Igbo Culture: Religion, Customs, and Traditions
Cosmology and Religion in Igbo Culture
Religion was a vital part of Igbo life, influencing all aspects of their society. They believed that each person had a “Chi,” a concept similar to a soul, destiny, or guardian angel, depending on the context. Religious customs included invoking spirits during reunions, rituals, and festivals. At the top of the pantheon was “Chukwu,” the creator of the universe and omnipresent being.
A discussion between the missionary Mr. Brown and Akunna highlights the comparison of their religions, though Mr. Brown initially focuses on the differences. Importantly, they learn from each other, even without converting one another. The Igbo society also believed that gods and oracles were sons of Chukwu. The gods of nature, such as Ani (earth god), Amadiora (war god), and Idemili, were particularly important because the Igbo people depended on the land. Misfortunes were often attributed to offenses against these gods.
The killing of Ikemefuna, as commanded by the oracle, demonstrates the seriousness with which the Igbo people regarded the gods and oracles: “Umuofia has decided to kill him. The oracle of the Hills and the Caves has pronounced.” Similarly, twins were sometimes abandoned in the forest because the oracle considered their birth an abomination: “What crime had they committed? The Earth had decreed that they were an offense on the land and must be destroyed.”
Ancestors, the spirits of deceased elders, were also highly revered in Igbo culture. The Igbo believed in reincarnation and honored their ancestors by offering palm wine and kola before meals and reunions: “The kola was eaten and drinking of the palm-wine began.”
Igbo Costumes and Traditions: Marriage and Yam Festival
Achebe describes the marriage of Obierika’s daughter, Akueke. After drinking palm wine, the bride-price (the amount the groom’s family gives to the bride’s family) is discussed. The next step is the “uri,” where the groom brings palm oil for the entire group. After counting the pots, the groom, bride, and their relatives sit in a half-circle, and the ceremony begins with the breaking of a kola nut. The celebration continues until the bride is taken to the groom’s house, where she stays for seven weeks.
Brides had a specific decorative look for the wedding, painted with uli and sporting a special haircut: “She wore a coiffure which was done up into a crest in the middle of the head. Cam wood was rubbed lightly into her skin, and all over her body were black patterns drawn with uli. She wore a black necklace which hung down in three coils just above her full, succulent breasts. On her arms were red and yellow bangles, and on her waist four or five rows of jigida.”
Achebe also describes the Feast of the New Yam, which represents the cycle of work. The Igbo celebrate the first yam crop and give thanks to the god Ani: “The Feast of the New Yam … was an occasion for giving thanks to Ani, the earth goddess and the source of all fertility.” The yam also symbolizes the energy and resilience of the Igbo people and is an indicator of wealth.