THE WAY WE WERE

The Way We Were

Chapter Six: Fundamental Traditional Structures of Bende Homes

By Williams I. Eke

According to the culture and tradition of Bende Igbos, a married man must build two houses: One for himself and another for his wife. If he elects to marry more than one wife, he must build a house for each of his wives. The difference between a man’s house and his wife’s house are many, but there are some distinctive qualities that mark the difference. A man’s house by traditional standards is required to be located in front of his wife’s house to provide security. He is required to have a large living room and space for a fire, where his children warm themselves during the harmattan season [cool, extremely dry wind that forms over the Sahara and blows westward or southwestward to the African coast. This condition exists during dry season from December through February.] His house must comprise at least mkpu ewu [a room for his goats], and two additional rooms: One bedroom for him and another for his children. Each bedroom must have a large mkpukpu [Earthen Slab bed/seat]. His living room must have two large mkpukpu. There must be about a dozen mkpola [brass rods used as hangers built into the walls of his living room], which must be separated in two straight rolls. The higher rolls, about seven feet high, are for decorative purposes; the lower rolls are to hang personal effects. In the center of his living room floor, he must have a space carved on the floor where Ofo god [Igbo god of wish] resides during a traditional ceremony of libation. Most of all, his house must have only one entrance, through Ifu ezi or Ihu ezi [the front yard of a house].

           

On the other hand, his wife’s house must have mkpuka okuku / okuko or mkpu okuko [a room for her chickens]. It also must have two living rooms: One living room to the rear of her house and another to the front of her house. The front living room, mgbe ezi, is regarded as the first living room. The rear living room, mgbofo, is regarded as the second living room. Each must have a door to enter her house. It must also have our traditional bed mkpukpu. She must have large shelving in each of her living rooms: In her first living room she must have  large shelving [ukoku] where harvested seed crops for future planting are stored. In her second living room she must have a cooking place [usokwu]. Right above ekwu there should be two shelving areas [ukoku]. The first shelving ukoku nearest above ekwu is about two and a half to three yards wide and approximately five feet above ekwu. It is on this shelving that all food items, needed to be preserved for future consumption, are dried.

 

The second ukoku is the largest in her house. It is where all the dried food items for future use are stored away. In this huge shelving there is enough accommodation for various items, including a space to store all the cooking utensils, with the exception of nkuma ose / nkume ose [grinding stone] and ikwo l’ odu [wooden mortar and its pestle]. In addition, she must have mkpuka ite [a room where pots of various contents are stored]. This room also contains palm kernels and all other palm produce. Each section of her living rooms serves a special purpose for the operation and implementation of our cultural and traditional needs.

           

A woman’s house serves as a cultural teaching and learning center for her children. It is in her house that she perpetuates the Igbo traditional values and customs, by teaching her child or children many of the Igbo folk tales and songs. Our tradition mandates that these tales must only be told at night during dinner preparation time. It cannot be told during the morning or afternoon hours. Some of the tales are emphatic enough to make a child draw conclusions between good and evil, right and wrong, such as the story of AGU LA ENWE.  The story goes like this:

           

Once upon a time agu [tiger] was searching for food in the forest when he mistakenly fell into a big deep pit. The pit was so large that agu could not climb out, so he spent one week inside it. Agu could not find anyone to help him out. On his seventh day in the pit he saw Enwe [monkey] passing by. He called on enwe and requested enwe to please come and help him out of the pit. Enwe refused because agu does not spear the life of anyone whom he comes in contact with. But agu pleaded to enwe and promised that he would not harm nor eat enwe.

           

Enwe agreed, and got closer to the pit she held on to a tree branch and turned her tail into the pit for agu to grab. When agu came out he held on to enwe and refused to allow her to leave. Enwe pleaded to agu to allow her to go, but agu told enwe that he would eat her, because he had starved for seven days. As they were arguing, Ugo [eagle], the king of birds, came to see what the commotion was. When ugo asked both of them why they were arguing each of them took turns to explain. When they were done, ugo instructed them to start all over because he did not understand the reason for their dispute. Ugo then gave them orders saying, this time, whoever finishes telling his story shall clap his hands five times to let me know. Then he instructed enwe to begin.

           

Enwe started by saying, “when I was searching for some food to eat, I heard groaning coming from this side.”

 

She then pointed to her left toward the pit. “When I came closer, I found out that it was agu in the pit. I asked him, why are you in the pit? He told me that he mistakenly fell into it, and begged me to please help him come out. At first I refused, because agu always kills anyone that comes in contact with him. But he pleaded and even promised not to harm nor kill me. When I pulled him out of the pit he refused to let me go. I have been begging him since then, but he tells me that he is going to eat me because he has been starving for the past seven days. This is our argument.”  She added, “I am finished.”

           

As enwe completed her testimony, ugo instructed her to clap her hands five times and she did:  clap, clap, clap, clap, clap—five times.

           

Then agu began to tell his story, saying, “seven days ago, while I was searching for food, I mistakenly fell into this pit. I spent seven days in there,” he claimed pointing his finger to the pit. “I did not see a man, I did not see a woman! Who could help get me out? Finally, enwe came by. I requested her to help me come out of the pit. I promised her that I would not harm nor kill her. However, when I came out of the pit I realized that if I should let her go, I would not find anything to eat. Since I do not want to die of hunger, I decided to hold her. That is all that I have to say,” he concluded. As he started to clap his hands, ugo winked his eyes secretly telling enwe to flee. Enwe jumped into a big tree, ugo flew away into the sky. Agu sat speechless, looking up hopelessly, as everything happened so quickly.

           

The moral value of this story is that we should not reward evil for good deeds done to us by others. Some other tales are so scary that a child becomes reluctant when approached by a stranger. There are many tales from AKUKO ILU and AKUKO IFO, from which every conceivable thing is covered: human being, animal, bird, land, water, tree and even the dead. It teaches children the facts of life, the benefits of honesty, obedience, kindness, love, respect for elders, hard work, and sincerity, but most of all, it gives a child the perception of what society expects of him both morally and physically. It was in this part of my mother’s house that she educated us while preparing dinner for the family. All that I know about AKUKO ILU, AKUKO IFO, AGUGWA, and many other traditional Alayi, folk tales and songs, were taught to me there. Today when I remember the numerous tales and songs, the flood of memories makes me appreciate how great a teacher my mother and millions of other Igbo mothers are. They promote and continue a valuable tradition that was handed down to them orally, passing on these moral tales to their own sons and daughters.