THE STORY OF HOW DAY AND NIGHT BEGAN (Igbo folklore)
Folklores are tales, legends, and superstitions of a particular ethnic population. In Igbo culture and other African societies, storytelling is unique, such that it is a passage to transmit the tradition of a place from one generation to another. These tales convey history, ancient messages, and old knowledge. They teach morals and virtues to younger people.
The eastern part of Nigeria largely occupied by the Igbo tribe, is rich in culture, customs and traditions and one of the tenets that has survived the rage of civilization and modernization is the art of storytelling. Interesting and educative folktales which have been passed down from generations to generations from the ‘ancestors’ are told to children in the bid to preserve the norms and culture of the tribe, imbibe good morals and instill the spirit of communal love amongst members of their society.
These Igbo folktales which paints colourful pictures of spiritual life and traditional aspirations are regarded as fictitious, incredible, mythical and totally removed from real life situations. However, with regards to their functionality, these folktales exhibit elements of truth that translate into realism
"Long ago when the skies were still land for squirrels, the world was young and the trees were brighter and greener, the sun was gentler and dimmer, bird songs filled the air.
Their was no day or night, people lived and slept anytime they want without any time determining phenomena.
A certain old widow lived in a village, she was wealthy as she was kind even though her husband was dead. She had many servants and workers taking care of her wealth but yet she lacked just one thing.
Many years after her marriage to her husband they had no child until her husband's death. she was unhappy even though she lacked nothing materially.
One day following the advice given by one of her servants she visited a very powerful dibia (native/witch doctor). who after some necessary sacrifices and incantations referred her to the land of ekwensu. **Ekwensu is the trickster and cunning/mischievous god in igbo pantheon)
"When you get to the land of ekwensu, you will see many choices of children. handsome ones, ugly ones, beautiful ones, handicapped and many more, you have to choose wisely" the dibia sang out
" but when you get to the land of ekwensu, you must wait until you hear mild ringing sounds then you can enter, but if you are hearing drum-like sounds you must never enter" The shaky voice of the dibia warned.
The old woman journeyed to the land of ekwensu, after many moons (months) of waiting of which the drum-like sound persisted, the soft ringing sound became audible replacing the drum-like sounds that have been sounding for many moons she was there.
She walked into ekwensu's land and met the god. Ekwensu told her all the good children he had went on an errand, she should go back and return later unless she would like to take the handsome boy standing at a corner but he was full of mischief, had a raging blood lust and magical abilities.
The woman after many minutes of thinking chose to take the boy instead of waiting many more moons before the next ringing sound or going home empty handed. The child was given to her making her very happy to have a handsome son now that will inherit her wealth.
The boy grew handsomely and strong, after many years his lust for blood crept in.
He started by beheading his mother's chickens one by one, the woman thought he would be ok once the chickens are all dead but he moved to the goats afterwards. Then he started with the cattles until all the old woman's live stocks were all beheaded.
He started beheading the slaves, moving into the village beheading people subduing them with magical charms until finally he beheaded his mother.
An old witch that lived in the outskirts of the village knew the evil boy would come for her soon and was not ready to loose her head to a little boy so she spent her time making charms that would make darkness fall so she can escape the evil boy.
As expected the evil boy visited the old woman with sharp shimmering blood ridden matchet charging towards the old woman.
She threw her charm on the ground and darkness fell making the boy not to see where she was.
The boy being a magically inclined being threw his own charm and light restored.
They kept on doing this for days, throwing the charms at interval inducing light and darkness. the woman was determined to survive but the boy was bent on having her head.
The 7th day of their struggle, worn out and tired. Both of them tiredly threw their charms together causing it to explode suddenly. the light and darkness stuck to the world permanently turning the woman to a cricket who always shrieks during the night and the evil child vanished forever.
And that is why till this day; The light and darkness charm shared the day into two equal parts coming out at interval because there is none that can stop them anymore, and the cricket always cries in the night.
That is why we have day and night in the world now..
Comments