FIRST NGWA DAY FESTIVAL/CELEBRATION, 28TH DECEMBER, 2024

TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE, IT’S RITES AND HOW IT’S DONE IN NGWA LAND

In many parts of the world, a marriage ceremony is mainly an affair between the bride and groom, but in Ngwa land, Abia State, part of (Igboland) in Nigeria, parents of the couple, their extended families, villagers, friends and towns, all these groups/ Individuals play active roles in traditional marriage ceremony. traditional marriage rite in this part of Igboland is usually very festive and colorful.

In the olden days, traditional marriages used to be arranged by the parents of the future bride and groom, after careful investigations into the background of both families. These days, however, young men and women are now free to choose whoever they want to get married to, with parental approval.

Despite the seeming change in the method of choosing a spouse, the ngwa culture has been sustained. The process involves different stages.

1. Ifotu apuru nmai la ama (Removing wine leaves on compound entrance) and IKua aka la uzo (Knocking at the door), odi whenwunuru (There is something of interest in this compound).

Depending on the part of ngwa you came from. This is where the future groom finds the lady he wants to marry and tells his parents. 

He is then accompanied by his parents, siblings and close family members, and contacts the family of the bride-to-be. A date is then set for both families to meet. During the meeting, the groom-to-be's father will state their intention.

2. Igba Orukpuru (Ask questions from both villages for investigations of the families) if successful then next. This is done secretly by both families). The list of the things to investigate or enquire are “if they are of good character and morale standing in society, like stealing, diseases such as Seizures (akwukwu); and untimely death (Onwu ike) and most importantly if the two parties are blood related in any way.

3. The response:

The father of the groom and his relatives normally will not expect the family of the bride to give them a positive or negative answer right away. 

They then will schedule another date to meet. Before the next meeting, both families normally carry out investigations on each other to see if the families above requirements are met.

4. Jua ajuju omela ala ndi mba (Collection of List)

On their return visit to the bride-to-be's home, the groom's parents will reiterate their intention that their son wants to marry the girl in question. At this stage, it is expected that the bride-to-be's family must have concluded their investigations and consultations with their daughter and should be ready to give the groom either positive or negative answer. Once this stage is done, the family of the bride compiles a list of items that the groom's family will bring to the traditional marriage ceremony as demanded by their customs and traditions. (The list will be given from the bride’s family to the groom).

The exact number of items required depends on the tradition of each community or town.Some of the items presented to the bride's family by the family of groom during the return visit are; kolanuts (Oji Igbo), palm wine (NMai Ngwo), Alligator Pepper (Ose Oji) and dry gin (Nmai oku). Gifts presented by the groom-to-be's family may vary depending on the community or town in ngwa land, since they are not all monolithic. Both families will share the food and drinks.

5. Iyiiwa Ije for olulu di na nwunye. (Fixing date)

In some communities, the bride to be is summoned before both families on the return visit and asked if she is interested in her future husband. If she agrees to marry her future husband, they will set another date for the actual marriage ceremony called "Ivu ego isi nwanyi- Olulu Di La nwunye".

Once the initial marriage plans is set, the young lady will be place for fattening room where she will be pampered until the day of her marriage (Iru Nmgbede).

Marriage Ceremony Day

In the final stage of the traditional marriage rites, the groom’s family will go to the house of the bride-to-be with his immediate and extended family, villagers and people from their towns with the above items. Host families will prepare different kinds of indigenous dishes to entertain their guests. Both families and their extended families, including members of their communities, will eat, dance and drink together. In some areas (20 cooked snails (Ohu Eji) and 20 cooked egusi balls (Ohuu Nmgbam). For example.

During the ceremony, there will be three sections: one side for the groom, one side for the bride and the audience (general).

Each side will appoint a spokesperson and there will be a middleman who will be relating the messages to each group.

1. Ego onu okwu “Mgbape oche” (the money brought by the groom family to initiate bridal conversations).

2. There will be a series of negotiations as the prices are not written on stone.

3. While the negotiations are going on, the boys will show up to interrupt the negotiations by playing their football in their midst of the two groups until their demands are met.

4. Once their demand is met, the negotiations will continue.

5. As the negotiation continues the young ladies will show up dancing, playing Moon light games (Oro- egwu onwa) to disorganize the event but Once their demands are met, the negotiations will continue.

6. The groom’s family will bring out the items on the list which will be displayed, and the bride’s side will go around to inspect them to see if they are complete and acceptable or not. If it is okay, they will do their usual chanting - “Ololooloo – oooooo, ooooo, oo, oo and oo o”

7. When the traditional rites are met, the groom’s family will demand to see the bride.

8. More negotiations will go on before the bride comes out.

Bride’s Dressing: Wrapper with a lot of waist beads, neck beads, hair beads, legs and hands beads. And umbrella or cloth cover to cover the bride. No shoes

Entrance of the bride: The ladies brides age mates (ndi ebiri ya) will cover her with umberella or cloth.

The groom and his family will clean the chair where the bride will sit with money. When the bride’s side are satisfied the chair is properly cleansed with money, then the bride will come out covered up. Sometimes the first or second girl that comes out is not necessarily the bride. He must recognize his wife by lifting the umbrella to make sure she is the right person. If not the bride, the groom will keep on cleaning the chair until his right bride comes out. Once he recognizes the wife, he walks with the wife to the wife’s parents.

Father’s part:

Then, he will hand over the Wine (Nmai Ukwu) to give to her father. Then father will ask her series of question for example, who gave you the drink for me, and she will respond by telling the father the man’s name, the father will ask her the purpose for the drink, and she will answer, the drink is from the man that wants to marry me. The father will inquire from the daughter, do you real want me to drink this drink (Nmai Ukwu)? I hope that I will not throw up the drink,  reassured, Father blesses the bride and groom (Ngozi nke nna nwa agbogho obia)

Mother’s part: Then the groom will hand her over the drink to give to her mother.

Then the mother will ask her series of question for example, who gave you the drink for me, and she will respond by telling the mother the man’s name, the mother will ask her the purpose for the drink, and she will answer, the drink is from the man that wants to marry me. The mother will inquire from the daughter, do you really want me to drink this? I hope that I will not throw up after drinking it, are you sure? Rest assured, she will proclaim the blessing from the Bride’s mother to bride and groom (Ngozi nke nne nwa agbogho obia)

After the bride’s questions and the bride accepts with their blessings, the groom’s family will express the joy in their own way for a successful journey.

Covenant between the bride and groom’s families – igbandu nke ndi nna lanne nwa okorobia na alu nwunye la – igba ndu nke ndi nna la nne nwa agbogho na aludi) la Ezi na ulo ha la ekpere.

The bride and groom First meal together – Iri nnri nke mbu nke dii la nwunye. In this game, each time the wife swallow’s food, the husband pays the determined amount. The two referees will be counting.

Before the groom’s family leaves, they will demand their food for the child who has a mother (Nnri nwa nwere nne). The food is rich with all sorts of meat and fish. Then, the groom’s family will give the bride a big goat, while the brides family will like wise, present a big goat to the groom family.

Leaving the bride’s compound:                    One of the brides’ brothers will sneak out to lock the gate and will run away with the gate key (Otugwa). Or all the boys will block the way by not allowing their sister to go with her husband. Once the boys are settled for the gate fee, they will allow their sister to go.

The bride’s sisters escorting her: The bride’s sisters will escort  her to her new home. Upon their arrival, they will not enter the house, until they are settled with door fee, they will not eat until they are settled with food fee. 

"Idu Ulo"

In some communities in Ngwaland, "Idu Ulo" is practiced. Idu Ulo is when the family of the bride officially goes and visits the home where their daughter will be living. Note that the previous ceremony and meetings took place in the bride's family home.

The bride's family buys cooking utensils, for example, Ikwe, Odu, ekwu Igwe, Mkpasa karri, ite garri, ite miiri, and other things newly married couples need to start a life and family.

Also, the bride's family along with their extended families sets a date to visit the couple with all the goods they bought. On "Idu Ulo" day, the wife's family will give the newly married couple all the things they bought for them and wish them luck.

This is usually done to give a newly married couple a head starts by defraying some of their expenses. Marriage ceremonies in ala ngwa can be a long and expensive undertaking, which are usually worth it...

Contributors:

Documented by Umu- Okpu Ngwa USA And Diaspora Inc.,Prof. Dr. Otuodichinma Christy Ochulor Nwankpa, 

Deaconess, Chituru Nwoke 

Lolo Roseline Agbara

JP Chinwe Grace Ihemadu

Dr. Princess Ethel Ajuzie Nwandu

Mrs. Love Nwaohuocha

Deaconess Comfort nwazue

Lovinah Obimba

Hi- Chief Dorothy Ibeh

Please note that several Ngwa cultures and traditions will be on display live...come 28th of December, 2024... At Abayi Umucham Primary School, Aba, ABIA State...12 noon.

First Ngwa Day Celebration!!!

Come let us celebrate our culture, full of spice and richness, that can NEVER go extinct. 

POWERED BY.........

NGWA SOCIAL CLUB