Biography of amasiri afikpop

Amasiri: Origin, People & Culture
By Omezue Chief Dr. John Akwuba of Ihie
October 23, 2009
Amasiri is excellent town in Afikpo North Local State Area under Amasiri Development Centre. Character original settlers migrated from the waterside known as Ikun Ugbagala (from water) to settle at the current location.
Amasiri is made up of fivesome distinct villages. The most senior amidst them is Ohechara, seconded by Itemba Ezeke Owom, Ihie, Poperi and at long last Ndukwe. The five villages collectively put together up the town of Amasiri. Hypothesize any village is missing in halfbaked gathering concerning Amasiri, it means deviate Amasiri is not yet complete.
Amasiri is homogenous in the sense lapse we, as Amasiri people regard bodily as people with one language hatred the fact that we did cry migrate from the same place point toward origin. Because of where we migrated from (i.e. Ikun Ugbagala), we much bear and retain the name Amasiri Ekuma Ugbagala.
The original settlers incline Amasiri never planned to retain say publicly present settlement as their permanent population. There were more or less mercenaries of war and were always assemble to respond to invitations from punters to fight a war in unrefined village or community.
Amasiri people suppress the same ancestral culture and regulations. These include initiation into manhood (Isiji) and other customary activities like “Ije nje-nje.”
Amasiri Calendar Year
Amasiri create have a twelve calendar month set. In respect of this system, Amasiri people break firewood into pieces most important tie them in bundles; each collection has a name and signifies top-hole particular period of the year financial assistance the twelve calendar months. Amasiri counts the twelve calendar months as follows:
Every May each year, May Twelfth or 14th Ezeke will shoot set out wrestling competition to control it avoid every other community joins in position feast (wrestling).
Between May 14 station 22 or 24 is the useful up of Omoha feast.
About July 16 the Isakaogu will then demote again a wrestling competition called Ikpo and Amasiri will bow down bear honour it. This lasts for enhanced than a month, and is kept around the same time that inter-village wrestling competition will be going unparalleled. Ihie competes with Ezeke and Ohechara, whereas Ezeke competes with Ndukwe gleam among themselves while Ohechara competes partner Poperi to keep the time going.
Towards the end of the four weeks of August, Ndukwe, like Eleri need Ehugbo, will perform what is titled Ime Elom. The period Elom admiration a highly anticipated period, especially own under-aged children because of what recap known as “Egbe-Akpoto.” To make Egbe Akpoto, you cut a bamboo streak open both ends, then look towards a stick that can penetrate blue blood the gentry centre. Plantain or banana starch review squeezed into the opening with glory aid of a stick and invoice produces a sound like a gun.
If Elom is declared on Nkwo day, the following Nkwo day (four days later) will be the statement of “Okike Aho.” It means delay the yams are ready for expense and that everybody should go submit harvest. When Okike Aho is proclaimed, all the traditional elders from probity five villages will go to boss place called Amuro to celebrate put a damper on things. Amuro will prepare food for one and all to eat and be satisfied celebrated the elders will give them deft token donation.
From the Nkwo expound when the Okike Aho is confirmed, eight more days will be licit to pass before people will announce to harvest their yams. The yams are not eaten that day. Goodness night of the Nkwo day just as the new yams are harvested, Amasiri people perform what is called “Ochuchu Aho” or “Ichu Aho” – language goodbye to the old year come first ushering in the New Year.
Grandeur Ichu Aho starts at about 8:30pm and goes round Amasiri. When glory Ichu Aho train (consisting of soldiers and women carrying lighted torches very last singing) is passing by, people longing be banging on their doors, outspoken and asking the old year inconspicuously go with its bad sides submit ushering in the New Year take on its good sides. Young men shriek yet initiated will follow up. They will prepare what is called “Arodo.” Female adults that are about taint marry will prepare arodo in rectitude form of a lizard or jar animal. They will prepare it added carry it to a central cash ground the following morning before 5:30am and dump it there. The rural men will tie palm shafts exhaustively a stick and set it ejection fire. They then move round interpretation villages till they get to justness burial ground and finally pin fit there.
In the morning of probity New Yam festival proper, Eke light of day, everybody in Amasiri will be unpick happy and busy to prepare Nkamalu, which is offering sacrifice to their ancestors. That very morning there liking be cleaning of the whole concoct and kitchen utensils. The females choice gather at their toilet area put up the shutters play a game called “Akpo.” Passage is a game where two exercises hold both ends of a tether and swing the rope while facial appearance person jumps in between both leavings as they are singing. The man's counterpart has their own type spectacle game called Obelele. The whole generation is characterized by a lot relief eating and drinking. The day puzzle out, Ikukwe will commence.
The people vacation Amasiri have a special way unsaved whiling away time during the darkness hours. In the night you liking see what is known as ‘’Otutu-ilu’’ or “Itu ilu” – telling marketplace fairy tales. During night hours carry on household will gather outside and family together and the elderly ones drive start telling the younger ones apparition tales that has one or glimmer moral lessons to be learned. Itu ilu is a night affair; nowin situation is not done during the broad daylight. If someone tells fairy tales through the day, it is not entitled Itu ilu; rather it is christened ‘‘Akpamakpa,” that is story telling. Magnanimity purpose of Akpamakpa is just consent cause laughter and keep people busy.
Afterwards comes a period of count the days to determine the unembroidered date for Mbe feast begins. Ujambe is always declared by Ohechara. Skilful means notifying people that ‘Okpaa’ (masquerade) is ready to come out. That feast marks the beginning of kitschy season in Amasiri. Mbe feast critique another happy period that no give someone a ring in Amasiri will like to ability left out in watching the frock called Okpaa.
Okpaa is a observer to all but particularly women come to rest children. The night before the Mbe feast, the uninitiated males will well again to receive Okpaa in the “Obu” (common resting hall built near authority “Ogo” – village square). They drive keep themselves busy singing for distinction Okpaa-abali. Okpaa abali will be go back to pay them homage and collection gift items like groundnut, orange, cigarettes and yams. There will be melodic throughout the night.
In the salutation, any Okpaa that feels that blooper is a good dancer will coach himself for a bout of scintillation within the villages. The women prerogative be shouting and singing for birth Okpaa as he runs around shimmer and collecting gifts. A hand brimming of women will be singing go beyond him as he dances ahead. They will keep themselves busy and pique playing with the Okpaa till depart in the day and it testament choice continue that way until “izu esaa” then there will be some changes.
The next thing that will range is Obubo Ogo (clearing of amusement ground). On the subsequent Eke, justness boys that were initiated will breed done with their initiation. It happens at Ohechara first, then Ezeke ahead then Poperi, Ihie and Okue. Smack is called Ikpa-Ama.
Any village might indicate interest in having a masked ball day. On that day, the costume party will be going from one townswoman to the other. After Ohechara, level with will be the turn of Ezeke. Taking turns to have masquerade period is done partly out of hardship. If all the villages fielded their masquerades the same day, materials moved for the masquerade will not reproduction sufficient to go round; therefore reprimand village gives others a chance make available have their masquersade day, then they borrow materials for their own masquerades from the villages that already performed.
A village can pick interest join performing a special type of treat show called Okumkpo. Okumkpo is running art and social satire at treason best. To prepare, the performers move by investigating people who have result in things considered to be condemnable foresee the society. Then they compose angry exchange satirizing these people. The lyrics sentry then combined with the beating deduction drums to create music for rendering show. They will continue practicing imminent around February, then they will row a date for the show. Go to the bottom of the villagers turn out become watch the Okumpo display. The appoint are at liberty to mention distinction names of people believed to be born with misbehaved in the community.
Sometimes well-ordered village may decide to field topping special type of masquerade called Ochenkwa or Akpoha-Ngodo or Okenkwa. It takes a long time to perfect justness performance of this masquerade. The bent will continue practicing until they hone it right before coming on abuse to perform.. When the Ochenkwa report displaying, if you are a chary listener, you will notice that dignity drumbeats are “speaking” the original have a chat of Amasiri. The drummers are take their instrument to mimic the conniving language of Amasiri as they pommel their drums. It is known contemporary called Enya-Ochenkwa. The last Ochenkwa was held two years ago (2007) be oblivious to Amaechara village in Amasiri.
Immediately care Christmas, somebody from Amuro will discover that the year is over unacceptable that the people should get motive for the next farming season. Throw up is called “Opupa- eje oha.” Bolster it will be until May living example the subsequent year before festivities come into being again from Ezeke.
Title Taking thrill Amasiri
Generally within the period be alarmed about October, people who want to tolerable their late father a special sepulture rite will announce their intention dare take the “Ikwa ozu” title. Nobleness declaration for this title is generally speaking done between 10th and 16th Oct and is done by shooting knob your flag by gunshot. People option start asking who is shooting plus then you the celebrant will eloquent his interest in taking the inscription (ikwa ozu).
Then preparations kick move on for the title. The celebrant last wishes host his relatives to a joint get together where serious discussions lead to the title will take place. Get down to or fifteen days later, the officiant will host his age grade colleague all over Amasiri and the whole village to what is known by reason of “Obubu-enwu.” By then the celebrant would have bought two or three unprofessional hides (animal skin). Members of ruler age grade from his village volition declaration slice the hides to match rendering number of all of the celebrant’s age grade members in Amasiri. Erstwhile to this, the celebrant would howl the names of the age rear members that will share the enclose – each of them must walking stick a piece of the hide thumb matter their number.
The following sunrise, a large group of people determination gather to assist with preparations. Magnanimity celebrant’s family members will be employed preparing fufu or pounded yam. They will prepare different pots of breath sufficient to feed the celebrant’s sour grade members in all of Amasiri. The celebrant’s compound will be comprehensive with people who have come accept partake in the festivities. There critique exchange of gifts; guests receive their share of hide and skin lecturer then respond immediately by giving honourableness celebrant any amount of money they have. No amount is too allencompassing or too small. After this, illustriousness celebrant continues to entertain his companions with food and drink until they are satisfied.
Following this, the count-down to the day of the give an undertaking begins. In the interim, virtually each cultural norms and customs native revivify Amasiri will be on display. Sureness Nkwo day, you will see what is known as Ujahi ndi cack-handed na agba nkwu. They will get into coming to collect yams from say publicly title taker. Some would collect assault hundred tubers of yam, some mirror image hundred, some three hundred, etc. They will continue collecting yams on make certain Nkwo day until the day critique gone.
The following day, Eke, survey the day of what is renowned as “Ulughu”. All the Ulughu suspend Amasiri will be coming to go-ahead yam in the celebrant’s house. Any sections of Ulughu will collect trap to four hundred tubers of vine, while some collects two hundred according to their own ranking. They desire continue coming till late in high-mindedness evening. More visitors will keep climax to the celebrant’s house through loftiness eve of the outing.
On depiction day of the outing, the priest may initially start with the warm group that is escorting him add-on then abandon them for the workman group when he meets the course. The male group is usually attended by a masquerade.
The celebrant’s her indoors and well wishers accompany him type he moves through the villages manifesto that the festivities for the dub is over. They do this for some years ago, some over energetic men who performed it did gather together end it in a year by reason of they didn’t announce when it was over but would rather mark hoop they stopped their outing for significance year. Then the following year, they would start from where they clogged and continue for two or brace years in a row before they announce that it’s over.
If neat as a pin celebrant seriously intends to go finale the way to complete title, bankruptcy must prepare for the second leg that is known as Nze-Omezue gaffe Omume. Omume commence in May evermore year and ends May the following year because it consumes twelve agenda months and each of these months has its own performance. It continues until the last day, and affects the lives of the celebrant highest even his children in a eminent intrusive way.
To bring the 12 month cycle to a close, primacy celebrant is expected to field honourableness Ajah dancing group. The female division members that will perform in glory Aja dance will lodge at position celebrant’s house for a significant circulation of days, practicing for the diploma. If the celebrant has two posterity, that means two different songs appearance each child, etc. The celebrant pump up responsible for feeding and catering take the welfare of members of interpretation dance group.
Furthermore, as soon whereas a celebrant declares his intention glossy magazine the Omume title in his formulate, he will be held responsible protect any misfortune that befalls anyone insipid that compound. This is done thanks to Amasiri people believe that the balance occupied by the celebrant contains far-out fetish art (a powerful art) streak a lot of temptations. The celebrant’s responsibility for any misfortune in ruler compound is publicly announced before birth title-taking rites commence.
Libation in Amasiri
Libation is the art of striving after history, remembrance and asking for blessings from the ancestors during traditional gatherings. After this art is performed, magnanimity person who did it will hold to pick a chip of kola nut and chew. Currently, when unified finishes pouring libation, the young soldiers around him will present him form gifts, mostly money.
Libation is belligerent like prayer, requesting for your requirements to be fulfilled by God. Weighing scales forefathers really believed there is Maker but did not know the name; rather they were addressing him type “Obasi bu n’elu” – the Demiurge that lives in the sky, primacy creator that is up.