What is AGWỤ Part 2
Ọdịnanị :The Sacred Arts and Science of the Igbo People
Ụmụnne m ehihie ọma nụ oooo.. Taata bụ ahịa Eke.. Anyị wee na asị ka eke ketara anyị ndụ, akụ n'ụba ná ahụ isi ike ooo... Iseeeeeeeee oooo
Today's Lecture - AGWỤ Part 2
Iji wee bido ebe anyị kwụsịrị na ihe nkụzi nke gara aga... Anyị ga emetụta aka na okwu akpụ na ọnụ nke mbụ wee gbadata na nke abụọ.....
We Discussed earlier on our previous Lecture that Agwu are ambivalent in their character. They reveal the secrets of the invisible and visible world to traditional medicine men called dibia, in the mystical code of divination called afa and are also responsible for mental illness.
Nevertheless, Agwu can be understood as a forgotten spirit of mediation between God and man who then struggles for recognition, by inflicting a person with calamities so that it would be appeased...
Moreover, worship or sacrifice is one of the elements of religion found in any religion and this is applicable to Agwu. In the central sub-cultural zone of Igbo land, the symbol of Agwu is ogilisi or ogbu tree. This is usually planted near the Agwu shrine.
Agwu is fed every morning with kola, portion of food and hot wine as the case may be. When Agwu possesses a person, it is placated through the process of iru Agwu.
And that brings us to ỊRỤ AGWỤ
Moreover, worship or sacrifice is one of the elements of religion found in any religion and this is applicable to Agwu. In the central sub-cultural zone of Igbo land, the symbol of Agwu is ogilisi or ogbu tree. This is usually planted near the Agwu shrine.
Agwu is fed every morning with kola, portion of food and hot wine as the case may be. When Agwu possesses a person, it is placated through the process of iru Agwu.
And that brings us to ỊRỤ AGWỤ
RITES , STEPS and RITUALS of ỊRỤ AGWỤ
In some cases, Agwu is not destructive especially when a person complies with its demands. Compliance to the demands of Agwu brings good fortune. That is why any dibia who seeks the protection and guidance of Agwu should first of all comply with its demands. The demands of Agwu of which refusal brings condemnation to people are:
1. If one is appointed by the ancestral spirits to serve as medicine man, and
2. The performance of iru Agwu ritual as and when due.
2. The performance of iru Agwu ritual as and when due.
Like every other deity, Agwu has its own shrine. All rituals for this deity must be performed in its shrine.
Certain trees like ogbu, oha, or ogilisi are used for symbols. They represent the Agwu performed for a particular person.
Some plants are used in offering worships to the idols, e.g. ogilisi, ogbu; ogilisi is particularly very important, all okpesi are made from it, many idols including Ikenga are carved from it and pieces of it are placed in front of idols before sacrifices are offered to them.
Certain trees like ogbu, oha, or ogilisi are used for symbols. They represent the Agwu performed for a particular person.
Some plants are used in offering worships to the idols, e.g. ogilisi, ogbu; ogilisi is particularly very important, all okpesi are made from it, many idols including Ikenga are carved from it and pieces of it are placed in front of idols before sacrifices are offered to them.
The plants used for the shrines of Agwu differ according to town.
oha, ogilisi and ogbu are mostly used, these plants are regarded as sacred trees where people meet God and are not felled or tampered with like any other tree.
oha, ogilisi and ogbu are mostly used, these plants are regarded as sacred trees where people meet God and are not felled or tampered with like any other tree.
In traditional Igbo society all deities have their attendants who are called priests. The word priest suggests one who mediates between God and man, and who serves a particular deity or spirit.
It categorizes the IGBO PRIEST into FOUR Groups.
It categorizes the IGBO PRIEST into FOUR Groups.
1. Okpala (family head) who is the priest of ancestral shrines,
2. Isi mmuo (head of spirit cults) who takes charge of the shrines,
3. The Eze ala (the chief priest of Ala deity), and
4. Eze Nri or Nri priest (the priest king of Nri town) who is as it were the high priest of cult of Ala for a large part of Igbo land.
2. Isi mmuo (head of spirit cults) who takes charge of the shrines,
3. The Eze ala (the chief priest of Ala deity), and
4. Eze Nri or Nri priest (the priest king of Nri town) who is as it were the high priest of cult of Ala for a large part of Igbo land.
A priest is a servant of one particular shrine and no other. For instance, there is a priest of Udo, Aro, or Idemili, who ministers to the respective deities. So, there is a priest of one particular shrine of Agwu. The Agwu priest sees to every sacrifice the villagers want to offer to their Agwu or the iru Agwu ritual. It is the responsibility of the Agwu priest to administer the needed sacrifices whenever it is demanded for.
The Agwu personnel are not given a particular training; rather, the Agwu itself teaches the victim in dream how to perform the rituals. But if the person is called to the office of a dibia, it becomes a different thing. However, any male born in the family of Agwu people learns much pertaining to Agwu.
This is done whenever Agwu personnel are performing the ritual. Hence, whenever the man begins or goes to perform the ritual, the male in such a family accompanies him so as to observe how it is performed and learn from it.
The Agwu personnel are not given a particular training; rather, the Agwu itself teaches the victim in dream how to perform the rituals. But if the person is called to the office of a dibia, it becomes a different thing. However, any male born in the family of Agwu people learns much pertaining to Agwu.
This is done whenever Agwu personnel are performing the ritual. Hence, whenever the man begins or goes to perform the ritual, the male in such a family accompanies him so as to observe how it is performed and learn from it.
Remember Agwu has no preference for the first born son (okpala) as in the case of a priest. Sometimes the candidate is already known from boyhood when he picks up certain seed called mkpulu afa (seeds for divining).
The iru Agwu ritual is performed for the victim so that he would be free from the embarrassment of Agwu. When some abnormalities are noticed in a person, his kinsmen would take him to a dibia afa (diviner) to find out the will of the gods for the person. It is then the responsibility of the Agwu personnel (Priest ofAgwu) to perform the ritual of iru Agwu.
THE FOLLOWING are used for ỊRỤ AGWU :
1. A chicken that has not laid any egg (adidi okuko),
2. Ogilisi plant.
3. About eight pieces of yam,
4. Eight pieces of coins,
5. Round dry fish (mgbokolu azu),
6. Salt
7. Bottle of palm oil, and
8. Small earthen pot or a plate.
2. Ogilisi plant.
3. About eight pieces of yam,
4. Eight pieces of coins,
5. Round dry fish (mgbokolu azu),
6. Salt
7. Bottle of palm oil, and
8. Small earthen pot or a plate.
Please These items Differs for other town...
When these are complete and placed in Ukpa in front of the ogilisi tree already planted on the ground, the officiating Priest of Agwu would then begin with some incantations, while preparing some concoction which is eventually put inside the small earthen pot and placed at the seat of the Agwu.
Having done these, the chicken and other items brought for the ritual would be slaughtered and cooked.
The chicken would be placed on the fire until it is done.
The sacrificial food would be placed on ogilisi leaves for the children to share among themselves; while the elders would eat the bigger part not placed on the ogilisi leaves.
Having done these, the chicken and other items brought for the ritual would be slaughtered and cooked.
The chicken would be placed on the fire until it is done.
The sacrificial food would be placed on ogilisi leaves for the children to share among themselves; while the elders would eat the bigger part not placed on the ogilisi leaves.
To Be Continued >>> wait for Part 3
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