Odinani, also known as Odinala, Omenala, Odinana, and Omenana, is the traditional cultural belief and practice of the Igbo people of south east Nigeria. These terms, as used here in the Igbo language, are synonymous with the traditional Igbo "religious system" which was not considered separate from the social norms of ancient or traditional Igbo societies. Theocratic in nature, spirituality played a huge role in their everyday lives. Although it has largely been syncretised with Catholicism, the indigenous belief system remains in strong effect among the rural, village and diaspora populations of the Igbo. Odinani can be found in Haitian Voodoo, Obeah, Santeria and even Candomblé. Odinani is a pantheistic and polytheistic faith, having a strong central deity at its head. All things spring from this deity. Although a pantheon of other gods and spirits, these being Ala, Amadiọha, Anyanwụ, Ekwensu, Ikenga, exists in the belief system, as it does in many other Traditional African religions, the lesser deities prevalent in Odinani serve as helpers or elements of Chukwu, the central deity.
A mother goddess is a major goddess characterized as a mother or progenitor, either as an embodiment of motherhood and fertility or fulfilling the cosmological role of a creator- and/or destroyer-figure, typically associated the Earth, sky, and/or the life-giving bounties thereof in a maternal relation with humanity or other gods. When equated in this lattermost function with the earth or the natural world, such goddesses are sometimes referred to as the Mother Earth or Earth Mother, deity in various animistic or pantheistic religions. The earth goddess is archetypally the wife or feminine counterpart of the Sky Father or Father Heaven, particularly in theologies derived from the Proto-Indo-European sphere. In some polytheistic cultures, such as the Ancient Egyptian religion which narrates the cosmic egg myth, the sky is instead seen as the Heavenly Mother or Sky Mother as in Nut and Hathor, and the earth god is regarded as the male, paternal, and terrestrial partner, as in Osiris or Geb who hatched out of the maternal cosmic egg.
Ala, ALA, Alaa or Alae may refer to:
Chukwu is the supreme being of Igbo spirituality. In the Igbo pantheon, Chukwu is the source of all other Igbo deities and is responsible for assigning them their different tasks. The Igbo people believe that all things come from Chukwu (Chiukwu), who brings the rain necessary for plants to grow and controls everything on Earth and the spiritual world. They believe Chukwu to be an undefinable omnipotent and omnipresent supreme deity that encompasses everything in space and space itself.
Ekwensu is a trickster of the Igbo people, a trickster spirit of confusion, that serves as the Alusi (god) of bargains and the tortoise. Crafty at trade and negotiations. He is often invoked for guidance in difficult mercantile situations. He is perceived as a spirit of violence that incites people to perform violent acts. His companion was Ogbunabali.
Ani is a ruined Armenian medieval city in Turkey.
The Kingdom of Nri was a medieval polity located in what is now Nigeria. The kingdom existed as a sphere of religious and political influence over a significant part of what is known today as Igboland prior to expansion, and was administered by a priest-king called an Eze Nri. The Eze Nri managed trade and diplomacy on behalf of the Nri people, a subgroup of the Igbo-speaking people, and possessed divine authority in religious matters.
Asase Ya/Afua is the Akan goddess of fertility, love, procreation, peace, truth and the dry and lush earth in Ghana and Ivory Coast. She is also Mother of the Dead known as Mother Earth or Aberewaa.
Agwu Nsi is the Arusi of divination.The earth is inhabited by Agwu, a spiritual entity that goes beyond a mere force. Agwu possesses intellectual and volitive faculties, exerting significant influence on human affairs. Revered as the patron spirit of the dibia (diviner-healer) and the source of inspiration for exceptionally talented individuals, Agwu is closely associated with humanity's pursuit of fulfillment in society. It is believed that Agwu plays a role in enforcing various determinations, with the sick attributing their fate to him, creatively gifted individuals crediting his benevolent influence, and dibia being believed to be possessed by him. This page explores the nature of Agwu's possession, considering it as the culmination of his impact on human beings and examining its manifestation in individuals' experiences. Despite the transformative effects of modernization, Agwu's influence persists.Agwu is also known by other names such as Agwuisi and Agwunsi. While the popularity of these names may vary across different communities, there are no significant etymological differences among them. The simpler form, Agwu, encapsulates the complete essence of the concept. The suffixes isi and nsi, denoting head/first and poison respectively, serve as onomatopoeic expressions representing specific orders of relationships, characteristics, and effects associated with the spirit.Agwu is perceived as embodying tendencies that exhibit drastic moral opposites, often described in dialectical terms such as aka nri agwu (good/positive) and aka agwu (negative); ikenga agwu (support) and uruala agwu (subversion). Unlike other spiritual entities, Agwu is not characterized by a fixed inclination towards aiding or punishing, good or evil. Similar to spirits, Agwu has the capacity to both aid and punish. However, unlike them, he does not exhibit a consistent inclination in either direction.
