Culture and Tradition

OCCUPATION

The principal occupation of Umuaka Autonomous Community is Farming – crop farming of various kinds and planting various economic plants or trees and rearing of animals of various kinds. The principal crops include yams, cocoyams, cassava, three leaved yams, maize, melon-fluted pumpkin and a variety of vegetables. The economic plants include – oil palm trees, coconut palms, pears, banana, breadfruit, plantains, pineapples, ukpo, etc. Usually the Afor UmuakaMarket is flooded with these crops and bye-products of the economic plants, e.g., palm oil, palm kernels, coconuts fruits and various animals, e.g., goats, sheep, fowls, eggs, etc.
The Umuaka community produces almost enough food for the inhabitants and for supply to the neighboring communities who come to Afor Umuaka for purchase of their needs.A visit to Afor Umuaka on Afor Umuaka Market Day will convince any unbiased inquirer of the veracity of this assertion.

EXPORT TRADING:

Originally trading was based on Palm produce, which was transported by river or bicycle to Oguta.

People engage in various kinds of trading involving various articles of trade:- edibles, clothing, furniture, cooking vessels, animals, drinks – native wine, bear, mineral, educational materials – books, Exercise Books, pens, pencils.

GOVERNMENT:

Traditionally Umuaka Autonomous Community had a system of Government even before the advent of the White man. There were traditional laws, rules and regulations. There were ways and means for settling any matters that arose among them. Traditionally the people had very high regard and respect for seniority, elders and or their Pagan Deities. Eziakwu Afor Shrine When matters arose the issue were referred to the senior sons of the family, the kindred Heads, the village Heads or the Community Head – The Eze of the Community – as the case might be. Or to the Shrine of the Pagan Deity – Eziakwo Afor Umuaka. Therefore the Traditional Government of Umuaka Autonomous Community rested with the paramount Traditional Ruler of the Community – while matters considered intricate were referred to the shrine of the Pagan Deity where everybody who goes there was expected to speak the truth – nothing but the Truth – for they feared the consequences of speaking lie before the Pagan Deity.

THE ORIGINAL TRADITIONAL HEAD OR EZE OF UMUAKA AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY:

The Original Traditional Head of Umuaka Autonomous Community was Okwaraojiaka Okwarajineho – the father of Ojinnaka Okwaraojiaku, - the father of Amadioha Ojinnaka, - the father of Aloysius Chukwuemaka Amadioha Ojinnaka who is the current Traditional Head – The “Eze” of Umuaka Autonomous Community under the Title “HRH EZE A.C.A. Ojinnaka – EZE SI-NA-OBI III of Umuaka” from Uba village the Senior Son of Aka – the Great Grand Ancestor of Umuaka Autonomous community. All the villages in Umuaka have village Heads or Chiefs as well as kindred and family Heads: Isiozi has Ishimiri 1: Ugbele has Akpaka 1: Amazano has Ozoano 1 and so on.

TRADITIONAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATION IN UMUAKA AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY:

PAGAN TITLE TAKING – OZO TITLE TAKING:

It has been said that the Ten Villages in Umuaka Autonomous community have some Traditional Social Organizations by which they socially interacted. The highest and most respected of these social Organizations is the OZO Title Taking.

All the Ten villages in Umuaka Autonomous community take part in this OZO Title Taking. Only men of proven integrity and mature age were eligible for initiation into the Pagan OZO Title Taking. Such Eligible Candidates for OZO Title Taking must be in a position to provide the Requirements for the OZO Title Taking Ceremonies and must be a married man of several wives.

Some of the Requirements for OZO Title Taking are:-

1. Heavy or Big Sum of Money
2. Cow or cows
3. Goats
4. Rams
5. Fowls – Cocks
6. Basket of Yams
7. Specified quantity of Native Wine
8. Kola Nuts – specified Quantity
9. Various other things.

