Kambai Akau:
'''Abwoi''' ([[Tyap language|Tyap proper:]] ; [[Jju language|Jju:]] ; [[Hyam language|Hyam:]] ''Ku''; [[Hausa language|Hausa:]] ) is an [[African traditional religion]] institution which operated more like a cult of male ancestral spirits viewed as ghosts or reincarnates of the dead, whose physical forms remained invisible but voices audible.<ref name=Mask/>
Adherents were required to participate in frequent rituals within the year and a general communal worship once in a year, during which the oracles speak on sensitive issues concerning the community.<ref></ref>
==Origins==
Atuk, L. (March 2008: 30-33) noted that the idea of the Atyap religion (the Åbwoi cult) was introduced by the Anghan people, courtesy the oral history narrated by an informant, Atyoli Abwui Kato, who narrated that: According to Atuk, this information sounds accurate as the genealogy of the woman in question has been found, furthering that Tokan Bukhwu was the first priest or , followed by Baghai Tokan.
In the ancient practice, women were barred from entering into the shrine or to dance during cereminies organized by the Abwoi. It was an all-men affair. Only men were allowed.
The Abwoi had a number of festivities, but the [[Ayet Atyap Festival|Ayet festival]] or Atyap Traditional New Year festival was the grandest. During the Ayet period, no man or woman was expected to spank a child. Any offender was made to pay a fine of two goats. Deaths, weddings and pounding at night were also viewed as bad omen during this period and women who pound at night were accused of pounding on their children's heads by the Abwoi, and were fined.
During a communal annual ceremonial gathering, which usually lasted for a week, a whole community brings offerings of or in Jju (beer), cwan (beniseed), zón (goats), nywán (fowls), and akati (corn porridge) to the or (Abwoi shrine). The Agwam Abwoi (chief priest) then sips some of the beer from the aswum (small pot) and asks for a good agricultural year or season from the ancestors.
Older initiated men usually went into the shrine, while the younger males and women stayed beneath a shade such as a large tree, while the ceremony commence.
As at when dancing begins, the loud resonating voice if the Abwoi is heard from the concealed roof of the shrine disguised by the use of a two-ended large gourd or bamboo, covered with spider's egg capsule.
==Societal roles played by the Abwoi==
In an oral interview with Atyoli K. Nka, conducted by Atuk, the Abwoi were also
said to be worshipped as demi-gods by the people due to their proximity to them than the real Heavenly Father, Agwaza. The Abwoi were said to have provided the people food and were capable of summoning them at odd times, especially in times of crises, to warn them about certain things; and also wielded supernatural powers used to heal the sick, especially children taken to them and make barren women conceive, hence, viewed as being "omnipotent".
The Abwoi legislated by instituting strong laws and orders, as well as police the community to strictly implement them.<ref name=At/>
==Initiation==
Among the Fantswam people, (Male) children were taken to the Abwoi shrine at an early age of between four to eight years and kept for 5 days and warned to be obedient to their parents, obey the rule of law, and to keep the cult secrets. Afterwards, a short ceremony follows and they were taken to the stream for a form of baptism, with their heads smeared with åmyiåkoo (mahogany oil), and the while village throws a feast for them. They were later handed over to their mothers at the shrine who welcomed and cleaned them up, as it was claimed that they were eaten off and vomited again by the Abwoi.<ref name=At/><ref name=Mask>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
===Significance of the initiation===
The initiation by 'swallowing and vomiting' signified the graduating of the male children into manhood, introducing them into the cult, and also remind them of the consequences of revealing the common secret. In his words, Atuk writes <ref name=At/>
===Consequences of revealing Abwoi secrets===
Any amongst the initiated boys who would reveal the truth about the Abwoi cult would be taken back to the hut and tried. If found guilty, his father would rub ashes on him (the symbol of mourning). Henceforth, that child would be impaled on a sharpened stake (a form of execution used by the Abwoi) and all the initiated would begin to sing and dance around to drown the screams of the victim. The women would hence be told that the boy had been 'swallowed' by the Abwoi.<ref name=At>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
==Types of Abwoi==
Across Atyapland, there were several types of Abwoi, each with its perculiar duties. These include:
# '''Li̠m:''' The most dreaded and terrifyinɡ of all the Abwoi. It was responsible for 'swallows' and 'voming' children during and after the initiation ceremony. Its cry made the ɡround trembled 'like an earthquake'. It had a gigantic appearance.
