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Ibo Texts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2012

Extract

Mba de icɛ icɛ na ala Igbo nwɛrɛ ɛmumɛ-ihɛ ha na-ɛmɛ na arɔ na arɔ de ka omɛ-na-ala ha si de. Na ala Owɛrɛ, otu ɛmumɛ-ihɛ de nkɛ ana-akpɔ Oru Owɛrɛ, ana-ɛmɛ na arɔ na arɔ mgbɛ iri ji ɔhɵrɵ fɔdɵrɵ ihɛ de ka otu ɔnwa. Ɔ bɵ ɛmumɛ-ihɛ nkɛ mɛrɛ ka ndi Owɛrɛ mɛfuɛ ɔtɵtɵ ɛgo na ogɛ ociɛ ma ɔ bɵgh kwa otu ahɵ ugbua na ihi na ɔtɵtɵ ndi Owɛrɛ aghɔɔla ndi Church wɛɛ rapɵ ya.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 7 , Issue 4 , October 1934 , pp. 452 - 463
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1934

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References

page 452 note 1 ndi ⊃ha. This is the name of various elderly members of the Owerri community who are chosen to act as a body in running the affairs of the town. The name probably comes from the root ha, arrange.

page 452 note 2 Ci. This word now has many meanings. Here it refers to the guardian spirit which every Ibo possesses and which looks after his welfare. A small shrine of living twigs is set up where the spirit may come for refreshment.

page 459 note 1 In market towns the market is held every fourth day, big and small markets alternating. Thus the Ibo can speak of an ‘izu uku’, ‘big week’ of eight days, although strictly there are only four days in the week. The difficulty is surmounted by using ‘uku', ‘big’, after the name of the day for those days on which the markets are big ones.

page 460 note 1 The other grandparents are apparently allowed to suggest names purely as a matter of courtesy.