IGBO HISTORY: Otu Ọrụ Or Ndu Ọrụ, An Igbo Age Grade System by Maazi Ogbonnaya Okoro.
This is age grade system where the Igbo work in each other's farm to produce food. You don't need to pay farmers to work on your farm, the friends would come and jointly work...they will even contribute food too.
This cultural practice started from our ancestors. I did it too.
How?
As a teenager, I joined an organised group of youths whose aims were to assist their parents by cultivating their farms.
We were 7 in number. Others grouped themselves as well. Each person would bring 2 cups of rice. The person whose turn we're working for will bring 4 cups.
He would bring beans and other condiments used to prepare it. His mother or sister would cook for us.
The maximum mounds we make make is 50.
Now 50 times 7= 350 mounds. That is enough to take care of the family next season throughout the year. This happened every Saturday.
It'll get to everyone, then we start from the beginning again, through this means, each family have enough food without paying for labourers.
I DID IT. It's not even an issue of olden days. People are still doing it today in various Igbo communities.
Igwe bụ ike. Love leads!
Great people of biafra
ReplyDelete