THE WAY WE WERE

ORIE-EDEALA

 

Orie-Edeala is the first in the sequence of events and ceremonies mandated by our tradition that must take place before Ike ndi. This is the day Ede god [the god of cocoyam] is decorated, beautified and offered sacrifices in appreciation for its ability to provide us with enough Ede during Unwu [the period or season of scarcity of yams]. Ede and agburu (cassava) becomes the staple in the absence of yams. Our tradition treats Ede as an alternative to yam.

           

On Orie-Edeala, Ede is prepared in abundance in a special ngwo-ngwo Ede [cocoyam porridge] and sacrificed to the god of Ede. Our tradition mandated that every woman in the village cook enough ngwo-ngwo Ede to feed whoever wants to eat, just as Ede fed the population during Unwu season. The porridged cocoyam must first be fed to the god of Ede and some thrown onto the pathways leading to the various farmlands and to the entrances of villages. The remainder is then eaten in groups in front of each village entrance. Everyone is welcome to partake, even a passerby. Although Ajoku is the god of crops, it is considered in Alayi tradition chiefly as the god of yams. Ngwo-ngwo Ede is fed to Ajoku god on this day. Ede is regarded as the women’s crops and yams as men’s. In Bende tradition no man can brag of being a wealthy farmer because of the size of his cocoyam field. On the other hand, a man is respected because of how much yams he cultivates.

 

AFO-AGWU

 

Afo-Agwu is the second ceremony performed two days before Iri Ndi Ofuru [the eating of new yam] in Alayi tradition. Afo-Agwu is the most significant of the three ceremonies mandated by our tradition. It is the only ceremony celebrated in honor of our traditional beliefs. It is on this day that all students of African traditional rituals and African native doctors of various caliber graduate and are accepted into the mystic society of Dibia [general title for an African native doctor regardless of his branch of practice].

 

It is on this day that Agwu god [the Igbo god of madness], is decorated, beautified and offered a sacrifice of Ngwo-ngwo Odudu [mashed beans porridged in palm oil]. All the sacrifices relating to Agwu god must be done on this day. Afo-Agwu is the most spectacular of all the ceremonies preceding Ike Ndi Ofuru. The day’s activities begin when Eketensi and Ekwo ogwu [a wooden hollow drum, usually made of animal hide and a hollow carved wood used as a musical instrument by Dibias] are retrieved from their secret place of storage and brought to Ama [a village playing ground] and sounded. This is usually between the hours when the sun is off the head and the shadow is behind its owner. The beating of Ekwo ogwu comes in three separate segments: First it is sounded to inform the general public and other Dibias that everything is as planned. The second sounding is for those Dibias who will be participating to get themselves ready for the event. The third sounding is for all the Dibias who will be participating to come out for the event of the day. Any participating Dibia who have students, whom he has been training for the past month and a half, must make advance arrangement to have his students seated in the circle where the dance will take place. The young Dibia student, has endured all sorts of tasks and conditions, including one and a half months of sitting outside, rain or shine, day and night, with only his undergarment, to a daily squeeze of different leaves into his eyes, bathing in the water of fermented roots and leaves and the daily visitation to bushes and forest, where the elder Dibia teaches him the values of various leaves, herbs and roots and their cures.

           

Each of the elder Dibias comes out carrying Akpa ogwu [a native doctor’s bag. This bag contains all his requirements for the ceremony]. Each Dibia rests his Akpa ogwu next to his student who is already seated facing Ite-ogwu [a special Dibia’s  pot, whose contents are not known to a non-Dibia]. As he settles down, he reaches into his Akpa ogwu, removes Mpu anu and Oza [animal horn and a ceremonial animal tail]. The Dibia is already dressed, with Aji [traditional Bende clothes] tied around his waist, topless and bare footed. His body is covered with Ufe (camwood) and Odo. [Ufe is a red wood used by the Igbos for red color. Which is used as a makeup in our tradition. Odo is a yellow clay used by the Igbos for yellow color and is also used as a makeup]. He fastens Mpu anu under his Aji tie, in a fashion resembling that of a person concealing a handgun under his belt while holding the ceremonial animal tail in his hand.

