Medicine Bag Research Paper
The goal of this project is to make a medicine bag which contains three important symbols of values to me as an African person. The first symbol is a Nigerian Beaded Necklace that represents my heritage, the second symbol is yam use in New Yam festival which represents Igbo tradition, and the third symbol is a red cap that represents a heirloom. These symbols are very important to my family as cultural heritage in Igbo Land of Nigeria.
The first symbol is the Nigerian beaded necklace. This necklace represents Nigerian women mostly married women in Igbo land. There are special beads that are worn by titled men too. The necklace could be a different colors and different designs, but the most common colors are red and white. It could be long
or short depending on who is wearing it. Some of them come with earrings, bracelets and rings. The necklace is made from traditional beads, sand glass beads or coral seed beads, and most of them are hand-crafted. The beaded necklace is worn only on special occasions like traditional weddings, going to church, and special occasions like New Yam Festival, Christmas, funeral of a king or the Queen, and so many other occasions. Some people used it to decorate their hair during the traditional marriage.
The second symbol is a yam that represents a New Yam festival. The New Yam festival is an annual festival by the Igbo people that is hold at the end of the rainy season. It is a practice mainly among the Igbos in the eastern states of Nigeria, symbolizing the end of a harvest and the beginning of next farm work cycle. The yam is the most important crop in the region and it is the last to be harvested. The day of the festival is a symbol of enjoyment after the cultivation season and the harvest is shared with, family members, friends and well-wishers.
The third symbol is a Nigerian red cap. The red cap is a symbol of authority and a title holder in the culture and tradition of the Igbo people. It represents the institution of power and leadership among Igbo men. The “Igwe” and “Eze” meaning the kings and the traditional rulers, and their cabinets wear the long red cap with feathers attached to it. The number of feathers attached to this long red cap indicates the level of importance the person has gained in the ruling council. Another type is the small round red cap that is usually worn by the king’s council members from different villages. The red cap is an identity of an Igbo man who is qualified to wear it. They wear it to different occasion such as traditional marriage, weddings, new yam festival, and burial of important dignitaries. It is an identity heirloom culture and tradition in Igbo land. It identifies Igbo man and its culture in whole world.
All the aforementioned symbols are important to me because they are part of my culture, my heritage and they make up who I am today. Through these few symbols I have learned more about myself than I knew before. To preserve my tradition I will try to teach people about Nigerian and about being an Igbo person. I feel that every tradition is important, so by learning more about mine I think everyone should try to learn more about where they come from and their heritage.
The first symbol is the Nigerian beaded necklace. This necklace represents Nigerian women mostly married women in Igbo land. There are special beads that are worn by titled men too. The necklace could be a different colors and different designs, but the most common colors are red and white. It could be long
or short depending on who is wearing it. Some of them come with earrings, bracelets and rings. The necklace is made from traditional beads, sand glass beads or coral seed beads, and most of them are hand-crafted. The beaded necklace is worn only on special occasions like traditional weddings, going to church, and special occasions like New Yam Festival, Christmas, funeral of a king or the Queen, and so many other occasions. Some people used it to decorate their hair during the traditional marriage.
The second symbol is a yam that represents a New Yam festival. The New Yam festival is an annual festival by the Igbo people that is hold at the end of the rainy season. It is a practice mainly among the Igbos in the eastern states of Nigeria, symbolizing the end of a harvest and the beginning of next farm work cycle. The yam is the most important crop in the region and it is the last to be harvested. The day of the festival is a symbol of enjoyment after the cultivation season and the harvest is shared with, family members, friends and well-wishers.
The third symbol is a Nigerian red cap. The red cap is a symbol of authority and a title holder in the culture and tradition of the Igbo people. It represents the institution of power and leadership among Igbo men. The “Igwe” and “Eze” meaning the kings and the traditional rulers, and their cabinets wear the long red cap with feathers attached to it. The number of feathers attached to this long red cap indicates the level of importance the person has gained in the ruling council. Another type is the small round red cap that is usually worn by the king’s council members from different villages. The red cap is an identity of an Igbo man who is qualified to wear it. They wear it to different occasion such as traditional marriage, weddings, new yam festival, and burial of important dignitaries. It is an identity heirloom culture and tradition in Igbo land. It identifies Igbo man and its culture in whole world.
All the aforementioned symbols are important to me because they are part of my culture, my heritage and they make up who I am today. Through these few symbols I have learned more about myself than I knew before. To preserve my tradition I will try to teach people about Nigerian and about being an Igbo person. I feel that every tradition is important, so by learning more about mine I think everyone should try to learn more about where they come from and their heritage.