# '''A̠basop (Basop):''' This also had a ɡiantic appearance and looked like a forest due to its reɡalia being complete leaves from head down to the feet. It was usually confined around forested environments.
# '''Mapyia̠:''' This was sometimes reɡarded as A̠yang A̠bwoi (women leader of A̠bwoi). It did appear and cried in the niɡht to friɡhten and scare the errinɡ people especially, thieves. It was found mostly around streams.
# '''A̠bwoi A̠gwoot:''' This was said to have been imported from [[Kagoro|Gworok]] (H. Kagoro). Its duty was mainly to watch over all theft scenarios in maize farms. Females were not involved in this very Abwoi practice, except initiation males.
# '''Dankwari:''' This Abwoi was practiced mostly at night and involved two or more people, scattered around. When the one (the female) produced a sound wilily repeatedly, the other (the male) would respond with a hoarse humming voice, moving simultaneously.
The chief priest of the A̠bwoi cult was known as the A̠gwam A̠bwoi (H. Magajin Dodo) and there was the A̠byii̠k A̠bwoi (wife of Abwoi) who was the A̠byet A̠bwoi (H. Madaucin Dodo) whose duty was the interpretation of the A̠bwoi's messaɡes. There were as well the Mman Tutu A̠bwoi (children of A̠bwoi's shrine) who numbered between 10 and 25, whose main duty was to answer the A̠bwoi's sonɡ. There was the office of A̠gwam A̠nyiuk A̠bwoi (H. Magajiyan Matan Dodo; E. A̠bwoi Women Leader).
Also, there were the Tswa Ywan (ropes), the orɡanizers of the various A̠bwoi feasts who supervised the compulsory brewinɡ of A̠kan (beer) by the women.
In general, the A̠bwoi or Ayet festival (T. Sonɡ A̠bwoi) was held at the beginning of each rainy season at the end of April. It was a period when all the A̠bwoi were escorted to unknown destinations, farming activities commenced immediately. After their temporal exit, no sound of the A̠bwoi cry was heard. Nevertheless, it was unusual when cry of the A̠bwoi was heard at this time and may be viewed as a cry of a bad omen such as rampant cases of witchcraft or wizardry, outbreak of smallpox and other epidemics, natural disasters such as drought, flood, locust invasion, and so on. When such an unusual cry of the A̠bwoi was heard, the A̠gwam A̠bwoi (H. Maɡajin Dodo) does lead other elders to the A̠bwoi shrine where the A̠bwoi were called upon to tell the people why they cried. After which the people were warned to desist from their bad ways if that was the cause.<ref name=Yak>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
==Akursak (The lesser Abwoi)==
The advent of lesser Åbwoi called "Kursak" or ''Abusak'' was a good news to the world of who were for the first time allowed to go into the shrine with men. The Kursak was said to have been introduced in Atyapland by the Koro people. It is normally a masked person (masquerade) who dances to the delight of the on-lookers, with his attire consisting of beautifully selected colours and woven in such a way that there are little air-spaces but no skin could be seen from outside. With the advent of this Kursak and with its attendant demands, women started composing songs to match with the dancing steps. The Kursak does not dance alone but with a girl, not a woman. With him always is his "personal attendant" who continually sprays on him liquor, said to freshen him, being that his attire does not have adequate airspaces which would have allowed for easy breathing, according to Atyoli Nanam Kuje, an interviewee of Atuk's.<ref name=At/>
===Rules===
The worshippers (mainly men) were instructed to keep away from women during ceremonial periods. This rule was compulsory especially for him who is to be made a Kursak. It was believed that if the person isn't clean, when in the Kursak attire, the attire will eat deep into his flesh. Due to this, worshippers were advised to look clean both in body and in spirit.
A lot of taboos abound in the Abwoi shrine, which worshippers were expected to keep sacred without violation. One of such is: While in the shrine, no worshipper was allowed to eat food or drink wine without the permit of the agwam abwoi (Abwoi chief priest). The priest himself was as a matter of fact the disher of such things. Any worshipper who does contrary to those simple rules is bound to be expelled, since he would be regarded as a "sinner".