Before a person qualifies for OZO TITLE taking, he should have taken preliminary Pagan Titles – such as:-
1. Igwu Obi
2. Ndiichie
3. Iwekpu Ihe

Title Taking will still come to Afor Umuaka Market to celebrate his OZO Title Taking in front of the Umuaka community pagan Male Deity – Eziakwo – Afor Umuaka – with attendant traditional music and firing of guns and den guns, killing of cows, goats and fowls – carrying the Pagan OZO Title traditional seat called “OKWUKWU” with the first wife “Lolo” of the OZO Title Holder – Onye Nze – in attendance, dancing with the Husband in the Usual Tradition Modus or formular – all going round the Afor Umuaka not less than four times on Afor Umuaka Market Day. As time went on, the market celebration was extended to Eke Ibele where some of the shrine of the female Pagan Deity – “Njaba” was transferred to.

When anyone initiated into the Pagan Ozo Title Taking celebrates his OZO Title Taking before the Male Pagan deity – Eziakwo Afor Umuaka – in Afor Umuaka Market and before the female Pagan Deity – Njaba – at Eke Ibele Market, he has completed his OZO Title Taking Ceremony and will be entitled to all the rights and privileges due to an OZO Title Holder – “ONYE NZE” – including the Four Ozo initial greetings which must be expressed first by any person who wants to speak where there is/are any OZO Title Holder in the gathering;
thus:-

“Onye Nze Anwu Na O”……………..Response:……Haa o o

“Onye Nze Anwu Na O”……………….Response:….Ofo o

“Onye Nze Anwu Na O”……………….Response:….Nonokwa a

“Onye Nze Anwu Na O”………………..Response:….Haa o o

He, the Ozo Title Holder responds to these greetings in the usual traditional manner. The Ozo Title holder is highly honored and respected in Umuaka Community – because an Ozo Title Holder is deemed to be an upright personality – honest and straightforward in his action and behavior. He does not eat any food outside his “Ufo”. Certain expression of language like madness – “Ara” can never be spoken in his presence by anyone. An OZO Title Holder shall never steal or alter or change the existing land boundary of any place. He is expected to speak the truth always and never to take bribe or eat anything that is profaned or defiled.

Really, as was said earlier, “OZO Title Taking is the highest and the most respected Traditional Social Organization in Umuaka Autonomous community.

OTHER TRADITIONAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS/CEREMONIES: IN UMUAKA AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY:

THE OGHU FESTIVAL:- This festival takes place almost about the middle of the year – being introduced by the traditional ceremony known as “ITU NKWA”, about the 27th day of May or there after.

The Itu Nkwa Ceremony announces the commencement of Oghu Season. Throughout this Oghu season period – all quarrelling, fighting and litigation were prohibited – and anyone who commits any of these offenses during this period will be subjected to heavy fine. Any husband who beats his wife or any man or woman who fights during this period attracts similar fine. Therefore the Oghu Tarditional Season was regarded as period of peace.

The Oghu Dancing Ceremony begins about sixteen days after “Ito Nkwa” ceremony, ushered in by Oghu Virgil Eke Day/Night by the night parade of what is referred to as “NWA-OHU-UZU”, from house to house. No females or woman should come out during the night parade of NWA-OHU-UZO. Traditionally, the Oghu Dancing Days are arranged in such a way that some Villages are entitled to dance on the same day – as follows:-

1st Set:- Uba, Ibele, Ugbele and Okeakpu – dance on the same day.

2nd Set:- Isiozi, Amiyi and Amakor – dance on the same day.

3rd Set:- Achara, Umuele and Obeakpu – dance on the same day.

4th & Last Set:- Obinwanne.

Until quite recently, the Obinwanne village sued to dance Oghu last and on that day there used to be very remarkable dry weather because it was believed that no Rain Maker will dare to cause rain to fall that day for the fear of the Pagan Male Deity Eziakwo Afor Umuaka whose servants, the Obinwanne– were celebrating their Oghu Festival that day. Usually all the Rain Makers should try to avert rain fall that day. Hence the Dry weather of that period was usually referred to as ‘OKOCHI OGHU OBINWANNE ”; that is “The Dry Season Associated with the Oghu Obinwanne ”.

