Dance is a vital thread in the fabric of Igbo culture. In African societies, art is rarely created for art’s sake. Dance is a consistent art form expressed across the continent with drums alternating as the driving force or baseline to our unique expression.
Africans are rich in tradition, and we have so much already available to us. For spiritual health, we have practices such as Ese music and dance from Mbaise, Imo State used to bid farewell to an accomplished and of-age (70+ years) person who has died to the realm of the ancestors.
As an occupational practice, we witness friends and family coming together in solidarity and support during farming season. They sing and till soil in the rhythm of the music, which makes farm work less tedious, and more fun. They chant songs with their names to motivate and boost morale and mock those lagging behind.
Dance is an important part of Igbo culture. Dancers use symbolic gestures, masks, costumes, body painting, and traditional props.
In Igbo cosmology, the body is sacred - it is a vessel for the spirit and a canvas for storytelling. In Igbo society, to dance is to speak - to tell stories, declare intent, convey emotions, and cement social bonds.
Read also: A History of Igbo Resistance
In African societies, and especially among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, dance transcends mere entertainment. It becomes a living language - a potent, dynamic medium through which ideas, emotions, and social messages are communicated without a single word being spoken.
If we lose our dances, we lose our culture and our traditions.
I have started my own work towards the goal of replanting our traditional dances, and thus practices. I formed Okachamma Dance Troupe International, a dance performance group that explores many forms of dances not just from Igbo communities but from other Nigerian cultures, to preserve our cultural dances and pass the knowledge to the next generations.
Okanga, from Enugu state and Ikpirikpi Ogu aka Ohafia War Dance serve as tools for communication in communities, passing down messages, historical information, and words of wisdom to those who witness. Okanga, a dance specifically for accomplished men, have dancers use body movements to depict to the audience how many cows or horses they have killed, as these animals are seen as highly valuable. In Ikpirikpi Ogu from Abia state, the dancers are seen carrying human heads (props) on their heads to show victory over their enemy.
Atilogu/Atilogwu and Ogene are Igbo folkloric dances that have roots in traditional forms, but emerge primarily for entertainment.
Read also: "Beautiful" in Igbo: A guide to Igbo vocabulary
The modern Igbo highlife is seen in the works of Prince Nico Mbarga, Dr Sir Warrior, Oliver De Coque, Bright Chimezie, Celestine Ukwu, Chief Osita Osadebe, and many others who are some of the greatest Igbo highlife musicians of the twentieth century.
The Igbo people have a melodic and symphonic musical style. Another popular musical form among Igbo people is highlife, which is a fusion of jazz and traditional music and widely popular in West Africa.
The nuanced choreography of Igbo dance forms a lexicon of movement, preserving ancient wisdom while adapting to contemporary realities. Igbo dance vocabulary is vast.
Some traditional dances have very powerful moves, requiring a lot of energy and acrobatic skills, reasons why such dances are reserved for the young people in the community. Dancing takes up the greater part of the Igbo culture’s amusement and religious components.
Dance is also a marker of social identity and status in Igbo society. Certain dances are reserved for titled men (Nze na Ozo), women’s groups, or age grades (ogbo).
Read also: Voice Translation: Igbo to English
Nigerian cultural dances have a way of unifying the people in one way or the other and sometimes telling stories via accompanying music. These stories may differ from tribe to tribe and most often reflect on victory, beauty, honesty, love, war and the likes.
Here are some prominent Igbo dances:
- Mkpọkiti dance: Mkpọkiti dance was founded in 1959 by late Chief Festus Okoli Nwankwo of Ugwunano village of Umunze in Orumba local government of Anambra state. The Federal Government has taken Mkpọkiti dance group to ALL THE PARTS OF THE WORLD except Australia. In August 2015, magical Mkpọkiti Dance of our people bagged the United Nations Gold Medal of Culture and Exhibitions.
- Ukwata Dance: It comes with religious aspects that include dances and rituals to worship the gods. Throughout the festival, women make bonfires to keep evil spirits at bay. Toward the end of the festival, the Egwu, Igba and Ukele dancers dress in marine colors and wear costumes representing aquatic creatures like crocodiles, alligators, fish and iguanas. This dance has a major character - the Adamma masquerade who is dressed in female attire but wriggles her body like that of a man. While the masquerade itself is feminine, most of the dancers are males.
