Farming and Homebuilding
Ibgo Tribe Farming
In the Igbo tribe, landowners lacked the money to pay farm workers. Therefore, they followed a system called the share-cropping. This system allowed diving crops into three shares: one for the landowner, one for the worker, and one for whoever provided the seeds, fertilizers, and farm equipments used for the farming process. The shared cropped includes corn, yams, and beans. The Igbo tribe prepared the fields using hoes and machetes.
“Every year,” he said sadly, “before I put any crop in the earth, I sacrifice a cock to Ani, the owner of all land. It is the law of our fathers. I also kill a cock at the shrine of Ifejioku, the god of yams. I clear the bush and set fire to it when it is dry. I sow the yams when the first rain has fallen, and stake them when the young tendrils appear…”
Ani is believed to be the god of Earth in the Igbo tribe. People prayed to Ani for advice on harvesting, and made sacrifices for a good season.
“Every year,” he said sadly, “before I put any crop in the earth, I sacrifice a cock to Ani, the owner of all land. It is the law of our fathers. I also kill a cock at the shrine of Ifejioku, the god of yams. I clear the bush and set fire to it when it is dry. I sow the yams when the first rain has fallen, and stake them when the young tendrils appear…”
Ani is believed to be the god of Earth in the Igbo tribe. People prayed to Ani for advice on harvesting, and made sacrifices for a good season.
Igbo tribe homebuilding
The traditional houses built by Igbo people were mainly made from mud, timber, and palm stems (used for walls and roof support). The most well-known type of house was the Mbari. Mbari houses were found among Igbo communities and were also used as shrines dedicated to the gods they worshipped. The Mbari was built in a square foundation with an additional small story above the ground floor. The ground floor was usually filled with statues and drawings of women, men, children, animals, mythical creatures and deities.