Tag Archives: nigerian folklore

Kola Nut Offering

Age: 20

The Story:

So this story is about the kola nut. It’s not really about the nut itself, it’s an offering. The kola nut is the center of the prayer, and the prayer revolves around the core of Igbo tradition.

We believe in three chis. There’s Chukwu, which is God. And then there’s chi, which is like your guardian angel. My great-grandfather would break the kola nut in his house before he left the house. The prayer invokes your chi, invokes Chukwu to guide your steps. It also invokes an internal ethics, don’t do to someone what you wouldn’t want done to you. That’s the traditional religious version.

When someone comes to visit you, you don’t do anything until the kola nut is broken by the owner of the house. By breaking it, you’re signifying that whatever you do in the house will not harm the others. Usually the oldest male present breaks it. At events, the kola nut is broken as a symbol of peaceful coexistence. But in some Igbo traditions, only women with titles can break it.

At weddings, the nut is divided into two. The father of the bride or the bride’s kinsmen offer the kola nut to the guests. There’s a prayer for the couple to have children. If it breaks into four segments, that’s a good omen, it means the couple will have luck, lots of babies. The kola nut affirms the union of families.

Reflection:

The informant’s story reminds me of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) framework. The kola nut ceremony has Turner’s “two poles of the symbolic”: a sensory pole (the nut, the breaking) and an ideological pole (prayer to Chukwu, peaceful coexistence). When the nut breaks into four segments, the ritual is complete and there is a superstition grants peace and mutual existence between the two parties. The “three chis” reveal how ritual encodes worldview.

Additonally, I believe this ritual combats the Western framework of ownership. The kola nut ceremony cannot be copyrighted, as it belongs to the Igbo community; however, ICH designation risks “fossilization” or freezing a practice that was never frozen. The informant’s great-grandfather did it. And the informant plans to do so in the near future, so the chain of the tradition won’t be broken.

Never accept money with your left hand

Age: 23

MN: “I have Nigerian ancestry. My parents both immigrated from Nigeria at a young age, so they are, you know, American largely, but they also have their roots in Nigeria. I have many family, both there, and here. So we kind of kept a somewhat watered down version of Nigerian culture in our family for a while now. Um, I was told a lot when I was a kid or younger that I should not ever take money with my left hand. You know? If someone could be able to give me change or if I’m taking money from an adult for- for a gift, I won’t ever use my left hand to take it.”

Interviewer: “Who specifically would tell you?”

MN: “Uh, a parent, an older person, an aunt, an uncle, a grandma, would all say the same thing, have the same note. Like: ‘hey, don’t do that. That’s not good.’ Right? I never got a deep dive into why, but it was always kind of a, like, it’s not respectful. It also has some element of bad luck to it. Like, you know, it doesn’t bode well for you to take money or take things with your left hand, which, in a sense, is kind of like a more ‘evil’ or, you know? Unlucky. I think there’s a worldwide kind of culture against left-handedness in general. We have the same thing over in Nigeria, I guess. There was also, what was it? There was the… Um… pockets. Yeah, hands in pockets. That was more directly related to laziness and being seen as lazy. Like if you’re at home and, you know, you should be doing chores maybe, having hands in your pocket shows shows that you are- that you have free time. Those kind of had the same “correction” when I did those things, either taking money with the wrong hand or having my hands in my pockets. It always felt like ‘this is not good for you to do.’ So, I don’t know if they’re related in any way beyond that. But I’ve always had the same kind of like, It always had like, it always felt like those 2 things were kind of related. In a way.”

Context: As stated in the interview, the informant is Nigerian American, and grew up in the United States. During the interview, he stated that some Nigerian customs that his parents were taught may have been “watered down” the longer they have stayed in the United states. He still feels as though these customs have heavily influenced how he grew up, and he still practices many of them to this day.

Analysis: There is a strong cultural association with the idea of left and right equating to good and evil. This isn’t specific to Nigerian culture, and can be found across many cultures around the world. It’s interesting how multiple different cultures can develop similar folklore, and how those ideas can also vary depending on the family, location, or personal experiences of the person sharing those ideals. I believe this is a mix of family folklore and a folk belief/ superstition that accepting money with your left hand is “bad luck”. This also reinforces social norms, like what is considered polite and rude specifically within the informant’s family and within his overall Nigerian folk group.

Nigerian Red Handkerchief

Text:

T: “In Nigerian culture, there’s this, like, there’s a significance behind, like, a red handkerchief, right. That’s like if you’re carrying it, it’s kind of like a sign that, like, you have, like, powers, like, certain, like supernatural powers. It’s like, like a charm almost … It’s like a medium to, like, exhibit those powers, you know. And it’s like, and there’s this thing called, they call it, like, juju or jazz where it’s like, it’s just, it’s basically just witchcraft. Like … Yeah, that’s the best term to call it. Just, like, use certain charms and things, like, you know, to, like, do magic.”