- Ekombi: It is a traditional dance amongst the Efik people in Calabar, Cross River State - Nigeria. The movements are derived from the motions of the ocean. It is a graceful dance with incredible footwork, it’s a dance of peace and happiness.
- Bata dance: It is prominent in the western region of Nigeria, home to the Yoruba tribe. It is associated with Sango, God of Thunder is believed to be athletic and overtly acrobatic. The dance emerged out of the need to soothe a king with a fiery and tempestuous nature. The dance, which from inception, hinged on a particular pattern of steps and body movement, has evolved over time. This is also known as the “Maiden dance” and is synonymous with young maidens of marriageable age. It also helps the younger girls to keep their minds occupied and to abstain from sexual activities before marriage. The dance is a sight to behold and involves rhythmic movement from the chest and waist.
- Ohogho dance: It comes from the Benin culture and belongs to certain strong and healthy age groups. It is a religious dancer that has its dancers wearing the waist gown - ebuluku and dance in circles with gongs or bells in their hands and around a bowl with burning medicinal leaves.
- Gese: It is a religious dance that originated from the Yorubaland of western Nigeria and gets its name from a type of drum. Its famous sources come specifically from the towns of Okeigbo and Ifetedo in the southwest region of Nigeria. It is grounded in complex drum rhythms that only trained dancers can expertly perform in a way that truly represents the religious customs of the people. The movements represent a holistic view of life that is enshrined in the people’s religious practices.
- War dance: This dance is synonymous with warriors and is usually performed to welcome soldiers back from tribal wars. In those days in the Igbo land, as akin to other traditional settings and societies, communities usually engage in wars and conflicts with other neighboring communities. Thus, to welcome the warriors who went to defend the community, this dance is enacted - as a sign of solidarity, and to give the warriors a sense of belonging and fulfillment after carrying out the duty of defending the community. Only performed by men, the dance comes from the Abam people of Arochukwu LGA, Abia State.
- Swange: The Swange is a form of urban recreational dance among the Tiv in which men and women dance together. This dance uses the circle formation familiar in village dances and adapts traditional musical themes to highlife rhythms played on a combination of Tiv and Hausa instruments.
- Mmanwu dance: The Mmanwu dance is for masquerades and recognized as the most-popular dance in Igbo culture, according to Nigerian writer Jovago. It was assumed that during the Mmanwu dance, the spirit of the deity possessed the person wearing masquerade. The Mmanwu dance was and is still featured in most Igbo carnivals, celebrations and funerals including the New yam festival.
- Omuru-onwa and Agbacha-ekuru-nwa: While a video for this dance could not be found, Omuru-onwa and Agbacha-ekuru-nwa is a dance performed by married women and new Mothers. The dance is used as an opportunity to get back in to shape, since the rehearsals take place weekly in preparation for the performance.
Here you can see some of the dances listed above:
Mkpọkiti dance
Ekombi dance
Calabar dancers
In conclusion, Igbo traditional dance is not just a form of entertainment but a fundamental aspect of Igbo identity, culture, and history. Through various dances, the Igbo people communicate their values, beliefs, and social structures, preserving their heritage for future generations.
Here is a table summarizing some of the key Igbo traditional dances and their significance:
| Dance Name | Origin/Tribe | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Mkpọkiti | Ugwunano, Umunze, Anambra State | Celebration, National Dance |
| Ukwata | Abbi people of Delta State | Religious worship, warding off evil spirits |
| Ekombi | Efik people, Calabar, Cross River State | Peace, happiness, graceful movements |
| Bata | Yoruba tribe | Soothing the king, Maiden dance for young women |
| Ohogho | Benin culture | Religious, performed by strong age groups |
| Gese | Yorubaland | Religious, complex drum rhythms |
| War dance | Abam people, Arochukwu LGA, Abia State | Welcoming warriors, showing solidarity |
| Swange | Tiv people | Urban recreational dance |
| Mmanwu | Igbo culture | Masquerade dance, featured in carnivals and celebrations |
| Omuru-onwa and Agbacha-ekuru-nwa | Igbo culture | Performed by married women and new mothers |
Popular articles:
tags:
