Ijaw people (also known by the subgroups "Ijo" or "Izon") are a collection of peoples indigenous to the Niger Delta in Nigeria, inhabiting regions of the states of Ondo, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Southern part of Abia and Rivers. And owing to the affinity they have with water, many are found as migrant fishermen in camps as far west as Sierra Leone and as far east as Gabon. Population figures for the Ijo vary greatly, most range from 13 million to 15 million. the Ijaws are unarguably the most populous tribe inhabiting the Niger Delta region and arguably the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria. They have long lived in locations near many sea trade routes, and they were well connected to other areas by trade as early as the 15th century.
Historically, it is almost impossible to give a precise account as to whence the Ijaws originated. Different accounts have been given by different historians. But what is certain is that the Ijaws are one the world’s most ancient people. Believed to be the descendants of the autochthonous people or ancient tribe of Africa known as the (H) ORU, the Ijaws were originally known by this name (ORU). At least it was what their immediate neighbours deemed them. Although this was a very long time ago, the Ijaws have, however, kept the ancient language and culture of the ORUs. Being the first to find a settlement in the Lower Niger and Niger Delta, it is possible that they may have started inhabiting this region as far back as 500 BC. However, language and cultural studies prove that they are related to the founders of the Great Nile Valley civilization complex (and possibly the lake Chad complex). They immigrated to West Africa from the Nile-Valley during antiquity.
The Ijaw language consists of two prominent groupings.
The first, which is termed as either Western or Central Izon (Ijaw) consists of Western Ijaw speakers: Ekeremor, Sagbama (Mein), Bassan, Apoi, Arogbo, Boma (Bumo), Kabo (Kabuowei), Ogboin, Tarakiri, and Kolokuma-Opokuma (Yenagoa). Nembe, Brass, and Akassa (Akaha) dialects represent Southeast Ijo (Izon). Buseni and Okordia dialects are considered Inland Ijo.
On the other hand, the second major Ijaw linguistic group is Kalabari. Although the term Eastern Ijaw is not the right term, that is what Kalabari is considered as. Kalabari is the name of one of the Ijaw clans that reside on the eastern side of the Niger-Delta (Abonnema, Buguma, Bakana, Degema etc.) who form a major group in Rivers State. Other "Eastern" Ijaw clans are the Okrika, Ibani (the natives of Bonny, Finima, and Opobo) and Nkoroo. They are neighbours to the Kalabari people in present-day Rivers State, Nigeria.
Unlike most tribes, the Ijaws have two forms of marriage.
The first which is a small-dowry marriage, the groom is traditionally obliged to offer a payment to the wife’s family, which is typically cash. Here (this type of marriage) the children trace their line of inheritance through their mother to her family: Meaning that when the children grow up, they have more choices as to where they can live. They can either decide to live with their father’s people or mother’s people. In contrast to the first type, the second type of marriage is a large-dowry marriage. And here the children belong to the father’s family.
Funeral ceremonies, particularly for those who have accumulated wealth and respect, are often very dramatic. Traditional religious practices center around "Water spirits" in the Niger river, and around tribute to ancestors.
With the coming of Western civilization, the present day Ijaw seems to have changed from traditional worshipers to Christianity. However, there are some among them who still have faith in their traditional religious practices. In the traditional religion of the Ijaws, veneration of ancestors plays a central. While water spirits, known as Owuamapu, figure prominently in the Ijaw pantheon. In addition, the Ijaw practice a form of divination called Igbadai, in which recently deceased individuals are interrogated on the causes of their death. They also believe that water spirits are like humans in having personal strengths and shortcomings and that humans dwell among the water spirits before being born.
Although the Ijaw are now primarily Christians (65% profess to be), with Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism and Pentecostal being the varieties of Christianity most prevalent among them, they also have elaborate traditional religious practices of their own.
The Ijaw people live by fishing supplemented by farming paddy-rice, plantains, Cassava, yams, cocoyams, bananas and other vegetables as well as tropical fruits such as guava, mangoes and pineapples; and trading. Smoke-dried fish, timber, palm oil and palm kernels are processed for export.
Like many ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Ijaws have many local foods that are not widespread in Nigeria. Many of these foods involve fish and other seafoods such as clams, oysters and periwinkles; yams and plantains. Some of these foods are:
*Polofiyai* — A very rich soup made with yams and palm oil
*Kekefiyai* — A pottage made with chopped unripened (green) plantains, fish, other seafood or game meat ("bushmeat") and palm oil
Fried or roasted fish and plantain — Fish fried in palm oil and served with fried plantains
*Gbe* — The grub of the raffia-palm tree beetle that is eaten raw, dried, fried in groundnut oil or pickled in palm oil
Kalabari "sea-harvest" fulo— A rich mixed seafood soup or stew that is eaten with foofoo, rice or yams.
*Owafiya* (Beans Pottage) — A pottage made with Beans, palm oil, fish or bushmeat, Yam or Plantain. Then taken with processed Cassava or Starch.
*Geisha Soup* — This a kind of soup cooked from the geisha fish, with just adding, pepe, salt, water and Boiling it for some minutes.
*Opuru-fulou* — Also referred to as prawn soup, prepared mainly with prawn, Ogbono (Irvingia gabonensis seeds), dried fish, table salt, crayfish, onions, fresh pepper, and red palm oil.
*Onunu* ; made with pounded yams and boiled overipe plantains mostly enjoyed by the Okrikans.
0 Comments