Celebration of childbirth through dance and the demystification of the male child in the Igbo Patriarchal Society: A decisive exposition

Abstract

Celebration of childbirth, among the Igbo, is looked upon as an occasion of feasting and so every festal feature, especially good music is made available as a mark of thanksgiving to God. The birth of a new child is announced with a special kind of song called irri muo, and it is sung in celebration of the birth. Songs sung at childbirth are called umanwa, while in neighbouring communities, they are egwu omugho. Umanwa music is exclusively performed by women, and has survived until today in its original form through oral tradition. This paper, therefore, examines the celebration of childbirth through dance and the demystification of the male child in the Igbo Patriarchal Society. Among the findings, the paper acknowledges that there is always some excitement, merriment, joy and intoxication, mixed with some sparks of faith when the new entrant is added to a household. In addition, the paper recognizes that women are never fully recognized as mothers until the birth of a boy child. Disturbing as the preference is, this paper wonders and questions why women are being easily ridiculed, subjugated and divorced when and where the Y-chromosome, the sole determinant of the birth of the boy child is the exclusive preserve of the male gender. With this, the paper argues that since human personality, a prerogative and quality of every human being does not rest on gender, but on ability; the emphasis on the boy child is absolutely unnecessary because it does not add anything to ability. The paper further calls on the educated elite to enlighten their people to be aware that the dignity of the girl child is fundamentally, essentially and unquestionably equal to the dignity of the boy child. Finally, the paper concludes that, the male child has not in most cases fulfilled the long awaited expectations of being the second father in the house.

Rituals and Embodied Cultural Practices at the Beginning of Life: African Perspectives

“…Celebration of a new entrant to the community begins with conception, and pregnancy is indicative of a new member of the family and society; hence, birth rituals start with the pregnant woman (Nwadiokwu et al 2016). As explained by Chukwu and Ume (2020), the joy of a woman expecting a baby "knows no bound as she cheerfully sings and dance harmoniously, swerving her body mass tenderly from the right to the left unknown to her that her songs have enchanted neighbours " (p. 194). In many cultures, pregnant women observe different rituals or taboos that aim to protect the mother of the child from perceived evil attack.…”

“…In most African nations, as in many other societies, once married, women are expected to get pregnant and bear children for the expansion and continuation of the family lineage from one generation to another (Chukwu and Ume 2020). Human existence is a journey with series of changes from the time of birth until the time of death, the two most important times in a person's life.…”

“…While some of the cultural practices are described as harmful, others have been acknowledged as having protective and therapeutic effects both for the mothers and their babies with huge benefits for the family and the community at large (Ayaz and Yaman Efe 2008;Beinempaka et al 2015). Babies are cherished as special gifts from God the Supreme Being not only to the immediate family but also to the entire community (Chukwu and Ume 2020). As such, the birth of a child is usually announced and celebrated within the community (Igbokwe and Ahurumaraeze 2019), and the jubilation is followed by rituals which are embodied cultural practices (Beinempaka et al 2015).…”

“Ọmụgwọ” As Unpaid Labor? The Perceptions of Postpartum Caregiving Among Older Grandmothers in Southeast Nigeria

“…For instance, of the 7.6 billion individuals worldwide, 1.4 billion, or 18%, are grandparents ( Chamie, 2018 ), the majority of whom are women ( Shmerling, 2020 ). According to the literature, it is common practice for nursing mothers to be cared for by their mothers or mothers-in-law in many cultures, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa ( Bergsjø, 1993 ; Chukwu & Ume, 2020 ). These grandmothers handle household duties as well as general caregiving for the nursing mother and the newborn, allowing the nursing mother enough time to rest and recover ( Igbokwe & Ahurumaraeze 2019 ; Umunna 2012 ).…”

“…For instance, in parts of Tanzania and Kenya, the women (Maasai women) are cared for and encouraged to focus their attention on their nutrition, recovery, and breastfeeding alone ( Bergsjø, 1993 ). Whereas the grandmother of the newborn takes responsibility for house chores, cares for the nursing mother and the newborn, and mentors new mothers in the role of childcare ( Chukwu & Ume, 2020 ). In some parts of Nigeria, the nursing mothers and the newborn are encouraged to remain in a room for adequate rest, recovery, and weight gain ( Kelly, 1967 ), whereas the grandmother prepares local delicacies to facilitate recovery for the nursing mother ( Ujumadu, 2018 ).…”