What areas of Igboland answer the title 'Mazi'? As far as I know, it's mostly answered by groups in Abia and Imo.

I was told that 'Ada Mazi', 'Nwa Mazi' and 'Nnye Mazi' are exclusively Aro titles, and I have yet to have any reason to doubt since all the people that I have met with those titles are of Aro descent. I'm interested in knowing if there are any other people(s) that bear such titles, along with that of Mazi.

I know one Mazi in nairaland

Mazi_Omenuko: I know one Mazi in nairaland

Mazi, are you an Aro?

Ikwerres use Mazi as well while the Ngwas greeting for an elder is "mazi"

Abagworo: Ikwerres use Mazi as well.

Ikwerres are in the southern Igbo axis. I think the term "Southern Igbo" should be used instead of Abia/Imo. I think Mazi is also used in the Afikpo axis.

odumchi:

Mazi, are you an Aro?

Nope, but I'm Abian, and I believe (I might be wrong) that the term mazi is predominant among the igbos of Abia/imo. It can be used as a synonym for 'elder'; just like the Anambra/Enugu uses Nze and ozor.

Like someone pointed out, the Ngwa people uses mazi as a form of greeting to an elderly person.

I don't know if there's an official title called 'mazi' but I know the term is used loosely to indicate 'elder'.

Based off what I've been able to discern from questions and research, the expression "mazi" is in all respects an Aro title. Its origins are in Arochukwu, and from there it culturally diffused to other communities by way of Aro's oracular trade network. My knowledge of Arochukwu is limited, so Odumchi will have to correct me where I may be wrong. But from all indications, "mazi" is not a title in the same way that Nze and Ozo may be. I have yet to know of any instance in which a ceremony exists to institute someone as a "mazi". I also do not see a reason to associate Aro's "mazi" title synonymously with "elders", since it seems just as applicable to sons, daughters and wives as it does to men (Odumchi, correct me if I may be wrong).

Now, by its usage, I would say that Aro's "mazi" title (and its derivatives) serve a somewhat similar cultural purpose as "sir", "madame", "mister", "miss", "misses", etc. in Western culture. So far, the diffused "mazi" title seems to have remained relatively in tact, with the exception that the "mazi" derivatives (nwa mazi, etc.) don't seem to be present in the communities that the title diffused to.

The "mazi" title is mostly limited to northern Abia and a portion of Imo; not as prevalent in southern Abia. However, there exists an expression ["maazi"] that was traditionally used as a greeting by some communities in the former Obioma Ngwa LGA. It is only in the last 30 or 40 years that the greeting has diffused to other Ngwa communities. The diffusion of the "mazi" title into Ikwere likely resulted from Isiokpo and its Aro affiliation.

"Mazi" has since been adopted into the developing Izugbe/Standard Igbo. I read a document somewhere online where Uwandiigbo (the most active Igbo studies organization I've so far seen) moved to officially adopt "Mazi" into Izugbe as "Mr." In answering Odumchi's original question though, "mazi" seems to occur mainly among eastern Igbo and [to some degree] southern Igbo culture groups.

Mazi is minster just as Hausas use malam as minster. All the Igbo novels have always used Mazi as minster.

Thank you all for your replies. I was confused because, although I was told that "mazi" was exclusively Aro, I've come across several cases in which non-Aro (like Mazi_Omenuko) bear it, in addition to seeing it in Igbo literature.

Anyway, "mazi" is not a title of the same caliber as Nze or Ozo, because (like Chinenye mentioned) there isn't a ceremony accompanied with it and it doesn't signify achievement or accomplishment (we don't even take titles in Aro). In the same vein, it isn't limited to elders. In Aro society, "mazi" is simply a title that is used to politely identify any man whose father is no longer alive. If such a man's father were alive, he would be identified as "nwa mazi" while his father would bear "mazi". For women, the title "ada mazi" exists and is born by all women, irregardless of whether or not the father is alive.

Another thing that I've noticed is that the Aro are the only Igbo people that I know of that refer to their king as "mazi".

To my knowledge "Mazi" is a southern Igbo thing and it can not be equated to the "Nze" title from Nze n' Ozo,which has its origin in the Nothern Igbo. However,the northen Igbo has an equivalent title of "Mazi",which is "Ogbuefi" but its fast going extinct. Ogbuefi is used mostly for the elderly,married or the affluent.

Another equivalent of "mazi" that comes to mind would be "deede" or "dee".

odumchi: Another equivalent of "mazi" that comes to mind would be "deede" or "dee".

I believe "deede" or "dee" is the only true equivalent to Aro's "mazi" in terms of usage.

Like I said,the northern Igbo has two titles that is used to address men,especially,the elderly and married and men with Nze n' Ozo title and they are "Nze",which is used for men with title and "Ogbuefi/Ogbueshi" for the rest. For the women it is "Iyom" but one must have the noble "Odu" chieftaincy to be addressed as such.

Mazi 2face*in yaw's voice*

Mazi UDE Biko bia wa ogi

But it is all use to address elderly Men in my place(Delta State) mostly Aniocha and Ika people.

odumchi: Another equivalent of "mazi" that comes to mind would be "deede" or "dee".

Imbise man. dee chrii. dee christian.

All igbos use mazi,anambra,imo,enugu,abia,ebonyi,and south south part like rivers and delta igbo

ChinenyeN:
I believe "deede" or "dee" is the only true equivalent to Aro's "mazi" in terms of usage.

Mazi is nothing close to dee or deede, Mazi means Mr and dee means an elder man. Mazi is a general Igbo language not particularly meant for some part of Igbo

odumchi: I was told that 'Ada Mazi', 'Nwa Mazi' and 'Nnye Mazi' are exclusively Aro titles, and I have yet to have any reason to doubt since all the people that I have met with those titles are of Aro descent. I'm interested in knowing if there are any other people(s) that bear such titles, along with that of Mazi.

Oga Mazi is not that a title, it's just a way of showing respect when addressing the elderly. To me Mazi is the Igbo term for Mr.

ChinenyeN: Based off what I've been able to discern from questions and research, the expression "mazi" is in all respects an Aro title. Its origins are in Arochukwu, and from there it culturally diffused to other communities by way of Aro's oracular trade network. My knowledge of Arochukwu is limited, so Odumchi will have to correct me where I may be wrong. But from all indications, "mazi" is not a title in the same way that Nze and Ozo may be. I have yet to know of any instance in which a ceremony exists to institute someone as a "mazi". I also do not see a reason to associate Aro's "mazi" title synonymously with "elders", since it seems just as applicable to sons, daughters and wives as it does to men (Odumchi, correct me if I may be wrong).

Now, by its usage, I would say that Aro's "mazi" title (and its derivatives) serve a somewhat similar cultural purpose as "sir", "madame", "mister", "miss", "misses", etc. in Western culture. So far, the diffused "mazi" title seems to have remained relatively in tact, with the exception that the "mazi" derivatives (nwa mazi, etc.) don't seem to be present in the communities that the title diffused to.

The "mazi" title is mostly limited to northern Abia and a portion of Imo; not as prevalent in southern Abia. However, there exists an expression ["maazi"] that was traditionally used as a greeting by some communities in the former Obioma Ngwa LGA. It is only in the last 30 or 40 years that the greeting has diffused to other Ngwa communities. The diffusion of the "mazi" title into Ikwere likely resulted from Isiokpo and its Aro affiliation.

"Mazi" has since been adopted into the developing Izugbe/Standard Igbo. I read a document somewhere online where Uwandiigbo (the most active Igbo studies organization I've so far seen) moved to officially adopt "Mazi" into Izugbe as "Mr." In answering Odumchi's original question though, "mazi" seems to occur mainly among eastern Igbo and [to some degree] southern Igbo culture groups.

Chinenye is right. "Mazi" is generally used by Aro people, and is not equivalent to the the "Dee" or "Nda" prefixes before a given name used as a mark of respect ("e.g. Dee Emeka, Nda Chiaka". As a matter of fact, "Mazi" is not necessarily used to denote respect from a younger to an elder person, because two people of the same agegroup can use it to address each other. Thus, it is not really an honorific, but may be used as such. I had a friend from Arondizuogu who used to call his father simply Mazi.

odumchi: Another equivalent of "mazi" that comes to mind would be "deede" or "dee".

Deede or whatever is no where near what Mazi signifies, you are getting it all wrong! For example, you could be a deede to me but not a Mazi, though you could be nwa Mazi but your Dad is a Mazi to everybody here on Nairaland.

Mazi is a mainly used by Ngwa's in Abia State.

In general igbo language, Mazi simply means Mr.

odumchi: Another equivalent of "mazi" that comes to mind would be "deede" or "dee".

Ha abuo abughi otu ihe. "Dee", ma o bu "Dede", ma o bu "Nda' (maka ndi na-asu Owere) wucha ihe a na-akpo "honorifics" n'asusu Bekee, nke a na-etinye n'ihu aha mmadu igosi nkwanye ugu. O bu ndi toro mmadu k'o na-akwanye ugu, ma na onye bu enyi mmadu, ma o bu ibe ya na Arochukwu nwe ike ikpo onye ahu "Mazi'.

ChinenyeN:
"Mazi" has since been adopted into the developing Izugbe/Standard Igbo. I read a document somewhere online where Uwandiigbo (the most active Igbo studies organization I've so far seen) moved to officially adopt "Mazi" into Izugbe as "Mr." In answering Odumchi's original question though, "mazi" seems to occur mainly among eastern Igbo and [to some degree] southern Igbo culture groups.

Fact!

ndi nsukka e wenro mazi its Eze

Although Mazi is mostly used by people from Imo and Abia and seldom used by people from Anambra and Enugu; it has been officially adopted in the general Igbo language (Igbo Izugbe).

sobaemma: All igbos use mazi,anambra,imo,enugu,abia,ebonyi,and south south part like rivers and delta igbo

Not all Igbo use mazi,except if you meant Igbo Izugbe,which is mostly based on southern Igbo. Anambra doesn't use mazi,at least not to my knowledge. If at all there is any Anambra group that use mazi it has to be a recent phenomenon. Again,mazi is a southern Igbo invention.

Lilimax: Although Mazi is mostly used by people from Imo and Abia and seldom used by people from Anambra and Enugu; it has been officially adopted in the general Igbo language (Igbo Izugbe).

This is a fact.