THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TRADITIONAL BURIAL RITES IN ETCHE SOUTH SOUTH, NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examined traditional burial rites in Etche south-South Nigeria. The paper contends that burial rites which are formally observed in honor of the deceased are organized into two major phases. The first phase begins with nchor-okwukwu (notificaiton of the deceased maternal home people over the death of their son, via the deceased first son, elders and some respective traditionalists of Etche, uzo-ubi (appeasing and removing of the spirit of the deceased from the farm), isa-ozu (washing of the corpse), ijike-ozu (attiring of the corpse), ika-wala-ozu (marking of the grave),iho-ndi-igwuala-ozu (choosing of the grave diggers), ishi-onyenwuruanwu oshi (message to the deceased to his ancestor to the spirit world by his near kin, to ili-ozu (interment), while the second phase on the other hand, begins with nkita-anya (dog killing ritual,), mgba onyenwuruanwu (wrestling), oke-okpa- elu (fowl shooting ritual, to ijennama-ejeeaghia (taking of a live cow and other items such asego-akparakpa (woven money andogbala igwe (iron bars), to the market. The paper posits that each of these rites are performed with utmost care and sense of respect and they are intended not only to secure a permanent abode for the deceased in the ancestral world of the good departed, but also to enhance his status therein. The methodology adopted was oral interviews (reports of the elders of Etche and Handed tradition from the custodians of customs and traditions of Etche and secondary sources (published materials). The study also adopts phenomenological approaches to describe and interpret the rituals relating to burial rites. Findings from the study reveal that burial rites have helped to sustain the continuing relationship between the deceased and his living kith and kin.