Igba nkwu in igbo land its a very big recognised and a very rich ceremony in igbo culture. This is done by two grown up adults that that love each other and agreed to be together as husband and wife. This is a tradition or culture that brings two different families or tribes together and unite them as one big family. This igba nkwu is different from white or court marriage. It is said that once you do your igba nkwu, you can decide not to do the other two marriages, it is more valued and recognised than the two other marriage in igbo land.
Before the igba nkwu, there are different processes that are needed to be done before the main igba nkwu ceremony. First the family of the groom will go to the brides family for introduction, (iju uzo) for them to know eachother . The groom's family will later sent someone to the brides village to know about the brides family, they might not go directly to the brides family or they will just ask people in the brides village to make enquiries about them, if they are good people, out cast (osu) or if they are thieves or have mad person in their family.
After this is done and verified, the groom family will come again to the bride family for iku aka (knocking of the door) this is to finally make their intention known to the brides family. Then after that they will present wine to the brides family as a symbol of respect, once the brides family accept it, it is being said the groom family is welcomed and they can now proceed with the igba nkwu proper. The bride family will also give the groom's family the list of the things the needs for the brides price. The groom's family will go through the list and later the both families will agree a day to fix a date for the igba nkwa and then plan towards it.
The igba nkwu ceremony will be done at the bride's village, which they have to choose a day from one of four market days in igbo land. So on the igba ukwu day, the groom will come with his family and will also go with things listed for dowry like wrapper, tubers of yam, boxes, and lots more and also things for the kingsmen is included and present it to the bride's family.
On this day, the groom will dress in a traditional attire like that of a king (ise agu cloth), the same with the bride like a princess. Here the bride will dress her first outfit and come out with her bridesmaids, they will dance to greet and welcome everyone present. After that she will dress in another attire this is her second outing, which is the main thing for the ceremony then go and meet her father and collect palm wine from him, with the palm wine she will go in search for her husband where he is hiding among the guests while dancing to the music playing.
After she has searched and found the husband, the husband will drink the palm wine and he will then put some money inside the cup and together with her wife, they will go and meet the father of bride, knee down before him and he will then bless them. The couples will then dance, gifts will be exchanged and everyone will dance eat, drink to their satisfaction. At end of the igba nkwu ceremony the groom will go home with his bride to start their own family.
Igba nkwu is one of the best known cultural festival in Igbo land and Nigerian at large. This always brings respect, dignity and union to the families and village. This is the way we do our igba nkwu in my own village. How do you do yours, is it the same as mine? 😂
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Images are mine.
