http://ukpuru.tumblr.com/

Hello everyone, I don't know if you've ever seen this blog: http://ukpuru..com

Well I created that blog around five years ago, and now I've moved to http://ukpuru.tumblr.com/ which is arguably the biggest collection of images of Igbo history as well as a few other African groups sometimes.

Just in case you're interested.

http://ukpuru.tumblr.com/

odensibiri:
http://ukpuru.tumblr.com/

Hello everyone, I don't know if you've ever seen this blog: http://ukpuru..com

Well I created that blog around five years ago, and now I've moved to http://ukpuru.tumblr.com/ which is arguably the biggest collection of images of Igbo history as well as a few other African groups sometimes.

Just in case you're interested.

http://ukpuru.tumblr.com/

An impressive collection you've got there.

I haven't gone through everything, but of what I have seen so far, I am most impressed by the picture pertaining to this:

Uli designs painted on a foldable drawing by Igbo women under the orders of missionaries who discouraged them from decorating their bodies with it. Calabar 1930s.

I was not aware of Uli until a forum member, Ihuomadinihu, talked about the dying art form of Uli and how it needs to be revived (Women decorating their bodies with it e.g at their traditional weddings, as used to be done in the past). The picture you posted is breathtaking and now I wholeheartedly agree with Ihuomadinihu, that it needs to be revived.

Thanks for preserving this in picture(s) and sharing with us

Very interesting collection you have there. Most of those things should be taught in history class in our schools. I also agree that we should focus more on the majority of our kids who can speak Igbo, 'cause those who can't speak Igbo are definitely in the minority and I can attest to that. Also, I will love to know how far you've gone with getting to introduce Nsibiri writing system to our Eastern governors or even private schools in the East. You need to do more than just putting your work up on the internet. Anyway, you are doing a great job so far. Kudos!
@phut, my mum used to tell us about how they would decorate themselves with uli when they were still very young, and you are right that we need to resurrect that part of our culture.

nwanlecha:
Very interesting collection you have there. Most of those things should be taught in history class in our schools. I also agree that we should focus more on the majority of our kids who can speak Igbo, 'cause those who can't speak Igbo are definitely in the minority and I can attest to that. Also, I will love to know how far you've gone with getting to introduce Nsibiri writing system to our Eastern governors or even private schools in the East. You need to do more than just putting your work up on the internet. Anyway, you are doing a great job so far. Kudos!
@phut, my mum used to tell us about how they would decorate themselves with uli when they were still very young, and you are right that we need to resurrect that part of our culture.

So Nwanlecha, let's start with you and me. I am going to decorate my body with Uli at my traditional wedding. Will you?
Depending on how big your wedding is, it might even be featured on Bellanaija and all those wedding magazine's, giving it further exposure
Ihuomadinihu mentioned that the Uli plant is hardly ever grown in the East anymore. But Uli is indigo dye which is readily purchasable on the Internet. It is something that the event planners can easily carry and supply on request

I na-ajuzi aju? Nolu nu ebe ahu. LOL. Like seriously the uli decorations are so beautiful and i definitely intend to design my body with uli on my Igba Nkwu day. Even if the uli plants are becoming extinct, I will start cultivating them. Come on now, I even see a serious business venture here. Ala Igbo has a great deal of untapped potential I tell you, and I definitely intend to start tapping into them once my plans are set.



[1quote author=Phut post=38597694]
So Nwanlecha, let's start with you and me. I am going to decorate my body with Uli at my traditional wedding. Will you?
Depending on how big your wedding is, it might even be featured on Bellanaija and all those wedding magazine's, giving it further exposure
Ihuomadinihu mentioned that the Uli plant is hardly ever grown in the East anymore. But Uli is indigo dye which is readily purchasable on the Internet. It is something that the event planners can easily carry and supply on request[/quote]

nwanlecha:
I na-ajuzi aju? Nolu nu ebe ahu. LOL. Like seriously the uli decorations are so beautiful and i definitely intend to design my body with uli on my Igba Nkwu day. Even if the uli plants are becoming extinct, I will start cultivating them. Come on now, I even see a serious business venture here. Ala Igbo has a great deal of untapped potential I tell you, and I definitely intend to start tapping into them once my plans are set.



[1quote author=Phut post=38597694]
So Nwanlecha, let's start with you and me. I am going to decorate my body with Uli at my traditional wedding. Will you?
Depending on how big your wedding is, it might even be featured on Bellanaija and all those wedding magazine's, giving it further exposure
Ihuomadinihu mentioned that the Uli plant is hardly ever grown in the East anymore. But Uli is indigo dye which is readily purchasable on the Internet. It is something that the event planners can easily carry and supply on request

Anuna'm nwanne'm. And so shall it be.

Phut:


An impressive collection you've got there.

I haven't gone through everything, but of what I have seen so far, I am most impressed by the picture pertaining to this:

I was not aware of Uli until a forum member, Ihuomadinihu, talked about the dying art form of Uli and how it needs to be revived (Women decorating their bodies with it e.g at their traditional weddings, as used to be done in the past). The picture you posted is breathtaking and now I wholeheartedly agree with Ihuomadinihu, that it needs to be revived.

Thanks for preserving this in picture(s) and sharing with us

Yes, and the uli/uri patterns aren't random either (I've seen some attempts) all the designs have names and meaning behind them and even history. I posted a video about older women who are still practicing uri arts here and a general look through all my uri posts here. The best way to resurrect it, in my opinion, would be to open up a school and have these older women teach the true art form to Igbo women. There are also other art forms by or for Igbo women like embroidery, haberdashery, hair adornments, jewellery making, and selection of cloths like from Akwete that are also dying off or already dead, that's just from looking at old pictures.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfJ8KwEF2jI

odensibiri:


Yes, and the uli/uri patterns aren't random either (I've seen some attempts) all the designs have names and meaning behind them and even history. I posted a video about older women who are still practicing uri arts here and a general look through all my uri posts here. The best way to resurrect it, in my opinion, would be to open up a school and have these older women teach the true art form to Igbo women. There are also other art forms by or for Igbo women like embroidery, haberdashery, hair adornments, jewellery making, and selection of cloths like from Akwete that are also dying off or already dead, that's just from looking at old pictures.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfJ8KwEF2jI

The school idea is a very good one.
I could provide housing (for the school) free of charge in Uguta/Oguta. But I would need some help since I am not based in Nigeria.

Ihuomadinihu bia kwa o
Nwanlecha
Somegirlreturns
Melzabull

Here is the photo. Isn't it lovely?

Older lady. http://ukpuru.tumblr.com/post/26782074743/painters-of-the-earth-shrine-ala-nimo

I am loving the idea of establishing a school, in Ala Igbo, where these different art forms can be taught. In my own opinion, i think the school should be built with traditional architecture and the school surrounding, should have the ambience of ancient Igbo land, while still very modern at the same time. The school should be nothing short of a state of the art infrastructure. This is because, anything worth doing is worth doing well. I believe a private investor will be suitable for this venture.
@odensibiri, I am even thinking that Nsibiri could equally be taught in the school too. Or what do ya think? Also, you should definitely link up with @Scholti, 'cus he is doing a lot of great work like you, in the Igbo language feild.
@phut, nne a furum na ihe Igbo na-anu gi oku na-obi ka munwa.

nwanlecha:
I am loving the idea of establishing a school, in Ala Igbo, where these different art forms can be taught. In my own opinion, i think the school should be built with traditional architecture and the school surrounding, should have the ambience of ancient Igbo land, while still very modern at the same time. The school should be nothing short of a state of the art infrastructure. This is because, anything worth doing is worth doing well. I believe a private investor will be suitable for this venture.
@odensibiri, I am even thinking that Nsibiri could equally be taught in the school too. Or what do ya think? Also, you should definitely link up with @Scholti, 'cus he is doing a lot of great work like you, in the Igbo language feild.
@phut, nne a furum na ihe Igbo na-anu gi oku na-obi ka munwa.

Ehn o! Chineke no na Enu Igwe ma ife ojiri me mu onye Igbo

Something else just occurred to me right now. I see make up artists springing up from this school, whom people can employ to draw Uli designs on them for their Igba Nkwu. Others can start making akwete and so on. Heck, I see a lot of graduates from this school becoming self employed, and this will help in it's own way to reduce unemployment in Ala Igbo. Biko umunnem, kedu Ife unu lo?

nwanlecha:
Something else just occurred to me right now. [b]I see make up artists springing up from this school, whom people can employ to draw Uli designs on them for their Igba Nkwu. Others can start making akwete and so on. Heck, I see a lot of graduates from this school becoming self employed, [/b]and this will help in it's own way to reduce unemployment in Ala Igbo. Biko umunnem, kedu Ife unu lo?

That is exactly what will happen if we are able to get the school of the ground. We just have to get enough like minded people to make it happen.

More short term and easier to accomplish by just one or two persons: How about trying to get one/some of the wedding event planners to advertise Uli,and showcase Akwete on their website? I believe Akwete is still made just not as much as before. If we could achieve only this, things would take off. This would actually create work for some of the older women with knowledge of these art forms. And trust me, when the younger people (e.g unemployed or underplayed) learn about this source of revenue they will be beating down our doors to learn. People are looking for revenue streams in Naija. There is just a dearth of ideas

That's a good one. Now, I think anybody that knows of someone that is into the make up business, could introduce this idea to the person. The make up artist can advertise his/her work on Bellanaija or Linda ikeji blog, and see how it goes from there. And yea you are right about the lack of ideas being the main problem with our society. No one wants to think outside the box like people in the developed world do. This is the reason why the white man is where he is today. They simply see opportunity in everything.

Phut:


That is exactly what will happen if we are able to get the school of the ground. We just have to get enough like minded people to make it happen.

More short term and easier to accomplish by just one or two persons: How about trying to get one/some of the wedding event planners to advertise Uli,and showcase Akwete on their website? I believe Akwete is still made just not as much as before. If we could achieve only this, things would take off. This would actually create work for some of the older women with knowledge of these art forms. And trust me, when the younger people (e.g unemployed or underplayed) learn about this source of revenue they will be beating down our doors to learn. People are looking for revenue streams in Naija. There is just a dearth of ideas

pls do you have an idea how I could get the akwete cloth?

Nice thread.

Vixo:
pls do you have an idea how I could get the akwete cloth?

Akwete is a town in Abia State (close to Rivers State) that is historically known for weaving akwete. Either they are named after the cloth or the cloth is name after them.

Akwete weaving is/was so deeply embedded into the fabric of their society that I would say Akwete would be the best place to get the cloth. Or you could try the markets in Aba (which is very close to Akwete). As we all know, there is nothing you won't find in the markets of Aba. Let us know if/when you have success.

Vixo:
pls do you have an idea how I could get the akwete cloth?

I actually went to the Akwete National Association website (U.S chapter). I was able to speak, over the phone, to one of the Associations members. He is from Akwete and says he can directly put you in contacts with the weavers in Akwete, who can deliver any size order of akwete cloth that you want. You can reach him at cnkwonta@blueseasgroup-ng.com.

Alternatively, you can go to Ariaria to source the cloth or go to Akwete itself, which is very close to Aba.

Post modified: I called a number of people on the site and just received my 2nd call back from a lady. She says she knows an Akwete woman in Lagos who makes Akwete cloth and can deliver to you. If you are interested, I will get the number and pass it on to you

Phut:


I actually went to the Akwete National Association website (U.S chapter). I was able to speak, over the phone, to one of the Associations members. He is from Akwete and says he can directly put you in contacts with the weavers in Akwete, who can deliver any size order of akwete cloth that you want. You can reach him at cnkwonta@blueseasgroup-ng.com.

Alternatively, you can go to Ariaria to source the cloth or go to Akwete itself, which is very close to Aba.

Post modified: I called a number of people on the site and just received my 2nd call back from a lady. She says she knows an Akwete woman in Lagos who makes Akwete cloth and can deliver to you. If you are interested, I will get the number and pass it on to you

yes pls I'll live to have her number, thanks a lot phut.

Vixo:


yes pls I'll live to have her number, thanks a lot phut.

Her name is Ahaoma Peace Onyia 0803-294-4767

What is your name, so I can tell her whose call to expect.

BTW, I bu Onye Akwete?

Phut:

Her name is Ahaoma Peace Onyia 0803-294-4767
What is your name, so I can tell her whose call to expect.
BTW, I bu Onye Akwete?

MBA , Abu m Onye Bende

Vixo:


MBA , Abu m Onye Bende

Okay. Let me know how it goes