The Abwoi practiced and imposed capital punishments on its erring members. A capital punishment usually goes to any member who reveals to his wife what the Abwoi is and what it looks like. It is interesting to note that the communication which transpired between a husband and his wife is known in the Abwoi house. Investigation showed that this was not an omnipresent attribute that could be associated with the Abwoi, but that the Abwoi had a complex network of spies, and information even among women. They knew women to be more talkative, hence, they cannot keep secrets, and they were bound to be heared. Once an initiated member violates the rule, the punishment was a capital one.<ref name=At>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Religious culture]]
[[Category:African traditional religions]]
Adherents were required to participate in frequent rituals within the year and a general communal worship once in a year, during which the oracles speak on sensitive issues concerning the community.<ref></ref>
==Origins==
Atuk, L. (March 2008: 30-33) noted that the idea of the Atyap religion (the Åbwoi cult) was introduced by the Anghan people, courtesy the oral history narrated by an informant, Atyoli Abwui Kato, who narrated that: According to Atuk, this information sounds accurate as the genealogy of the woman in question has been found, furthering that Tokan Bukhwu was the first priest or , followed by Baghai Tokan.
In the ancient practice, women were barred from entering into the shrine or to dance during cereminies organized by the Abwoi. It was an all-men affair. Only men were allowed.
The Abwoi had a number of festivities, but the [[Ayet Atyap Festival|Ayet festival]] or Atyap Traditional New Year festival was the grandest. During the Ayet period, no man or woman was expected to spank a child. Any offender was made to pay a fine of two goats. Deaths, weddings and pounding at night were also viewed as bad omen during this period and women who pound at night were accused of pounding on their children's heads by the Abwoi, and were fined.
During a communal annual ceremonial gathering, which usually lasted for a week, a whole community brings offerings of or in Jju (beer), cwan (beniseed), zón (goats), nywán (fowls), and akati (corn porridge) to the or (Abwoi shrine). The Agwam Abwoi (chief priest) then sips some of the beer from the aswum (small pot) and asks for a good agricultural year or season from the ancestors.
Older initiated men usually went into the shrine, while the younger males and women stayed beneath a shade such as a large tree, while the ceremony commence.
As at when dancing begins, the loud resonating voice if the Abwoi is heard from the concealed roof of the shrine disguised by the use of a two-ended large gourd or bamboo, covered with spider's egg capsule.
==Societal roles played by the Abwoi==
In an oral interview with Atyoli K. Nka, conducted by Atuk, the Abwoi were also
said to be worshipped as demi-gods by the people due to their proximity to them than the real Heavenly Father, Agwaza. The Abwoi were said to have provided the people food and were capable of summoning them at odd times, especially in times of crises, to warn them about certain things; and also wielded supernatural powers used to heal the sick, especially children taken to them and make barren women conceive, hence, viewed as being "omnipotent".
The Abwoi legislated by instituting strong laws and orders, as well as police the community to strictly implement them.<ref name=At/>
==Initiation==
Among the Fantswam people, (Male) children were taken to the Abwoi shrine at an early age of between four to eight years and kept for 5 days and warned to be obedient to their parents, obey the rule of law, and to keep the cult secrets. Afterwards, a short ceremony follows and they were taken to the stream for a form of baptism, with their heads smeared with åmyiåkoo (mahogany oil), and the while village throws a feast for them. They were later handed over to their mothers at the shrine who welcomed and cleaned them up, as it was claimed that they were eaten off and vomited again by the Abwoi.<ref name=At/><ref name=Mask>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
===Significance of the initiation===
The initiation by 'swallowing and vomiting' signified the graduating of the male children into manhood, introducing them into the cult, and also remind them of the consequences of revealing the common secret. In his words, Atuk writes <ref name=At/>
===Consequences of revealing Abwoi secrets===
Any amongst the initiated boys who would reveal the truth about the Abwoi cult would be taken back to the hut and tried. If found guilty, his father would rub ashes on him (the symbol of mourning). Henceforth, that child would be impaled on a sharpened stake (a form of execution used by the Abwoi) and all the initiated would begin to sing and dance around to drown the screams of the victim. The women would hence be told that the boy had been 'swallowed' by the Abwoi.<ref name=At>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
==Types of Abwoi==
Across Atyapland, there were several types of Abwoi, each with its perculiar duties. These include:
# '''Li̠m:''' The most dreaded and terrifyinɡ of all the Abwoi. It was responsible for 'swallows' and 'voming' children during and after the initiation ceremony. Its cry made the ɡround trembled 'like an earthquake'. It had a gigantic appearance.
# '''A̠basop (Basop):''' This also had a ɡiantic appearance and looked like a forest due to its reɡalia being complete leaves from head down to the feet. It was usually confined around forested environments.
# '''Mapyia̠:''' This was sometimes reɡarded as A̠yang A̠bwoi (women leader of A̠bwoi). It did appear and cried in the niɡht to friɡhten and scare the errinɡ people especially, thieves. It was found mostly around streams.
