Major Cultural Practices of the Igbo People of Nigeria (720p_30fps_H264-128kbit_AAC)

Hello, welcome to BuyGreatTV. If you're new here, please subscribe and turn on the notification button so you don't miss our next video. This is about major cultural practices of the Igbo people of Nigeria. The Igbo constitutes one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. They occupy the southeastern part of the country and are one of the most densely populated ethnic groups in Africa, having over 32 million people, about 20% of Nigeria's population. The Igbo people are mainly natives of five states in Nigeria, which are Abia, Anambra, Eboni, Enugu and Imo states. However, there are Igbo people in every part of Nigeria, especially in Delta, Cross River, Rivers, Akwaebom, Lagos and Abuja or every part of the world, we should say. Right from the days of the slave trade to this time, the Igbo people have spread all over the world, making them one of the most dispersed ethnic groups in Nigeria. The Igbo people are mostly traders, craftspeople and farmers. In this video, we want to take a look at some of the major cultural practices of the Igbo people. Let's go. The New Yam Festival The New Yam Festival, also called Iwaji and Irijohuru, is a well-cherished cultural feast celebrated by the Igbo people. Each agricultural community has its days for this celebration. It's a feast for the celebration of the cultivation season. It's a time for thanksgiving and prayers for renewed life. Spiritual sacrifices are also made during this period but that is generally fading away because of Christianity. A significant aspect of the New Yam Festival is the preparation of children to partake in the eating and celebration of the new yam. This is not as ordinary as it sounds. There's a belief among the Igbos that to take in a new thing into the body, it's important to first cleanse the body. They believe that before the new yam is eating, there have to be some dedication and purification. Children are told of the importance of yam, its implication and the essence of productivity. After this, prayers are said, among other practices. The cutting and eating of the first yam are performed by the king, called the Izi, or the oldest man in the community. This is because the Igbos believe that the older members of the community should mediate between the ancestors and the gods of the land. The New Yam Festival is celebrated for dance, fashion display, masquerade jamboree, and many other core forms of entertainment that are indigenous to the Igbo people. No one is ever hungry during the New Yam Festival because there is always lots of yam to eat and palm wine to drink. Omugwo Omugwo is a traditional Igbo custom for postpartum care. The mother of either of the spouses cares for her daughter or her daughter-in-law and puts her through child care, especially for the first grandchild. Omugwo is necessary for the new mother to rest well so she can regain her strength. The practice of Omugwo is undeniably important, but nowadays, it's not unusual to find some disagreements between the new mother and either of the grandmothers because of conflicting ideas as a result of generational differences and changes in the medical practice. At the end of Omugwo, the visiting grandmother returns to her house with loads of gifts presented to her by the couple as an expression of gratitude. The common Omugwo gifts are fabrics, food items, and money. Umamu Umamu is a name for a traditional Igbo masquerade. It's believed to embody both the spirit in the human world and how they coexist. There are Igbo masquerade festivals held at different times during the year in different parts of Igbo land. Also, masquerade displays are done at various festivals and occasions such as the Nyuyam festival, weddings, funerals, and other social functions. The masquerade festival is usually an interesting one to watch. There are traditional rites, cultural dances, together with eating and drinking. The costumes worn by the masquerades are made of rough fabrics, straws, and wood. People who wear masquerade costumes, usually men, must belong to certain cults and go through some initiation stages. Besides the visible masquerades which everyone sees during the day, there are invincible masquerades that operate at night and they are only heard, not seen. There are three groups of the invincible masquerades. Achiquocha, Achiquoji, and Ogbagu. Achiquocha or white masquerades protect the people. They sing, dance, and do other forms of entertainment. Achiquoji or black masquerades also protect, however, they also appear during executions and punishments. Ogbagu only entertains. It's usually in a group that makes loud cacophonous noises with various musical instruments. Did you know? From other practices peculiar to the Igbo people. The Osukas system identifies an Osu as one who is dedicated to an idol along with a generation. Hence, such people are exempted from the activities which the freeborn do and cannot mix freely with the freeborn. Any freeborn who marries an Osu also becomes one. Ngaboy or a mill servant serves a master in return for some financial settlement. The service could be in an automobile spare parts shop, an electronics shop, a supermarket, or any other form of trade. During this period, the Ngaboy learns the business thoroughly from his master. Marriage rites of the Igbo people can be quite expensive. So, should you want to marry an Igbo damsel? Neme, this is for the men. What if we missed out in these cultural practices? Let us know in the comment section below. Will it be so ridiculous to subscribe to our channel? If no, please like the video, share and subscribe.