inu nwunye: Bride Price

One of my past collections, Onicha Ado N’Idu: Naming Rites & Traditions of the Igbos of Nigeria, explored the cultural identity and ancestral heritage of one of Nigeria’s three major tribes, the Igbo people of South Eastern Nigeria. I remain committed to this path, using my work as a vessel for cultural education and preservation.

The next chapter in this journey is titled INU NWUNYE: Bride Price.

INU NWUNYE will explore the nuanced rites of passage that mark a young woman’s transition into marriage in traditional Igbo society. These include

INYO UNO which is the introduction or “knocking” ceremony marking the beginning of formal courtship

IBUNABAITE which is the bride’s initial visit to her fiancé’s family

URI an eight day stay with the bridegroom’s family, during which she is evaluated as a potential wife

IJE ILO a deeper familiarisation with the extended family

INA UNO the symbolic departure from her ancestral home

IGO MUO and INU MMANYA which are the rites of spiritual affirmation and the traditional wine carrying ceremony that seal the marriage

Many of these rituals, particularly IBUNABAITE and URI, have faded into obscurity, casualties of modernity and Western influence. As the saying goes, the old order changeth yielding place to new. Yet beneath today’s contemporary wedding practices in Igboland lies the enduring foundation of these time honoured customs. What is often presented as a modern ceremony is in many ways a superstructure built on indigenous rites that have stood the test of time.

Having gone through both traditional and Western marriage ceremonies myself, I was inspired to revisit and reflect on the now obsolete marital customs of Igbo culture. INU NWUNYE is both an homage and a call to remembrance, an effort to rekindle awareness and pride in the symbolic rituals of our forebears before they vanish entirely.