Igbo By: Cameron Jamison, Caroline Freer, Claire Nikong, and Kelly Hodder

Culture ● Clothing ○ wore little clothing ○ children would sometimes wear beads ○ women sometimes wore babies on their back ● Language ○ comes from the Kwa language in Western Africa ○ based off of change in pitch ○ proverbs and idioms were used often ● Village Life ○ population ranged from hundreds of people to thousands ○ no specific leader

Culture ● Women ○ 3 goals ■ stay loyal to one man ■ be submissive ■ have male children ○ cooked, cleaned, farmed, cared for children ● Hospitality ○ helped make and keep friends ○ have to share with everyone ○ kola nut is shared to show hospitality

Culture ● Government ○ egalitarian society: everyone was almost equal ○ Obi: head of each family ○ Eze: represented the majority of the state ○ Nze: members of the Eze’s cabinet ● Patriotism ○ important to Igbos ○ only tribe with patriotism and modernization ○ had a Nigerian national anthem

History Location: southern Nigeria and close to the Nile River Approximate date of origin: approximately 3000 B.C.E Characteristics: smart, hard working, adaptive, take pride in tradition First contact with Europeans: in the 15th century with the Portuguese because the Niger coast acted as a contact point between African and European traders, starting the Atlantic Slave Trade Effect of imperialism: their trading was part of the start of European imperialism. England colonized and tried to take over Igboland, making them pay taxes and used them as slaves

History Goods traded: palm products, timber, elephant tusks, and spices Relationship with Europeans: while most of the Igbo people were hostile towards the Europeans, some merchants created business relationships in order to receive money and manufactured goods like guns by trading slaves

New Yam Festival ★ Celebrates a successful yam harvest ○ Held annually at the beginning of August when the harvest is complete ★ Many traditional events held ○ Dances involving entire tribe ○ Musical performances ○ Parades ★ Iwa-ji Ceremony ○ First yams of the year offered as sacrifice to gods and ancestors ○ Yams eaten at giant feast

Kola Nuts ★ Important to the Igbos ○ Food source ○ Many other purposes ★ Used in many rituals and celebrations ○ Weddings ○ Religious services ★ Welcoming gift to visitors and spirits

Wrestling ★ A very popular, traditional sport ★ Originally used to settle disagreements ○ Now also a popular pastime ★ Allows men to show off ○ Winner gets a prize, is admired by everyone

Religion Igbo religion is called Odinani One deity, Chineke, of which all things are made Chineke governs the alusi, or spirits that each resemble a part of him Priests, called Dibia, that are able to communicate with the Alusi in order to learn the laws of the world. Deceased ancestors live in the world of the Alusi, and may also be contacted by the Dibia If one of these souls is lost, it is considered a mmuo, a type of lesser spirit

Spiritual Beliefs The Igbo believe in chi, or a personal spirit that each person has Responsible for the person’s fate Reincarnation Can be reincarnated 7 times, only into a human Reincarnated into the same family Can reincarnate into multiple people at once Deceased ancestors are a part of society Between reincarnations Responsible for protecting the living members from disease and famine