Like other agrarian peoples, the Igbo attached much importance to land (Ala, Ana), and ritualized it. The goddess of the land, agriculture and fertility (Ala, Ani) was their most dominant deity. Although the shrine of Ala was located in the common political, cultural and commercial center of each community, the totemic emblems of the goddess were in some places, perennial trees like Uha planted at the center of each compound (Ala Ezi, lit. earth goddess of a compound), to serve as its guardian spirit and protector, and the source of its ethical ideals. Sacred Uha trees were also planted in mounds demarcating the boundaries of family and village lands, and people were forbidden to dismantle the mounds or cut down the sacred trees (Oriji 1986, 1998).
Posted on: Wed, 27 Aug 2014 03:49:23 +0000
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