           

They begin to dance. Eketensi is not danced by everyone. It is only danced by qualified and experienced Dibias, some of whom have hypnotic power and years of experience in the exorcism technique. It is prohibited for anyone who is not a Dibia to cross paths with any dancing Dibia, nor should a non-Dibia simply walk through the circle of the dancing Dibias during this ceremony. The sound of Eketensi attracts demons, evil spirits, spell-casters, witches and wizards and Ogbanje [a tormenting, unpredictable demon, of unparalleled beauty]. As the sound which could be heard far and wide increases in frequency, the crowd that gathers circles three deep. The Dibia dance on as the beat alternates between sober and furiously fast, pushing the dancing Dibias to a fever pitch. The demons, evil spirits and even the spell-casters who are in the crowd now join in the dance by transforming themselves into any one of the Dibia who is dancing. The Dibia, who is now possessed by the demons or other evil spirits continues to dance but he represents evil. As one of the elder dancing Dibias notices the change in the personality of the possessed Dibia, he reaches under his Aji and draws out his Mpu anu [a native doctors ceremonial animal horn], which he conceals with Oza and points it at the possessed Dibia, thus sending out strong energy spell to drive the demons out of him and instantly knocking the possessed Dibia off his feet. The elder Dibia rushes to his aid, but becomes engaged in a fight with the demon or the evil spirit that is in him. According to the traditional Dibia rule, the elder Dibia must wake up the fallen Dibia who has fainted and is unconscious. When the Dibia is revived, he scrawls or starts to run after the demon from whom he has been freed. Other Dibias join in the pursuit until the demon is chased to its place of  residence and captured. To capture the demon, a Dibia must effectively use his Mpu anu, which he uses for Igba eba [the release of energy, usually associated with casting of negative energy on someone], to block the entrance of the demon’s residence, which could be anywhere from under a tree to someone’s house. The Dibias pour Mgbarunsi [poison deterrent] around the areas and unearth the demon. Each unearthed demon must confess to the Dibias. The demon must tell them the name of the person who sent it, and its purpose. This is the method used by our Dibias to cleanse our communities before Ekembo [our New Year] starts. However, if there are no demons, Afo-Agwu is a traditional day for Dibias to demonstrate their powers by challenging one another to prove who is the best in self defensive techniques.

 

NKWOIKPA

 

Nkwoikpa is the third ceremony and the last before Ekembo. This is the eve of Iri Ndi Ofuru. In fact it is on this day that the new yams are harvested. But our tradition mandates that new yams should not be eaten on the same day of harvest. This is a day full of expectations for the children. The excitement begins as parents return home from the farms, carrying Abo full of new yams [a large rectangular basket with a solid wooden base used by the Bendes to carry farm produce from the farms to home]. As they enter the village, they start shouting: Eji ahamo! Eji ahamo! [I have a grip that I will not lose]. Ejim ya nwawo! [I am holding it tight]. Ejim ya la isi, ejighim ya l’odu. [I am holding it by its head, not by its tail]. Anu eji l’odu na agbu-agbuwo! [Because a beast held by its tail will free itself]. Ukachio! Obowo!, [the dawn ordained by the gods has come—the day for eating new yams is here]. The children who have gathered to welcome the new yams join the chanting, saying: “Ndim du l’ubi agu n’egbumo, ilua, iluawo!” [My yams that were in the farm while I starved, welcome, welcome indeed!], adding “Ndi ofuru ifu mu l’ghe nma-nma.” [New yams I greet you]. They then rub the dirt (earth) from the new yams on their foreheads. 

           

Nkwoikpa is the day when all the old yams must be disposed of. Those who have an excess of yams must give them to their relatives, friends and neighbors. It is the last day of Alayi’s year. Our tradition has made this day the last date for their sons and daughters to come home for the celebration of Iri Ndi Ofuru. This is because traveling is prohibited on Ekembo. The night of Nkwoikpa is when Ichu afa is performed [the ritual of wishing the old year goodbye]. This is done around midnight. Our tradition mandates that all cooking utensils must be washed clean after dinner to remove particles from the previous year’s usage. No food particles of any kind should be left on the pots or other utensils. There must be no leftovers from the food cooked on this date. The wooden mortar and its pestle in which new yams are pounded to make foo-foo are also cleaned thoroughly. All houses and rooms must be cleaned and decorated. Old brooms must be discarded to make room for new ones.

 

The importance of this day is to give a final touch to the preparation for the festival that will take place the next day. Ajoku [Bende god of crops and fertility], is decorated and all the gods in the land are beautified waiting for the events that will take place the next day. Ama [the village playing grounds] are also swept. The god of land shrine is decorated in preparation for Iri Ndi Ofuru. All repairs to the yam barn must have been completed by the end of this day. The fences separating Ifofo [backyard] from curbs have to be completed by this date. If there will be a new song and dance, they must be completely rehearsed today. All shed necessary for the male secret society who will be performing with their masquerade have to be completed by the day’s end.

