How The Igbo Reflect The Arrival Of A Newborn Baby

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This is another aspect of our versatile culture as brought to us by the #crossculture community, thanks to @starstrings01 @selfhelp4trolls and @blogging-team . The birth ofa newborn child is welcome in some sort of ways in diverse African cultures. In this contest, I will concentrate on the modalities that are observed among the Igbo people when a new child is born.

The birth of a newborn among the Igbo people is held in high esteem. From when a couple is joined in marriage, to conception, pregnancy, and childbirth, everyone in the family looks forward to when the child will be delivered. This is one thing that cannot be pushed aside in an Igbo marriage. The gender of the child also indicates a lot but that is a topic for another day.

The Igbo traditional belief in childbirth is usually attached to the ancestors. The tradition holds that children in one way or the other have an attachment to a CHI (a chi is believed to be a guardian which is usually from one dead man or woman in the family). The tradition believes so much in incarnation. However, let it be noted that five procedures are followed in welcoming a newborn child among the Igbo people.

Omugwo (visitation by the newborn child's maternal grandmother): As soon as a newborn child arrives, the mother of the baby receives her mother who comes to take up postpartum responsibilities for both mother and child. During the period, that grandmother baths the child with traditional methods of stretching the joints so the baby matures strong and able. The baby mother is served some special traditional recipe mistake without oil at least for the first few days or weeks after birth. This exercise usually ends after about two months or three or depending on the choice of the mother of the newborn baby or the visiting grandmother.

Paying Homage & Powder Rubbing: Please, don't laugh at this. When a newborn baby comes to a family, the relatives and well wishes especially women dance in joy and gun powder on their necks in celebration of the newborn. Among the men, they go as far as running the powder on their heads.

Naming Ceremony This is usually held between seven and twelve days after the child is born. Here, the newborn is given a name for which he would be called or known. Most times, the child is named according to the circumstances surrounding his/her birth. It is usually a glamorous event.

Circumcision/is another important aspect of welcoming or caring for a newborn among the Igbo people. This is the removal of the foreskin of the me organ. The female newborn child use for be circumcised too until when it was detected that it poses some dangers for the girl child, in the name genital mutilation and it was stopped.

The arrival a newborn baby among the Igbo is a very big and respected aspect of culture and is still being observed and guarded with utmost jealousy.
To participate in this contest, I am inviting @hillarypowers @maryjacy and @cool08.

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**To participate in this contest, read up the contest announcement post Here