Journal of The Anthropological Institute Of Great Britain And Ireland Vol.47 1917

Some Ibo Burial Customs by N. W. Thomas

The Ibo-speaking peoples, with a portion of whom this paper deals, occupy a small area on the west bank of the lower Niger, and a much larger area on the east bank, extending as far as the Cross River from the Ibibio boundary northwards, and, at their most easterly point, beyond the northernmost point of the bight of the Cross River.

The Ibo speak a great variety of dialects, and the Eastern branches are almost unintelligible to the Western groups.

Even such close neighbours as Asaba and Onitsha, only three miles apart on the banks of the Niger, differed, until recently, somewhat widely in language.

The main Ibo area is, especially on the south and east, more or less surrounded by a fringe of aberrant dialects, which seem to have resulted from an incomplete assimilation of an alien population by Ibo-speaking conquerors, or, at any rate, a very imperfect acquisition of what might be called standard Ibo ; or we may, on the other hand, regard these dialects (e.g., Okugba, Biko, Ezza as allied to the older wave of immigration that resulted in Efik, Ibibio, Kana and Ebiobolo.

Generally speaking the main Ibo dialects east of the Niger seem to run strip-wise from north to south, and this, no less than the aberrant character of the southern or south-eastern dialects, suggests that the Ibo migration came from the north.

In this connection it is noteworthy that Abua and Akunakuna, two closely related dialects, have clearly been cleft asunder by the Ibo stream and now lie, one north-west of Degema, the other east of the Cross River.

It is worthy of notice that the word Ibo (Ibo) means slave ; this suggests that there was no migration in mass, driving alien populations before it ; but that a conquering people imposed its language on subject populations.

This would afford a sufficient explanation of the character of the language of outlying areas, as well as of the great number of dialects which form a strong contrast to the homogeneity of the Yoruba area.

It is not without interest that the town of Nri, or Aguku, which claims the right of inducting Chiefs and doing other ceremonial work as far as Asaba, at least, on the west, and, probably, over an equally wide area in other directions, also speaks of the people of the surrounding area as Ibo, and themselves claim the name of Nri.

This fits in well with the supposition that they are an island of the original Ibo-speaking conquering race, which is now swallowed up in the mass of the population everywhere else.

As regards the areas with which this paper deals, the districts of Awka and Asaba, the former includes the town of Aguku, just mentioned ; generally speaking, there are few traditions of origin among them.

In Asaba, on the other hand, each town has its tradition of a founder or a record of migration, so that the diversity of custom is easier to understand.

Generally speaking, Asaba, Ibuzo and Okpanam form a closely associated group, as far as general customs go.

Some data for the other towns and for the Awka district will be found elsewhere, together with maps showing the localities, which are enumerated below, for each district.

Asaba was founded by Nevise, according to tradition, who came from Nteje on the east of the Niger perhaps some four hundred years ago.


http://jstor.org/stable/2843415

JUST LIKE SAMUEL PETERS, IGBO RACE IS THE CURRENT AFONJA MUSLIMS NIGHTMARE. UNA SORRY O

Wow. Nice to know. One thing I have read about of ibo land is that anytime a slave got to iboland, he became free. So I think there's a school of thought that some Ibos are runaway slaves from the Benin Kingdom and the kingdom of nri provided them protection. I don't think that any historians think that igbos came in a mass migration. The diversity of the people and the numerous easily puts that claim to rest

So Igbo tribe means the slave tribe?! alot of things makes sense now.

Susu888:
So Igbo tribe means the slave tribe?! alot of things makes sense now.

JonDon12:
Wow. Nice to know. One thing I have read about of ibo land is that anytime a slave got to iboland, he became free. So I think there's a school of thought that some Ibos are runaway slaves from the Benin Kingdom and the kingdom of nri provided them protection. I don't think that any historians think that igbos came in a mass migration. The diversity of the people and the numerous easily puts that claim to rest

True but they are still "RUNAWAY SLAVES"


NOT indigenous and in order to remain free in a slave settlement they must learn the language of the host


Known this, said it many times and I'm reconfirming it, they are the slaves and they know it

Yoruba knows they are slaves but we rarely call them so just not to bruise their ego

Am here to read comment from hateful Amotekuns.

See clowns above consoling themselves bearing the name Fulani gave them..

So unfortunate that they don't know their history..

Even in this 21 century when everybody's eyes are open, their masters are still conquering them like they did and imposed their Emir in Ilorin yrs back ,creating vigilantes, raising their flags in their territory they have conquered in this 21ST century oooo...

Such a pity !!!

There is nothing like IBO for a start. This is a clear indication that the op knows nothing about Igbo people.
For correction,we are Igbo people and our language is Igbo language.

Lolz


Op thanks for your submission.

As for Femi fani kayode he has stated clearly that he is not a slave which was given by the fulani Lord as Yoruba. He is Anago.


Igbo is so powerful that almost all ethnicity in Nigeria sees them as threat and are always researching and writing articles about them.


Nice one kayfra for the submission

kudos.

It’s clear that there was a massive migration south from north igboland/igbo heartland due to population pressure and widespread deforestation as a result of large scale iron smelting, so kudos to that British Man.
This explains the differing settlement patterns as you go from north to south if Igboland.

Modern day igbos are a result of migrating populations from the north of igboland and the indigenous populations of central and southern igboland.

Susu888:
So Igbo tribe means the slave tribe?! alot of things makes sense now.

No, no it doesn’t.

Already seeing pains on this thread. Two hermaphrodites above that are always ashamed to associate themselves to the osu slaves but rather claiming to be great yorubas already wailing above kikikikikiki

Gabkosh:
Already seeing pains on this thread. Two hermaphrodites above that are always ashamed to associate themselves to the osu slaves but rather claiming to be great yorubas already wailing above kikikikikiki

DaBullIT:


True but they are still "RUNAWAY SLAVES"


NOT indigenous and in order to remain free in a slave settlement they must learn the language of the host


Known this, said it many times and I'm reconfirming it, they are the slaves and they know it

Yoruba knows they are slaves but we rarely call them so just not to bruise their ego

You are wicked, my hand no dey o.

oilPUSSY:
See clowns above consoling themselves bearing the name Fulani gave them..

So unfortunate that they don't know their history..

Even in 21 century when everybody's eyes are open, their masters are still conquering them,creating vigilantes, rising their flags in their territory

You mean like this?

oilPUSSY:
See clowns above consoling themselves bearing the name Fulani gave them..

So unfortunate that they don't know their history..

Even in 21 century when everybody's eyes are open, their masters are still conquering them,creating vigilantes, rising their flags in their territory

Let us even believe you that Fulani that came just not more than 300 years gave Yoruba which had existed before their arrival,their name which ironically does not mean anything in Fulfude.


The name America was given by a mere Italian and it stuck and they have soared up and up just like the Yorubas who are empire builders and the most educated,most developed,most industrialised and most accomodative region in Nigeria.


I have read not even from the journal posted that the meaning of Igbo is slave.


Igalas who are the NRI consistently called you Igbo/IBO. .....which means SLAVE.... and the name stuck.It is very disheartening that you continue to call yourselves,SLAVES even till today.

oilPUSSY:
See clowns above consoling themselves bearing the name Fulani gave them..

So unfortunate that they don't know their history..

Even in 21 century when everybody's eyes are open, their masters are still conquering them,creating vigilantes, rising their flags in their territory

Lol, where is the flag, that red handkerchief hanging na flag Kikikiki, One, seeing enugu people praying fervently na wa o. Fulanis have dealt with una head o.

goodnessme1:
Am here to read comment from hateful Amotekuns.

So Amotekun dey pain you?

Interesting view from the eyes of the colonialist. I'd love to read the historical accounts as propagated by the people themselves.

Only then can one sieve out the truth.

Op’s post while somewhat inaccurate and rather speculative, hits home on why Northern igboland, especially Anambra, Enugu should be excavated as a matter of urgency. There is evidence of an ancient civilisation that according to historians that could date back to 3000bc, where the north-south migration would have began.

It speaks to the corruption and lackadaisical attitude of Nigeria, that one of the oldest iron smelting sites in the world was found in south east Nigeria and no intense follow-up archaeology work was done.

Fortunately, In Biafra, more work will be done to uncover Igbo history, but I really wish Igbo development unions take it more seriously.

Shiver99:
Op’s post while somewhat inaccurate and rather speculative, hits home on why Northern igboland, especially Anambra, Enugu should be excavated as a matter of urgency. There is evidence of an ancient civilisation that according to historians that could date back to 3000bc, where the north-south migration would have began.

It speaks to the corruption and lackadaisical attitude of Nigeria, that one of the oldest iron smelting sites in the world was found in south east Nigeria and no intense follow-up archaeology work was done.

Fortunately, In Biafra, more work will be done to uncover Igbo history, but I really wish Igbo development unions take it more seriously.

