The Igbo cultural values

The Igbo cultural values

The Igbo cultural values

Igbo people hold their cultural values in high esteem as greetings is one way to foster interpersonal relationships amongst them. They do not do so much when it comes to greetings, but it signifies a lot for them.

When greeting an older person in Igboland, you’re expected to bow to enable them to pay your back as a sign of respect for them. Another form of greeting by the Igbo people is the shaking of hands.

Quite a lot of people think the Nigerians do not shake hands, but a tribe in Nigeria does, and they are the Igbo people. It signifies peace for them.

Igbo traditional wedding
Marriage values in Igbo land are also another beautiful part of their culture. It starts with a procedure called ‘Iku aka’, which means coming to ask about the wife and show interest in her. It is followed by meeting the ‘Umunna’, which means kinsmen.

This is another important procedure where the extended family of both parties meet, and specific dates are secured. The negotiations for the bride price and other important items follow, and then the marriage ceremony is called ‘Igba Nkwu’, the most glamorous.

A special thing during the marriage ceremony is when the wife is given palm wine to look for her husband amongst different men. Once she finds her husband, she gives him the palm wine, and they’re joined together traditionally as husband and wife.

Dressing during the traditional wedding of Igbo people is another beautiful aspect people look forward to. The couple is usually enormously dressed in their traditional attire, called Isiagu.

Some of the cultural values in these ethnic groups are not as powerful as they used to be, but these are the basics of the values and culture of Nigeria’s three major ethnic groups. Greetings and Marriages are an extremely notable way of life.