The festivals, rites and life-cycle ceremonies of Obinofia Ndiuno, as recorded in the historical archive. Historical descriptions are distinguished from any modern practice.
Masquerade festivals
Aniugwu and Onwaito are the masquerade festivals of the community. They are announced, regulated and enforced by the Otu Mmowu, the socio-cultural group in charge of masquerading. The Otu Mmowu enforces the bye-laws guiding masquerading and the festivals, and engages in social activities especially during these festivals.
The archive records that the entire neighbourhood — Obinofia Ndiuno and its neighbouring communities — shares almost the same festivals and customs, such as masquerade, marriage, new yam, burial, and Ozo title taking, with slight variations. New yam is therefore celebrated in the community in common with its neighbours.
During moonlight on the village squares (Obodo), the children enjoy moonlight plays — hide and seek, kangaroo game, pet masquerading (Udunyanya), Akpankoro, Onye e nene anya n’azu (literally “someone who does not look back”), and wrestling. In the evenings the elders come out to rest and play games such as nchorokoto and weave their baskets, hand fans and flat and long baskets.
The Ozo title is among the customs shared with neighbouring communities. The Ozo institution is led by the oldest titled man by virtue; the Ozos meet monthly, are custodians of culture, and settle disputes concerning culture and tradition — land disputes, marriage controversies and crimes against the land.
Marriage, burial and the other ceremony traditions are shared with neighbouring communities, with slight variations. The archive records the etiquette that surrounds them — kola presentation, palm wine sharing in seniority order, and the customs of the Otu Ada and Otu Nwunye di in marriage and death rites.
The historical practice of “Ishi nwa ada a to n’ije” — a matrilocal marriage practice traced to the Umuagulu people’s Agulu heritage — was abolished about the year 1975.
An annual sacrifice is carried out in the sacred lake to appease its spirit. The tradition holds that failure to do this makes the lake overflow its banks and wreak havoc on the people’s farmlands in protest. The fish of the lake are never killed, as it is believed sacred.
About Heneke Lake →The spirit of the waterfall is appeased once a year with the sacrifice of goat, fowl, and more.
About O gba-agada →The community’s traditional week is made of the four Igbo market days: Nkwo, Eke, Orie and Afo. Ceremonies and squares are tied to this cycle — for example, the Otu Ada meets on Tuesdays after every Uka-Eke. The book does not give fixed calendar dates for the annual festivals; a current festival calendar will be added when the community provides one.