Lokpanta my Lokpanta! When I was younger I always wondered why God made me an indigene of Lokpanta. I had friends who were from big towns and often told tales of the big things that happened whenever they visited; like the big donations in church bazaars and individuals building churches and civic centres etc.
Civic centres? Hmm.. In Lokpanta, the closest we had to that were our mission compound or the field of Lokpanta National School. It is a National school because even though it is located on our expressway that faces Uru village, it was school to all the children from Amaeke, Obichie, Ihite, Obilagu, Amaekwuru and many others. So by our village standard, it had a national character.
As I got older, I began to appreciate my Lokpanta; it is not a regular place, our stories and peculiarities make us who we are. There's a reason why in all our years of existence, we are still the way that we are. We still have a day when everyone eats only pork and on that day, all the butchers in Nkwo market only slaughter very fat pigs.
We had our own piggery so mum and dad would choose the fattest pig for that special day called "Mgbasunkwo". Mum's yam pepper soup with pork was off the hook! The rich oil from the pork was purely delicious(I'm hungry now)
Some say it's a fettish festival and I really do not know why they believe so. To the idol worshippers, there could be more to it but to my family "the Ekes" it was just another day to eat "ji mmiri oku" (yam pepper soup) and pork that we love so much.
A few over zealous people tried to stop it but I don't think they got very far. It is very simple, if you do not want to be a part of it, just eat your beef and chicken, nobody will arrest you for that.
For those of us who do not care about all the deity stories behind the festival just let us eat our "anu ezi" in peace! Thank you
Anu ezi literally means meat (anu) Ezi (pig) = meat of pig. Lol
Civic centres? Hmm.. In Lokpanta, the closest we had to that were our mission compound or the field of Lokpanta National School. It is a National school because even though it is located on our expressway that faces Uru village, it was school to all the children from Amaeke, Obichie, Ihite, Obilagu, Amaekwuru and many others. So by our village standard, it had a national character.
As I got older, I began to appreciate my Lokpanta; it is not a regular place, our stories and peculiarities make us who we are. There's a reason why in all our years of existence, we are still the way that we are. We still have a day when everyone eats only pork and on that day, all the butchers in Nkwo market only slaughter very fat pigs.
We had our own piggery so mum and dad would choose the fattest pig for that special day called "Mgbasunkwo". Mum's yam pepper soup with pork was off the hook! The rich oil from the pork was purely delicious(I'm hungry now)
Some say it's a fettish festival and I really do not know why they believe so. To the idol worshippers, there could be more to it but to my family "the Ekes" it was just another day to eat "ji mmiri oku" (yam pepper soup) and pork that we love so much.
A few over zealous people tried to stop it but I don't think they got very far. It is very simple, if you do not want to be a part of it, just eat your beef and chicken, nobody will arrest you for that.
For those of us who do not care about all the deity stories behind the festival just let us eat our "anu ezi" in peace! Thank you
Anu ezi literally means meat (anu) Ezi (pig) = meat of pig. Lol
It goes without saying that our heritage and culture as a people derives from our collective consciousness as a community, a race or nation.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting us in on some of the peculiarities that makes you stand out as a people. I itch to have a taste of your yam pepper soup.
It would be nice if you could research other communities so that some of us who do not know the way to our villages lol), talk less of knowing its history can learn a thing or two from this page.
Interesting piece. May the ink that drips from your pen never run dry in your honest effort to enlighten, inspire and inform. Thank you.
That anu ezi I remember so well!
ReplyDeleteI had once visited Lokpanta with my dad on Christmas day and lo and behold it was their market day and pork was on display on many tables.
My father bought a very big head of pig! Need I say what happened afterwards? Lol.
It was a beautiful Christmas with a difference outside the regulars...��������
Our traditions are who we really are.
Mama77
Traditions make us who we we are. Unfortunately, some of our traditions are dying out.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy every bit of that your 'Pig Day' biko