Usually, the Oghu Festival Period was regarded as special period of traditional social interaction – because on the Oghu Virgil and Oghu festival day, people invite their friends, in-laws and grand relations – daughters, sons-inlaw and grand children to come and enjoy the Oghu feastival with them.

Throughout the period of Oghu season the masquerade of various kinds – Egudo, Ugbala and Nwaokwa Mkpuru used to come out on approved days – usually Eke days. Normally the populace – especially the youths – boys and girls and women always like to come out to perambulate with the masquerades anxious to run out to see the masquerades but usually run away or seek refuge in the near by compounds or any elderly man to avoid being flogged by the masquerades. They usually enjoy this type of chase and run. The Ugbala masquerades are usually very approachable as they normally do not punish or flog anyone. Very often the Ugbala masquerades in groups go from place to place or from house to house dancing and collecting gifts in money and materials from their hosts, all these social interactions make the season of Oghu festival very interesting. The Oghu season normally covers a period of about 76 days from June to Mid August – the end of which is marked by the “IKWO OKOROSHA” that bids the Oghu period/season goodbye.

TRADITIONAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATION :- THE EKERE MGBA TRADITIONAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATION CEREMONY:-

TRADITIONAL WRESTLING CEREMONY:- This follows immediately after bidding the Oghu Traditional Ceremony good bye – by IKWO OKROSHA – because as the youngsters who chased away the Oghu period are returning from where they bid good bye to Okorosha, they start to chant the Ekere Mgba Music – in the usual traditional mood. As from this time, the villages in Umuaka Autonomous Community will arrange and fix the dates for Wrestling Matches in their respective villages in such a way that the dates of the Wrestling matches would not clash. During the Wrestling math in one village, other wrestlers from other villages will attend and be in their respective positions.

During the wrestling match, musical beating with the usual traditional instrumentation and all the youths' expert wrestlers would dance around at the center and invite any fellow wrestler from the other village to come out and wrestle with him.

The traditional wrestling contest in Umuaka Autonomous Community is a matter of skill and not necessarily a brutal force. The competing wrestlers will display in the center of the wrestling arena anxiously watched by the spectators present. The wrestler who wrestles his opponent down is carried shoulder high by his people (his Villagers) amid cheerful shouts of joy to the admiration of the spectators and relations who rush into the wrestling arena to congratulate the victorious wrestler with embraces and handshakes.

Usually wrestling matches are conducted in various villages at various times during the wrestling season. At the close of the wrestling period, the “Emume Season” sets in.

TRADITIONAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATION – THE EMUME FESTIVAL

The Emume Festival is ushered in with “AHIA EMUME”, when traditional women of Umuaka assemble in Afor Umuaka Market on certain special Afor Market Day to celebrate Emume Day – by special Traditional Dance known as “EGWU NWA”. That day is a special festive Day marking Emume Festival. As from this time, the Traditional men go in turns to the Pagan Deity Shrine of Eziakwo Afor Umuaka with goats, etc, to offer sacrifice to the Pagan Deity. This Sacrifice is known as Traditional “IGBA AKWU”.

During the Emume Pagan Traditional Ceremony, the Pagan elders of Umuaka of various Pagan Titles will go to offer the annual Pagan Sacrifice – “IGBA-AKWU” at the Eziakwo Afor Umuaka Juju shrine – with goats and other animals of remarkable size. During this pagan ceremony “IGBA AKWU”, the entitled servants of "Eziakwo Afor ” will assemble there to collect their prescribed due share from the booty or animals offered in sacrifice to the Pagan Deity – Eziakwo Afor Umuaka.

A contribution of C..J. Odueze