 

To make sure that  everything is done according to stipulation, the elders  dispatch Ndi  Uke  Ole  Ala [a team of age-group sanitarians] to inspect and report on the sanitary condition of each village, its surroundings and ama [a village playing ground], and all the roads leading out of town and to the various farms. These sanitarians are also responsible for making individuals comply with the law governing the rules of Iri Ndi Ofuru. This law simply states that all streets and roads leading to the various villages and farms must be scrubbed clean and that all ama and ala ezi [village holy ground] must be swept or kept clean. Anyone who fails to meet these requirements shall be fined. Traditionally the fines ranged from Otu mba ndi up to mba ndi ise [a single yam tuber up to five yams]. However, as things changed, a fine of one shilling, two and half shillings and even up to five shillings were imposed. [In the old British monetary unit 12 pence is equal to one shilling, 240 pence or 960 farthings is equal to one pound ( £). 252 pence or 21 shillings is equal to 1 guinea. 2 shillings is equal to 1 florin. 2/6 is equal to a half crown. 5 shillings is equal to 1 crown and 20 shillings is equal to one pound or 1 sovereign]. However, the good thing about the traditional fines in general was their fairness, no one was ever fined an out of season crop.

           

In summary, Nkwoikpa is the final ceremony before Iri Ndi Ofuru in Alayi’s tradition. It is the day that finishing touches are placed on everything that needs to be done that would enhance or facilitate a smooth Ekembo.

 

Note: “Eji ahamo…!”  Is only shouted by farmers whose  yam yield large tubers. Equally the chants and shout welcoming the new yams in Alayi varies. Some would say; “Ndim no l’ubi…”

 

 

EKEMBO / OMELALA  IRI  NDI  OFURU

 

Ekembo [literally eke- is the first day in the Igbo week; mbo means one or first; ekembo is the first day of the first week in Alayi’s year] is the day traditionally mandated for the official beginning of a festival that supersedes virtually all festivals celebrated in Bende land Omume Iri Ndi Ofuru [New Yam Festival, or the festival of eating new yam]. In Alayi’s tradition, the event of ekembo is the culmination of other festivals, such as the celebration of Ike Afa [the division of the year, or sorting of dates] festival, which is celebrated in July. It is on Ike Afa that the date for Iri Ndi Ofuru is set.

           

Ekembo, or Omelala Iri Ndi Ofuru, is held every year in the second week of August, but not earlier. The celebration of Omume Iri Ndi Ofuru may continue according to each town’s market day, which always takes the festivities almost to the end of August. In a tradition where everyone is a subsistence farmer, ekembo holds more meaning than just being the first day of Bende Igbo’s New Year. Ekembo represents the aggregate sum of the year’s activities. It is the beginning of an annual inventory. But most importantly, this is a day of giving thanks to the gods of the land. The day starts at the third crow of a rooster. The first order of the events is for all male members of a family to gather at their ancestral house, where the grandfather leads them in a quiet procession to Ajoku shrine for a thankful offering, the Alayi people believe that Ajoku is the source of fertility and the ultimate judge of morality and conduct. They further believe that Ajoku, pays a man according to the labor of his hands. Ekembo has many other meanings besides the above-mentioned. For Alayi farmers, who are traditionally subsistence farmers, who practice shifting cultivation and a bush fallow of seven years, the significance of this day is beyond its symbolic festivities. It is a time of plenty, or the end of scarcity, since yam is the staple food. Ekembo further marks the completion of a cycle of events and activities, from the celebration of Udide festival [a festival celebrated by Alayi during the month of November, to mark the end of harvest season]. Udide festival sets a date for the beginning of the next farm season. It is also on udide that the selection of farmland, based on the rotational system, is announced. Ekembo is the first day of rest in many months, which actually starts with the clearing of bush or virgin forest to make farmland which is left to dry and then set on fire, followed by ground tilling and the making of individual mounds of earth in straight lines all over the farm field that look like a checkerboard from afar.

 

This is followed by the sowing of yam tubers upon the first drop of the season’s rain. The planting of yams initiates hard work. Yams requires more care than any other crop the Bende Igbos plant. It demands constant attention. When the yam sprouts, the young tendrils must be protected from both the sun and wild rodents. When the tendrils grow bigger, they are then stacked with little sticks, but as they continue to develop, larger tree branches are used to contain the yam which by nature is a creeping plant. The farmer then weeds the farm in calculated intervals of three or four times during the time the yam is in the soil. So ekembo, or Omume Iri ndi Ofuru, is also a celebration of the end of hard work and the beginning of an easier, relaxed season.

 

ALAYI  TRADITIONAL  CELEBRATION

OMUME  IRI  NDI  OFURU

 

            In Alayi Omume Iri Ndi Ofuru is celebrated on each town’s market day following Ekembo. The activities of the festival begin early in the morning. The council of elders for the town dispatch a two-man messenger team to Dibia Oha Mini, an African native doctor who specializes in the act of rain-making. The objective is to remind Dibia Oha Mini of the agreement which was made several days earlier, in which [he] Dibia Oha Mini promised and assured the elders that he would hold rain from disrupting the celebration. Women and girls wake up before six o’clock to fetch water from the stream, while men and boys sweep the village compound, its surroundings and ama [the village playing ground] and kill goats and chickens, whose feathers are burnt off in fire. At about seven o’clock, Ihe ngwoha, a present from a teenager to his parent or parents is presented. At about seven-thirty in the morning Nde Uke Ole Ala [the age-group sanitarians] arrive to inspect the village and its surroundings. Each household must arrange its cooking utensils in front of their doors for the inspectors and anyone who fails to comply is fined. The smell of burnt chicken feathers hangs heavy in the air throughout the town and by noon, the aroma of cooking goat and chicken wafts through the houses and fills the air.

           

Relatives and friends who live in different towns in Alayi, and those who live in faraway towns and villages, start to arrive. Our tradition mandates that a son-in-law must carry at least Ite mayi or Ojonga mayi ngwo [a pot of raffia wine] to his father-in-law on this occasion, as a sign of expressing or renewing his continuous ties with his wife’s family. The above rule also applies to a faraway kindred, who must use this festival time as a reunion to solidify their ancestral affinity. Besides, this is a day for numerous social occasions for everyone. As the day progresses, food is served both to the guests and the hosts. After a heavy meal of Utara Ndi [yam foo-foo] and Ofo ose [a special Alayi hot pepper soup], the elders and their male guests share a drink of mayi ngwo.

           

The town organized events start. Sometimes there are as many as three entertainments taking place at a time: The all male secret society masquerade, the all female, Ohuba dance group and the girls Oro dance group. As each group sounds their drums, the participants and dancers begin to gather at ama.

 

Oro is Alayi dance, however, like many other Bende traditional dances, it requires certain preparation, discipline, practice, organization, a lead singer and a few master drummers. It is danced only by young girls and mperete [any girl who is of child-bearing age]. Mchiakwo or Iruokara, a mature woman, (often a reference to a lady who has had a child or children), does not dance Oro. As Oro drums are sounded, the dancers assemble. The young girl is already dressed from home by tying Aka aku [a two to two and a half yards of African print material] around her waist, its length resting above her knees. On top of aka aku is a layer of various colors of Olokpo [beads]. She uses a headscarf that is folded in straight lapping format to tie across her chest, thus concealing her firm youthful breasts, and creating a brassiere. Her body is bare, but beautified with a combination of various designs of Uri lines; Her face is natural and beautiful. She uses Nzu [kaolin] to highlight her beauty around her bright eyes and chin by drawing fine lines around them. Her eyelashes are darkened with Turio [an early Bende Igbo compound used by women as eyeliner]. Her hair, which is plaited in our traditional fashion with no artificial hair extensions attached, is a masterpiece of fine art. The sheen on her braids is the result of a careful elu-mmanu treatment. On her plaited hair she uses various matching traditional hairpins made of ivory or polished wood. Her teeth are as white as nzu. She wears in her tender pierced ears a pair of earrings made of gold, by an African goldsmith. Her necklace is made of beads. She also wears on her neck a dangling whistle, the symbol of Oro dancers. Her hands are manicured and her fingernails trimmed short and clean, but she wears no rings. On her wrists she wears a fitting Ujara [a rattling device]. On each of her hands she holds a white handkerchief. Her feet are bare, but on each ankle she wears Ujara.

           

Each of the young ladies must follow the rules of Oro dance, both in performances and in conduct. They form a circle and each must line up according to her height. No short girl or lady is permitted to fit herself between two tall persons. The drummers and the lead singer start to drum and sing. They begin to dance. The young ladies who represent the fulfillment of our cultural heritage bent slightly forward in a tribute to the god of land. As the drums and other musical instruments are resound, their feet mark the beat with Ujara adding a rattling sound. They dance by in circles. Our tradition mandates that spectators shall only enter Oro or any other female dance for the reason of offering a dancer a present of money as a token of appreciation for her performances. This is known as Igbara nwami ihe / Igbara nwanyi ihe.

 

Oro, like much of our traditional music, is the medium through which the public expresses its opinions. This year’s new song release is a tribute to one of the local sons who has paid for the cost of vaccine that was used to inoculate the entire town’s population against an epidemic disease and also a tribute to a hunter who has killed an elephant whose meat was distributed to the town’s people. As the lead singer sings the song, the enthusiastic crowd erupts in applause. The lead singer’s smiling face beams in acknowledgment. A man joins the dancing procession to offer a gift to his daughter in appreciation for her performance. He dances a few feet in front of her and as she approaches him, he turns facing her, reaching into his trousers pocket to take out ten Nigerian pound notes. While dancing, he begins to paste each pound note on her forehead. She dance into the middle of the circle, thus clearing the path for other dancers. In their right hands, the young dancing ladies hold handkerchiefs, waving them in a suggestive gesture of goodbye while their left hands point forward, their faces damp but full of joy.