-aku m nri?).
Source: Book, pp. 43–44.
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Social Groups
Otu Umunna — the kindred
The basic social grouping, an organization of people of the same lineage or kindred, widened to extended kinsmen. Membership is automatic by birth. The Umunna settles land, civil, domestic and criminal cases among kinsmen, and organizes support when one dies. Anyone who neglects the Umunna is fined; if unpaid, ostracized. Hence the saying: “Umunna bu Ike” — one’s true strength lies in his kinsmen.
Source: Book, pp. 52–53.
Otu Ada — the daughters
All the females of a kindred or village, married or single. Meetings are held on Tuesdays after every Uka-Eke. The Adas settle problems in the kindred, discipline erring wives of kinsmen, and carry out projects in their paternal homes. If an Ada is offended, the spirit must be appeased — the Otu Ada is a strong force to reckon with.
Source: Book, pp. 53–54.
Otu Nwunye di — the wives
A meeting of women married to men of a particular kindred, normally at the eldest woman’s house. Seniority is by first to marry. The women plan welfare, correct awkward behaviours, save through thrift, and act as a pressure group on the excesses of their husbands.
Source: Book, p. 54.
Otu Umunwanyi — village women
Similar to the former but embracing the whole hamlet or village women, held monthly. They help one another especially in child delivery, accompany mothers home from maternity with songs, and celebrate naming ceremonies.
Source: Book, pp. 54–55.
Otu Mmowu — the masquerade society
The socio-cultural group in charge of masquerading. It announces, regulates and enforces the bye-laws governing masquerading and festivals, especially Aniugwu and Onwaito.
Source: Book, p. 55.
Otu Ozo — the titled men
Embraces all the Ozo titled men in the community; meets monthly, held in the house of the oldest Ozo. The Ozos are the custodians of the people’s culture; they settle disputes concerning culture and tradition, and are expected to be just and fair in judgement.
Source: Book, p. 55.
Age Grading
Age grading is not traditionally marked in the community as in other Igbo communities, but is naturally divided into four groups:
Ogba nta
The youths.
Ogba etiti
The middle-aged.
Ndi Ogaria
The elders.
The people respect biological seniority — hence the question Mu n’ghu, a bu ogbo? (“Are we of the same age?”). The only age-grade society that has lasted is the popular Udeichi na Ogba eke of Umuonaga village, a socio-cultural group that has lasted for over seventy years.
Source: Book, pp. 51–52.
Greetings
The people much regard seniority order and respect in the form of greetings. Morning greeting is I boo chi? or I bokwaru chi?, extending into the forenoon; evening and night take boo chi!. Hardly could two people part ways without exchanging pleasantries — Mgboo! or Naa-gboo!. Sympathy is expressed with Ndoo!; felicitation with Chukwu e mete anyi! Anyi e kene Chukwu!. On greeting a host, the visitor says de emee!, and the host responds Nnoo! — welcome.
Greeting in Obinofia Ndiuno is limitless, whence the saying, Ekene a na-a kiri ho akari.
Source: Book, pp. 56–57, 62.
Handedness: Right and Left
The right hand (Nnkenge or Aka nri) is regarded as right and synonymous with goodness. All positive actions — eating, giving, receiving, waving, handshaking — are done with the right hand.
The left hand (Aka ekpe or Ibute) is synonymous with negativity. It never initiates a meaningful project; it is abhorred in eating, handshaking, giving or receiving. To give or receive with the left hand is viewed as an insult.
If one stumbles on the left leg, it is interpreted as a bad omen (Ukwu njo); on the right leg, as good (Ukwu mma). The left hand is referred to as Aka Ekwensu, the “evil hand”.
Source: Book, pp. 58–61.
Context note: These customs are recorded from the community’s
traditions as described in the source book. They are presented as cultural history.
Handshaking
Handshaking is an act of greeting meaning to expose the hand to show one has no evil in mind — a bond or covenant (i gba ndu). It is the oldest and most popular form of etiquette, usually done with the right hand.
Forms recorded in the archive
- Conventional handshaking — with pleasantries; a younger person supports the right hand with the left.
- Symbolic (titled) handshaking — a titled man shakes with his hand fan made of animal skin or horse tail; the lay person uses the bare hand. The titled strikes the forwarded hand twice on the back and once on the palm.
- Trinity handshake — Naa m ito: only titled men receive three handshakes simultaneously.
- Peer handshaking — recalling past feats with praise names: Boshi mu na ghu!
- Negative handshaking / poisoning — the tradition warns of poison smeared on palms; hence hands are bathed before eating or taking kola.
- Challenge handshake — Tiee mee! (bet me), a violent handshake declaring cold war; and the sand challenge for wrestling.
- Shoulder greeting — used among men of the same age group or between men and masquerades: striking right, left, right shoulders in trial of strength.
When greeting extends beyond the palm, it becomes grip: Ekene ghakwaru obu aka, o ghoo njide.
Source: Book, pp. 61–66.
Traditional Etiquette & Customs
Customs recorded in the archive (Book pp. 57–70) include:
- The younger ones respect, greet and thank the elderly, and never abuse them.
- A younger person stands up for an elder to sit; the youngest shares palm wine or kola in a gathering.
- A younger person does not call a much elder by first name — it must be Nna this or Nne that.
- Younger people do the strenuous and menial jobs: carrying seats, sweeping, digging graves while elders build the booths (Mmkpu).
- Sharing in a gathering starts from the right-hand side of the sitting arrangement (nkenge).
- A woman squats to drink palm wine in the midst of men to show respect; when an Ozo drinks, lay men clap until the wine is emptied.
- A person does not address a gathering wearing a cap — only titled men (especially Ozos) have that privilege.
Social etiquette passes from generation to generation through acculturation. A deviant is referred to as Odomgboroko or Apatame — a novice, ignorant or uninformed person — doomed to be seen as without home training.
Source: Book, pp. 57–70.
Agencies of Socialization
The Home
Socialization starts at home, where parents tell folktales and folklore that teach morality, with chants such as Benekwukwu bene! or Ndaa!. Folktales are told only at night.
Ogbaja Umunna
The ancestral meeting place of a kindred, where men gather in the morning to pray and eat kola before the day’s work, and elders exchange wisdom — “the words of the elders are words of wisdom”. Skulls of animals are hung here in memory of past feats.
Obodo (Community Squares)
Squares owned by the whole village for meetings, wrestling, dancing and moonlight plays. Examples: Obodo Umueze, Ogbojie Ishieke, Ogige Ogbagu, Obodo Okamkpam, Obodo Imeama, Obodo Enugwuagu.
Night Markets & Wine Drinking
Night markets such as Obodoiyi, Ekeshop and Nwankwo market draw men to palm wine and raffia palm wine (Nngwo). Wine drinking is a powerful unifying factor; the eldest person takes the dreg with prayers to end the session.
Water Fetching (I gba mii)
Going to springs to fetch water, especially at night by moonlight, is a social occasion. Fetching in turn with queue positions kept is called i gba mii. Highly practiced at Anufu and Iyitu springs.
Socio-Cultural Therapy
Njakiri (jest), I ko onu (mockery), Egwu (songs), Njije (mimicry) and even gossiping are the community’s spontaneous forms of fun that break boredom and loneliness.