Iwa Akwa: The Age-Grade Initiation in Igbo Land and How it is Done
The coming of age ceremony in Igbo land is held for young boys who are of age and fully ready to identify as men.
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After this tradition takes place, all the boys who partook in the initiation would be certified as men in the community.
The initiation, popularly known as Iwa Akwa, is performed on boys between the ages of 21 and 26.
Iwa Akwa, an age-grade initiation in Igbo land
Iwa Akwa, which means cloth wearing, signifies an initiation into manhood.
It is an age-long ceremony that symbolises a young boy's growth into a full-fledged man in the community.
Prerequisites for partaking in age-grade initiation
A boy between the ages of 21 and 26 is deemed fit to participate in Iwa Akwa initiation.
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However, it is also necessary for the boy's family to give their consent for their son to partake in the initiation.
Following this, the elders proceed to make prior investigations to ensure he is eligible.
The eligibility requirement fundamentally involves being of the right age and family background.
The boy's mother must have also been appropriately married to the community and be identified by the community's women.
Furthermore, the boy's father must have also passed through the initiation stage during his days.
Most importantly, it is compulsory to ensure that the participant has no link or heredity with Osu (outcast).
How Iwa Akwa initiation is done
Once the investigation is complete and the participant is deemed fit by the elders for the initiation, the participant joins an age group, and the family proceeds to prepare for the ceremony.
These include buying wrappers (George) from the market that is of very high quality and getting the reception event ready.
The initiation involves performing tasks ordered by the elders who have passed through the initiation long ago.
The wrappers will be spread in front of their family compounds, followed by the blessing of the wrappers by a spiritual leader, wearing and having a procession along the streets on bare feet.
Afterwards, a big reception and celebration will be held in the respective family compounds of the boys from evening till whenever the family decides to end it.
Life after the initiation
After a successful initiation, the man can take up civil responsibilities within his community and family circles.
While some men choose to wait until they're very wealthy before partaking in the initiation, some initiations are even performed in absentia, meaning the participant is unavoidably absent.
Sometimes, women are also permitted to be part of the initiation. The ceremony has faded across Igbo land but is still performed once every three years in some towns in Imo state.
The beautiful Igbo ceremony called Igba Nkwu
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Igbo of Eastern Nigeria undoubtedly, has several beautiful ceremonies deeply rooted in their culture. Whether the new yam festival or family gatherings like naming ceremonies, the Igbo take pride in their cultural events and celebrate them in the most elaborate ways possible.
Such cultural events are marked with great pomp and pageantry, and the elders make sure the younger ones take note so they can transfer the same to their children for generational preservation. One of Igbo land's most cherished cultural ceremonies is the Igba Nkwu, or traditional marriage.
Before the coming of the White man and the introduction of Western culture, marriages in Igbo land were conducted exclusively in the traditional way. With the introduction of churches and courts, many couples now have different wedding ceremonies after performing the requisite traditional marriage rites that tie them together.
Source: Legit.ng