Context:

T comes from a Nigerian family and has heard the legend of the “red handkerchief” passed down through the generations. In the culture, it is believed that if someone carried a red handkerchief then they had supernatural or magical powers. It is almost like a Scarlet Letter, in the fact that it symbolizes something else.

Analysis:

The Nigerian Red Handkerchief is a legend because it something believed to be true, based in the real world. This legend seems to be both emic and esoteric as it is an insider’s perspective of the significance of a red handkerchief and it communicates something within the group, not to those outside of the group. It carries cultural significance since it is predominately recognized with the Nigerian community. It also carries familiar significance as it is a legend passed down through generations of a family.

‘Spraying’ Money on the Bride

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At Nigerian weddings, especially among Yoruba and Igbo families, there’s a tradition called “spraying” where guests throw or place money on the bride and groom as they dance. My friend described it as a moment where the music is playing loudly, and everyone crowds the dance floor to celebrate the couple. People use small bills, often $1s or $5s, and place them gently on the bride’s head or shoulders while she dances. Sometimes the groom gets sprayed too, but it’s more focused on the bride. Someone is usually assigned to pick up the money and keep it safe. The mood is exciting, and the spraying is seen as a way of showing love, joy, and support.

Context:

I interviewed my friend who is Nigerian-American and has attended several Nigerian weddings, both in the U.S. and in Nigeria. She said she first saw money-spraying as a kid at her cousin’s wedding and thought it looked like “a fun way to make it rain.” But now that she’s older, she sees it as something deeper. She said, “It’s not just about the money … it’s our way of saying we’re proud of you, we’re happy for you, and we’re blessing your marriage.” She also mentioned that it brings people together, elders, friends, everyone joins in. Even if someone doesn’t have much money, they’ll still spray a little just to be part of the celebration.

Interpretation:

This tradition showcases the communal nature of weddings in Nigerian culture. It’s not just about two individuals getting married, but about the whole community showing up to support them. Spraying money is a public display of care and pride, and it helps preserve cultural practices even for Nigerians living abroad. In the U.S., continuing this tradition at weddings creates a sense of connection to home and heritage. It also flips the usual Western expectation of giving money privately in a card. Here, it’s done out loud, in front of everyone, as part of the celebration itself. This reflects a cultural value of openness and generosity

The Tortoise and the Pepper Soup

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Story:

IJ: “Once upon a time, the animals in the forest decided to have a big feast. There was all kinds of food, but the main dish was pepper soup. Oh, that soup! It was so spicy that even the strongest animals couldn’t eat it without feeling it. But they all agreed on a game—whoever makes the sss sound while eating loses the game. You know, that sound when something is so hot that your tongue wants to cool down, and you say sss? Yes, that one.

Now, the Tortoise, he’s very smart, you know. He’s always looking for how to trick others. So, when the challenge started, everybody was eating, and the heat from the soup was too much! But nobody wanted to be the first to make the sss sound. Everyone tried to hold it in, even though their tongues were burning!

But then, the Tortoise, hmm, he’s clever, oh. He turned to them and said, “Remember, oh, nobody should sss!” And every time he said it, he would stretch out the sss sound and use it as his own opportunity to cool his tounge down, but nobody thought twice. They didn’t even realize that he was making the sound too! And so, one by one, the other animals couldn’t hold it anymore. They would make the sss sound, trying to cool their tongues down.

In the end, only Tortoise was left. He was the winner. And do you know what he did? He ate the whole pot of pepper soup by himself! All the other animals had lost because they didn’t think twice about what he was doing!”

Context:

This story was told to the informant by her teacher in school, as part of the oral traditions passed down in the Igbo community. The informant, now a mother, remembers the story vividly because it always made her laugh as a child, and she often retells it to her own children as a way of teaching them about cleverness and the importance of using their minds. In her family, it’s seen as a fun story but also one that reminds them to be mindful of trickery and to always be sharp.

My Interpretation:

This story really highlights the cleverness of the Tortoise, a character who appears often in Igbo folklore. The Tortoise is known for using his intelligence and wit to outsmart others, rather than relying on strength. In this tale, he doesn’t cheat; instead, he plays with the rules of the game. By repeatedly saying, “Nobody should sss,” he himself makes the sound while pretending to remind the others of the rule. The other animals, focused on the heat of the soup, don’t realize what he’s doing and end up losing.

What stands out to me is how this story emphasizes the value of cleverness and quick thinking. It shows that intelligence can be a powerful tool, sometimes even more effective than physical strength. The Tortoise, as a character, isn’t about tricking others maliciously, he simply knows how to navigate a situation with strategy. In Igbo culture, the Tortoise is often seen as a symbol of wisdom, and this story reinforces how using your mind can lead to success, even when others don’t see it coming.