Inaccurate and speculative

Ritchiee:


Inaccurate and speculative

Yes, some of it is the truth but much is pure assumption.

I don’t know about your people, but Igbo history is constructed from scientific research and verifiable oral history passed down from select historians and griots not the speculative rambling of a random white man.

Igbo means slave in which language?

Where is Amadioha?

I read the original article. The writer is obviously not an authority on Igbo culture as he has a very peripheral view of the culture and even the words.
For example:
He pronounced Nebisi as Nevise,
Agukwu as Aguku, and so many other.

He thinks funeral ceremony is a second burial, and writes so profusely, and wrongly.

He observes so many funeral procedures in Awka, Amobia, Ndikelionwu, Nteje, Agukwu, all a circle of Nri priesthood influence,
but has no clue as to why things were done in a particular way and very much similar in each town.

How can he know meaning of Ibo, or rather Igbo when he can't even pronounce the name of towns properly. What then does Ohu or Oru mean.
The legendary Igbo world view that you cannot bow to another man is also missing from all his write-up.

Bottomline- his work is too literally and peripheral to be of value in giving a meaning to the word Igbo.

Wow, this is interesting and going to be explosive....

Okay, I have read the complete article and granted that the writer may have a few points, other things he said were mere speculations and coming from a total stranger who apparently did not consult extensively, means his assertions can't be taken as authoritative.

Firstly, Igboland is by far the most densely populated region as well as the most populated ethnic group across its catchment area. The implication of this is that they were largely undisturbed by external forces which made it possible for them to multiply so much.

Secondly, the idea that Igbos were slaves that excaped from Benin is also senseless because there is no way a few people that excaped will grow in numbers to the extent that they will become far greater (in terms of population and landmass) than its conquerors.

Thirdly, unlike middle belt areas that faced serious threats between one another due to the diverse ethnic groups as well as the open Savannah nature of the areas that made it easy for them to be attacked by Invaders on horses from the Sahel region, which reduced their numbers, Igboland is largely a densely vegetated and impenetrable jungle of loosely independent villages that mostly interacted with others through trade.

Even the Nri that is regarded as the traditional head was based on spirituality and never on conquest.

In summary, the fact still remains that Igbos based on their numbers and geographical spread which is larger than its neighbors, was never colonized by any indigenous tribe and neither did they colonize others because they have always practiced democracy and never dynasty nor autocracy.

Westbestside:
You mean like this?

We know fulani gave you the name yoruba meaning slave, now tell me who enslaved igbos and told you the word IGBO means slave?

Biafrarep:
Wow, this is interesting and going to be explosive....

Very explosive!

Yoruba mooslims have been agitated since FFK told the world the history of the word YORUBA.

GerogeI:
I read the original article. The writer is obviously not an authority on Igbo culture as he has a very peripheral view of the culture and even the words.
For example:
He pronounced Nebisi as Nevise,
Agukwu as Aguku, and so many other.

He thinks funeral ceremony is a second burial, and writes so profusely, and wrongly.

He observes so many funeral procedures in Awka, Amobia, Ndikelionwu, Nteje, Agukwu, all a circle of Nri priesthood influence,
but has no clue as to why things were done in a particular way and very much similar in each town.

How can he know meaning of Ibo, or rather Igbo when he can't even pronounce the name of towns properly. What then does Ohu or Oru mean.
The legendary Igbo world view that you cannot bow to another man is also missing from all his write-up.

Bottomline- his work is too literally and peripheral to be of value in giving a meaning to the word Igbo.

I was disgusted at the hurriedly cut hatchet job.

I'm sure a Nigerian wrote that because they are the ones who never does a thorough job.

Ojiofor:
Igbo means slave in which language?

Where is Amadioha?

My brother I'm summoning not only amadioha, but Alukwu emeke, Iyiaofor Enyiogugu, Alaogbaga, Uzzi na Abosi to strike the writer of that piece of trash .

Mrvitalis pointzerom adaibeku, izza immotehp claricuzio etc. Pls your contributions are important.

Gabkosh:
So Amotekun dey pain you?

Are we still talking about Amotoekun?

Idii ti jee (punna don swallow am)

Even the proponents are now going about their own activities jareh

kayfra:
Journal of The Anthropological Institute Of Great Britain And Ireland Vol.47 1917

Some Ibo Burial Customs by N. W. Thomas

The Ibo-speaking peoples, with a portion of whom this paper deals, occupy a small area on the west bank of the lower Niger, and a much larger area on the east bank, extending as far as the Cross River from the Ibibio boundary northwards, and, at their most easterly point, beyond the northernmost point of the bight of the Cross River.

The Ibo speak a great variety of dialects, and the Eastern branches are almost unintelligible to the Western groups.

Even such close neighbours as Asaba and Onitsha, only three miles apart on the banks of the Niger, differed, until recently, somewhat widely in language.

The main Ibo area is, especially on the south and east, more or less surrounded by a fringe of aberrant dialects, which seem to have resulted from an incomplete assimilation of an alien population by Ibo-speaking conquerors, or, at any rate, a very imperfect acquisition of what might be called standard Ibo ; or we may, on the other hand, regard these dialects (e.g., Okugba, Biko, Ezza as allied to the older wave of immigration that resulted in Efik, Ibibio, Kana and Ebiobolo.

Generally speaking the main Ibo dialects east of the Niger seem to run strip-wise from north to south, and this, no less than the aberrant character of the southern or south-eastern dialects, suggests that the Ibo migration came from the north.

In this connection it is noteworthy that Abua and Akunakuna, two closely related dialects, have clearly been cleft asunder by the Ibo stream and now lie, one north-west of Degema, the other east of the Cross River.

It is worthy of notice that the word Ibo (Ibo) means slave ; this suggests that there was no migration in mass, driving alien populations before it ; but that a conquering people imposed its language on subject populations.

This would afford a sufficient explanation of the character of the language of outlying areas, as well as of the great number of dialects which form a strong contrast to the homogeneity of the Yoruba area.

It is not without interest that the town of Nri, or Aguku, which claims the right of inducting Chiefs and doing other ceremonial work as far as Asaba, at least, on the west, and, probably, over an equally wide area in other directions, also speaks of the people of the surrounding area as Ibo, and themselves claim the name of Nri.

This fits in well with the supposition that they are an island of the original Ibo-speaking conquering race, which is now swallowed up in the mass of the population everywhere else.

As regards the areas with which this paper deals, the districts of Awka and Asaba, the former includes the town of Aguku, just mentioned ; generally speaking, there are few traditions of origin among them.

In Asaba, on the other hand, each town has its tradition of a founder or a record of migration, so that the diversity of custom is easier to understand.

Generally speaking, Asaba, Ibuzo and Okpanam form a closely associated group, as far as general customs go.

Some data for the other towns and for the Awka district will be found elsewhere, together with maps showing the localities, which are enumerated below, for each district.

Asaba was founded by Nevise, according to tradition, who came from Nteje on the east of the Niger perhaps some four hundred years ago.


http://jstor.org/stable/2843415

It's interesting to read such a description about my people at an early stage. The writer described aptly a lot of observations to the best of his knowledge which in some cases weren't correct. It's well known among Igbo historians that earliest Igbo settlements were around the perimeter of Nsukka-Awka-Owerre-Okigwe. The oldest excavations and artifacts were found within this axis while other areas were recent expansions. Truly, there weren't mass migrations into Igbo areas but the many people who were distressed from their places of origin were easily accommodated among the Igbos. From tiny groups from the cross river areas to more larger groups like the Benin, Igala and Olukumis(Yoruba). Igbos were a very hospitable people. No one mighty King forcing everyone to do things forcefully. People lived almost free in Igboland; this is the reason for our republicanism.
As for the name Igbo being slaves, I disagree with him though I understand the reason why he may have written it so. Lots of our neighbours refers to slaves as 'Ibo' even we (Igbos) call slaves 'Odibo'. Among Igbos, the word 'Igbo' was borne as a name and more like- a living entity. People bear it, communities bear it and a whole lot of other references are made to it. It's meaning to the best of my knowledge is not exact. Note that all Igbos referred to themselves by the name of their sub groups. Only the word Igbo could unite them.
Back to the original write up, Igbos love to be unique as can be seen in our variety of dialects. Even among those dialects, little differences are noted but the crux of the language is the same. Then for the founder of Asaba, it is not 'Nevise' like he wrote. It's Nnebisi. I think his error is due to hearing problem.
Finally, the crazy OP and his likes who think this write up is enough to refer to Igbos as slave are just hallucinating. Igbos have been been great from the earliest of time. The present situation we found ourselves in Nigeria is teaching us the merits and demerits of certain ways of life and we are learning. The Jews learnt the hard way before they could govern themselves again. They don't have Samaritans again. As long as you got Jewish DNA, you're Jewish. We are learning too.
We know our detractors are numerous and we are preparing for them too.