TEN (10) COMMON WAYS OUR ANCESTORS RELAXED AND SPENT THEIR FREE TIME
TEN (10) COMMON WAYS OUR ANCESTORS RELAXED AND SPENT THEIR FREE TIME
They never waisted any time doing nothing or just sleeping too much or idling away. They tried always to engage it in any thing at all that will expand knowledge, increase experience, good neighborliness, wisdom or physical fitness. Some of the activities include the following:
- Storytelling at night – Families gathered around the fire to listen to folktales, legends, proverbs, riddles, and stories about their ancestors.
- Drumming and dancing – Music was an important form of entertainment. People gathered for dances, celebrations, wrestling events, festivals, and other community occasions.
- Moonlight gatherings – Children and young people often gathered under the moon to play games, tell stories, sing, recite riddles, and listen to elders.
- Visiting friends and relatives – People could walk to another compound simply to sit, talk, share news, drink palm wine, or discuss community affairs.
- Palm-wine drinking and conversation – Among adults, the palm-wine place could serve as a social meeting point where men discussed farming, family matters, village affairs, history, and current events.
- Festivals and masquerades – Community festivals, masquerade performances, dances, and ceremonies provided major occasions for recreation.
- Proverbs and debates – Elders and experienced men often enjoyed sitting together and discussing family history, village matters, wisdom, and traditional knowledge.
- Crafts and music – People played instruments, carved objects, made baskets, repaired tools, wove materials, and engaged in other crafts—sometimes as work and sometimes as pleasurable activity.
- Wrestling and competitions – Traditional wrestling, strength contests, races, hunting competitions, and other displays of skill could attract large crowds.
*** Can you remember some others?