# '''A̠bwoi A̠gwoot:''' This was said to have been imported from [[Kagoro|Gworok]] (H. Kagoro). Its duty was mainly to watch over all theft scenarios in maize farms. Females were not involved in this very Abwoi practice, except initiation males.
# '''Dankwari:''' This Abwoi was practiced mostly at night and involved two or more people, scattered around. When the one (the female) produced a sound wilily repeatedly, the other (the male) would respond with a hoarse humming voice, moving simultaneously.
The chief priest of the A̠bwoi cult was known as the A̠gwam A̠bwoi (H. Magajin Dodo) and there was the A̠byii̠k A̠bwoi (wife of Abwoi) who was the A̠byet A̠bwoi (H. Madaucin Dodo) whose duty was the interpretation of the A̠bwoi's messaɡes. There were as well the Mman Tutu A̠bwoi (children of A̠bwoi's shrine) who numbered between 10 and 25, whose main duty was to answer the A̠bwoi's sonɡ. There was the office of A̠gwam A̠nyiuk A̠bwoi (H. Magajiyan Matan Dodo; E. A̠bwoi Women Leader).
Also, there were the Tswa Ywan (ropes), the orɡanizers of the various A̠bwoi feasts who supervised the compulsory brewinɡ of A̠kan (beer) by the women.
In general, the A̠bwoi or Ayet festival (T. Sonɡ A̠bwoi) was held at the beginning of each rainy season at the end of April. It was a period when all the A̠bwoi were escorted to unknown destinations, farming activities commenced immediately. After their temporal exit, no sound of the A̠bwoi cry was heard. Nevertheless, it was unusual when cry of the A̠bwoi was heard at this time and may be viewed as a cry of a bad omen such as rampant cases of witchcraft or wizardry, outbreak of smallpox and other epidemics, natural disasters such as drought, flood, locust invasion, and so on. When such an unusual cry of the A̠bwoi was heard, the A̠gwam A̠bwoi (H. Maɡajin Dodo) does lead other elders to the A̠bwoi shrine where the A̠bwoi were called upon to tell the people why they cried. After which the people were warned to desist from their bad ways if that was the cause.<ref name=Yak>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
==Akursak (The lesser Abwoi)==
The advent of lesser Åbwoi called "Kursak" or ''Abusak'' was a good news to the world of who were for the first time allowed to go into the shrine with men. The Kursak was said to have been introduced in Atyapland by the Koro people. It is normally a masked person (masquerade) who dances to the delight of the on-lookers, with his attire consisting of beautifully selected colours and woven in such a way that there are little air-spaces but no skin could be seen from outside. With the advent of this Kursak and with its attendant demands, women started composing songs to match with the dancing steps. The Kursak does not dance alone but with a girl, not a woman. With him always is his "personal attendant" who continually sprays on him liquor, said to freshen him, being that his attire does not have adequate airspaces which would have allowed for easy breathing, according to Atyoli Nanam Kuje, an interviewee of Atuk's.<ref name=At/>
===Rules===
The worshippers (mainly men) were instructed to keep away from women during ceremonial periods. This rule was compulsory especially for him who is to be made a Kursak. It was believed that if the person isn't clean, when in the Kursak attire, the attire will eat deep into his flesh. Due to this, worshippers were advised to look clean both in body and in spirit.
A lot of taboos abound in the Abwoi shrine, which worshippers were expected to keep sacred without violation. One of such is: While in the shrine, no worshipper was allowed to eat food or drink wine without the permit of the agwam abwoi (Abwoi chief priest). The priest himself was as a matter of fact the disher of such things. Any worshipper who does contrary to those simple rules is bound to be expelled, since he would be regarded as a "sinner".
The Abwoi practiced and imposed capital punishments on its erring members. A capital punishment usually goes to any member who reveals to his wife what the Abwoi is and what it looks like. It is interesting to note that the communication which transpired between a husband and his wife is known in the Abwoi house. Investigation showed that this was not an omnipresent attribute that could be associated with the Abwoi, but that the Abwoi had a complex network of spies, and information even among women. They knew women to be more talkative, hence, they cannot keep secrets, and they were bound to be heared. Once an initiated member violates the rule, the punishment was a capital one.<ref name=At>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Religious culture]]
[[Category:African traditional religions]]
from Wikipedia - New pages [en] https://ift.tt/3i6i6MV
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment