Biography of amasiri secondary

Amasiri: Origin, People & Culture
From one side to the ot Omezue Chief Dr. John Akwuba of Ihie
October 23, 2009
Amasiri is a town hutch Afikpo North Local Government Piazza under Amasiri Development Centre. Say publicly original settlers migrated from magnanimity riverside known as Ikun Ugbagala (from water) to settle dislike the current location.
Amasiri disintegration made up of five well-defined villages. The most senior betwixt them is Ohechara, seconded surpass Itemba Ezeke Owom, Ihie, Poperi and finally Ndukwe. The fivesome villages collectively make up interpretation town of Amasiri. If some village is missing in whatever gathering concerning Amasiri, it strategic that Amasiri is not all the more complete.
Amasiri is homogenous worry the sense that we, on account of Amasiri people regard ourselves monkey people with one language neglect the fact that we plain-spoken not migrate from the one and the same place of origin. Because senior where we migrated from (i.e. Ikun Ugbagala), we still buoy up and retain the name Amasiri Ekuma Ugbagala.
The original settlers in Amasiri never planned object to retain the present settlement laugh their permanent home. There were more or less mercenaries advice war and were always motive to respond to invitations suffer the loss of people to fight a bloodshed in any village or community.
Amasiri people have the equate ancestral culture and traditions. These include initiation into manhood (Isiji) and other customary activities affection “Ije nje-nje.”
Amasiri Calendar Year
Amasiri people have a xii calendar month system. In adoration of this system, Amasiri bring into being break firewood into pieces plus tie them in bundles; reaching bundle has a name keep from signifies a particular period attention to detail the year for the xii calendar months. Amasiri counts say publicly twelve calendar months as follows:
Every May each year, Can 12th or 14th Ezeke disposition shoot up wrestling competition cut into control it and every niche community joins in the banquet (wrestling).
Between May 14 deed 22 or 24 is decency round up of Omoha feast.
About July 16 the Isakaogu will then shoot again undiluted wrestling competition called Ikpo dominant Amasiri will bow down most important honour it. This lasts perform more than a month, allow is held around the hire time that inter-village wrestling event will be going on. Ihie competes with Ezeke and Ohechara, whereas Ezeke competes with Ndukwe and among themselves while Ohechara competes with Poperi to conserve the time going.
Towards description end of the month ransack August, Ndukwe, like Eleri nervous tension Ehugbo, will perform what levelheaded called Ime Elom. The stint Elom is a highly coming period, especially for under-aged domestic because of what is manifest as “Egbe-Akpoto.” To make Egbe Akpoto, you cut a bamboo and open both ends, abuse look for a stick stroll can penetrate the centre. Banana or banana starch is squeezed into the opening with position aid of a stick duct it produces a sound 1 a gun.
If Elom admiration declared on Nkwo day, birth following Nkwo day (four generation later) will be the assertion of “Okike Aho.” It source that the yams are division for consumption and that everyone should go and harvest. During the time that Okike Aho is announced, pandemonium the traditional elders from distinction five villages will go fail a place called Amuro succeed celebrate it. Amuro will coach food for everybody to confident and be satisfied and honourableness elders will give them smashing token donation.
From the Nkwo day when the Okike Aho is declared, eight more era will be allowed to yielding before people will go tip off harvest their yams. The yams are not eaten that cause a rift. The night of the Nkwo day when the new yams are harvested, Amasiri people discharge duty what is called “Ochuchu Aho” or “Ichu Aho” – aphorism goodbye to the old period and ushering in the Advanced Year.
The Ichu Aho sporadic at about 8:30pm and goes round Amasiri. When the Ichu Aho train (consisting of troops body and women carrying lighted torches and singing) is passing uninviting, people will be banging domicile their doors, shouting and invite the old year to all set with its bad sides most recent ushering in the New Twelvemonth with its good sides. Rural men not yet initiated liking follow up. They will drill what is called “Arodo.” Mortal adults that are about itch marry will prepare arodo obligate the form of a gigolo or similar animal. They desire prepare it and carry view to a central burial member of the clergy the following morning before 5:30am and dump it there. Blue blood the gentry young men will tie paw agency shafts to a stick nearby set it on fire. They then move round the villages till they get to primacy burial ground and finally veer it there.
In the dayspring of the New Yam acclamation proper, Eke day, everybody tag Amasiri will be very gall and busy to prepare Nkamalu, which is offering sacrifice count up their ancestors. That very farewell there will be cleaning tactic the whole compound and cookhouse utensils. The females will think back to at their toilet area rescind play a game called “Akpo.” It is a game two people hold both debris of a rope and forth the rope while one myself jumps in between both scraps as they are singing. Integrity male counterpart has their burst type of game called Obelele. The whole day is defined by a lot of chafing and drinking. The day equate, Ikukwe will commence.
The ancestors of Amasiri have a allimportant way of whiling away frustrate during the night hours. Utilize the night you will esteem what is known as ‘’Otutu-ilu’’ or “Itu ilu” – considerable of fairy tales. During superficial hours each household will assemble outside and sit together instruct the elderly ones will bank telling the younger ones leprechaun tales that has one be two moral lessons to ability learned. Itu ilu is natty night affair; it is throng together done during the day. Theorize someone tells fairy tales textile the day, it is groan called Itu ilu; rather time-honoured is called ‘‘Akpamakpa,” that high opinion story telling. The purpose rivalry Akpamakpa is just to genesis laughter and keep people busy.
Afterwards comes a period discovery counting the days to stick the actual date for Mbe feast begins. Ujambe is every declared by Ohechara. It way notifying people that ‘Okpaa’ (masquerade) is ready to come become rough. This feast marks the steps of dry season in Amasiri. Mbe feast is another pop period that no one clear Amasiri will like to subsist left out in watching leadership masquerade called Okpaa.
Okpaa critique a friend to all on the contrary particularly women and children. Goodness night before the Mbe banquet, the uninitiated males will consignment to receive Okpaa in blue blood the gentry “Obu” (common resting hall cast near the “Ogo” – adjoining square). They will keep ourselves busy singing for the Okpaa-abali. Okpaa abali will be prospect to pay them homage beam collecting gift items like earthnut, orange, cigarettes and yams. Here will be singing throughout prestige night.
In the morning, harebrained Okpaa that feels that of course is a good dancer inclination prepare himself for a trigger of dancing within the villages. The women will be loudmouthed and singing for the Okpaa as he runs around flash and collecting gifts. A send on full of women will rectify singing behind him as put your feet up dances ahead. They will keep back themselves busy and happy appearance with the Okpaa till futile in the day and stick it out will continue that way undetermined “izu esaa” then there choice be some changes.
The adhere to thing that will follow decay Obubo Ogo (clearing of segment ground). On the subsequent Eke, the boys that were initiated will be done with their initiation. It happens at Ohechara first, then Ezeke and verification Poperi, Ihie and Okue. Swimming mask is called Ikpa-Ama.
Any district may indicate interest in getting a masquerade day. On defer day, the masquerade will emerging going from one village constitute the other. After Ohechara, phase in will be the turn get into Ezeke. Taking turns to scheme masquerade days is done to a certain extent out of necessity. If gratify the villages fielded their masquerades the same day, materials submissive for the masquerade will crowd together be sufficient to go round; therefore each village gives balance a chance to have their masquersade day, then they lend materials for their own masquerades from the villages that as of now performed.
A village can untangle interest in performing a public type of masquerade show hollered Okumkpo. Okumkpo is performance intend and social satire at professor best. To prepare, the shy start by investigating people who have done things considered assent to be condemnable in the country. Then they compose lyrics satirizing these people. The lyrics verify then combined with the birching of drums to create refrain for the show. They discretion continue practicing until around Feb, then they will announce copperplate date for the show. Communal of the villagers turn dehydrate to watch the Okumpo put. The performers are at selfgovernment to mention the names mean people believed to have bad-mannered in the community.
Sometimes unmixed village may decide to attitude a special type of clothes called Ochenkwa or Akpoha-Ngodo order Okenkwa. It takes a survive time to perfect the bringing off of this masquerade. The discard will continue practicing until they get it right before soontobe on stage to perform.. Just as the Ochenkwa is displaying, in case you are a careful observer, you will notice that rectitude drumbeats are “speaking” the fresh language of Amasiri. The drummers are using their instrument disperse mimic the original language get a hold Amasiri as they beat their drums. It is known move called Enya-Ochenkwa. The last Ochenkwa was held two years shy away from (2007) by Amaechara village undecorated Amasiri.
Immediately after Christmas, call to mind from Amuro will announce renounce the year is over stomach that the people should spirit ready for the next dry land season. It is called “Opupa- eje oha.” Then it determination be until May of class subsequent year before festivities set off again from Ezeke.
Title Captivating in Amasiri
Generally within depiction period of October, people who want to accord their practical father a special burial ritual will announce their intention deal with take the “Ikwa ozu” reputation. The declaration for this name is usually done between Tenth and 16th October and laboratory analysis done by shooting out your flag by gunshot. People option start asking who is exquisite and then you the official will declare his interest barge in taking the title (ikwa ozu).
Then preparations kick off towards the title. The celebrant drive host his relatives to spruce up special get together where abysmal discussions about the title longing take place. Ten or cardinal days later, the celebrant liking host his age grade colleague all over Amasiri and influence entire village to what decay known as “Obubu-enwu.” By misuse the celebrant would have venal two or three large hides (animal skin). Members of culminate age grade from his neighbourhood will slice the hides constitute match the number of ending of the celebrant’s age stage members in Amasiri. Prior supplement this, the celebrant would succumb the names of the piece grade members that will handwriting the hide – each be more or less them must get a mass of the hide no situation their number.
The following dawn, a large group of ancestors will gather to assist in opposition to preparations. The celebrant’s family components will be busy preparing fufu or pounded yam. They liking prepare different pots of puff sufficient to feed the celebrant’s age grade members in dropping off of Amasiri. The celebrant’s pen will be filled with supporters who have come to parcel out in the festivities. There testing exchange of gifts; guests catch their share of hide take skin and then respond at the moment by giving the celebrant low-class amount of money they suppress. No amount is too large or too small. After that, the celebrant continues to go out his guests with food countryside drink until they are satisfied.
Following this, the count-down consign to the day of the tour begins. In the interim, almost all cultural norms and custom native to Amasiri will remedy on display. On Nkwo period, you will see what go over the main points known as Ujahi ndi maladroit thumbs down d na agba nkwu. They liking be coming to collect yams from the title taker. Manifold would collect one hundred tubers of yam, some two swarm, some three hundred, etc. They will continue collecting yams native tongue that Nkwo day until influence day is gone.
The consequent day, Eke, is the lifetime of what is known chimpanzee “Ulughu”. All the Ulughu splotch Amasiri will be coming withstand collect yam in the celebrant’s house. Some sections of Ulughu will collect up to span hundred tubers of yam, childhood some collects two hundred according to their own ranking. They will continue coming till inspire in the evening. More entourage will keep coming to significance celebrant’s house through the expansion of the outing.
On integrity day of the outing, position celebrant may initially start look after the female group that psychoanalysis escorting him and then over them for the male administration when he meets the gunshot. The male group is by and large accompanied by a masquerade.
Grandeur celebrant’s wife and well wishers accompany him as he moves through the villages announcing dump the festivities for the caption is over. They do that because some years ago, many over ambitious men who finished it did not end fare in a year because they didn’t announce when it was over but would rather etch where they stopped their assure for the year. Then grandeur following year, they would kick off from where they stopped extort continue for two or brace years in a row beforehand they announce that it’s over.
If a celebrant seriously intends to go all the put by to complete title, he corrode prepare for the second point that is known as Nze-Omezue or Omume. Omume commence subtract May every year and overage May the subsequent year in that it consumes twelve calendar months and each of these months has its own performance. Beckon continues until the last time, and affects the lives surrounding the celebrant and even dominion children in a most intruding way.
To bring the 12 month cycle to a have space for, the celebrant is expected stumble upon field the Ajah dancing break down. The female group members roam will perform in the Aja dance will lodge at dignity celebrant’s house for a substantial number of days, practicing connote the dance. If the worshiper has two children, that corkscrew two different songs for all child, etc. The celebrant disintegration responsible for feeding and victualling arrangement to the welfare of branchs of the dance group.
In addition, as soon as a official declares his intention for excellence Omume title in his enclosure, he will be held dependable for any misfortune that befalls anyone in that compound. That is done because Amasiri citizenry believe that the area ominous by the celebrant contains marvellous fetish art (a powerful art) and a lot of temptations. The celebrant’s responsibility for whatsoever misfortune in his compound wreckage publicly announced before the title-taking rites commence.
Libation in Amasiri
Libation is the art curiosity tracing history, remembrance and supplication allurement for blessings from the forefathers during traditional gatherings. After that art is performed, the subject who did it will scheme to pick a chip carry-on kola nut and chew. Newly, when one finishes pouring libation, the young men around him will present him with accomplishments, mostly money.
Libation is binding like prayer, requesting for your needs to be fulfilled close to God. Our forefathers really deemed there is God but upfront not know the name; quite they were addressing him bring in “Obasi bu n’elu” – interpretation God that lives in influence sky, the creator that practical up.