Arusi are spirits that are worshipped and served in the Igbo religion. There are many different kinds of Arusi and each has its own purpose and function.
Igbo culture are the customs, practices and traditions of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It consists of ancient practices as well as new concepts added into the Igbo culture either by cultural evolution or by outside influence. These customs and traditions include the Igbo people's visual art, music and dance forms, as well as their attire, cuisine and language dialects. Because of their various subgroups, the variety of their culture is heightened further.
The Igbo calendar is the traditional calendar system of the Igbo people from present-day Nigeria. The calendar has 13 months in a year (Afo), 7 weeks in a month (Onwa), and 4 days of Igbo market days in a week (Izu) plus an extra day at the end of the year, in the last month. The name of these months was reported by Onwuejeogwu (1981).
Amadioha is the Arusi or Agbara of thunder and lightning of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. He is amongst the most popular of Igbo deities and in some parts of Igboland, he is referred to as Amadiora, Kamalu, Kamanu, or Ofufe. Astrologically, his governing planet is the Sun. His color is red, and his symbol is a white ram. Metaphysically, Amadioha represents the collective will of the people. He is often associated with Anyanwu, who is the Igbo god of the Sun. While Anyanwu is more prominent in northern Igboland, Amadioha is more prominent in the southern part. His day is Eke, which is the first market day of the Igbo four-day week.
Akan religion comprises the traditional beliefs and religious practices of the Akan people of Ghana and eastern Ivory Coast. Akan religion is referred to as Akom. Although most Akan people have identified as Christians since the early 20th century, Akan religion remains practiced by some and is often syncretized with Christianity. The Akan have many subgroups, so the religion varies greatly by region and subgroup. Similar to other traditional religions of West and Central Africa such as West African Vodun, Yoruba religion, or Odinani, Akan cosmology consists of a senior god who generally does not interact with humans and many gods who assist humans.
Mbari is a visual art form practiced by the Igbo people in southeast Nigeria consisting of a sacred two- story house constructed as a propitiatory rite. Mbari houses of the Owerri-Igbo, which are large opened-sided square planned shelters contain many life-sized, painted figures. Mbari houses are made as a gift to Ala, as a way to acknowledge Ala's charitable and overarching presence. Some Mbari houses are dedicated strictly and solely to Ala. Sometimes, however, other gods are represented along with Ala in the structure. Other sculptures which could be included are of officials, craftsmen, foreigners, animals, legendary creatures and ancestors. Mbari houses take years to build and building them is regarded as sacred. Along with being representations of abundances and harmony, they are most usually created during times of peace and stability. A ceremony is performed within the structure for a gathering of town leaders. After the ritual is complete, going in or even looking at the Mbari house is considered taboo. Mbari are public shrine galleries where complex characters of Igbo mythology, folklore, and society are fleshed out in termite earth.
The Osu caste system is a traditional practice in Igboland, characterized by social segregation and restrictions on interaction and marriage with a group of individuals known as Osu. The Osu individuals historically were marginalized by the Igbo deities (Alusi), and as a result, they are often perceived as inferior and segregated from the Nwadiala or diala class.
Ezema is one of four sub-communities that made up Nru Nsukka town in Nsukka Local Government Area, Nigeria. It is adjacent to the three other sub-communities in Nru Nsukka: Edem Nru, Umuoyo Nru and Iheagu. It also shares common boundaries with Various communities such as Umuoyo, Iheagu, Agbamere/Amike and Umabor both in Eha Alumona.
Igbo Architecture are architectural styles developed by the Igbo people. Igbo architecture particularly in the pre-colonial era, was deeply rooted in the culture, environment, and available local resources. While there might be variations based on different communities and regions within the Igbo territory, here are some detailed characteristics of traditional or pre-colonial Igbo architecture.
