Daughters of Nri

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Daughters of Nri Page 31

by Reni K Amayo


  I want to give a special thanks to my sisters, by blood, Amar and Simi, and by fate, Mariam. We’ve undergone a hard but incredibly rewarding journey with this book. Thank you for supporting me every step of the way. Thank you for giving me the confidence to share my story with the world. Thank you for telling me how much you loved it and thank you for being fiercely honest with the improvements that needed to be made. Thank you for staying up several nights with me to make book boxes and other miscellaneous things that helped to bring this story to the world. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the work that you have all put into Daughters of Nri. This book, this experience, wouldn’t be what it is without you. Thank you especially, Mariam, for dedicating your time and patience to help publish this book. You are my angel.

  Thank you to Ade, for constantly reassuring me and being there for me to vent. Thank you for letting me bounce ideas around with you and for always providing a safe space for me. Thank you to my Mum and Dad for telling me stories about home that helped shape the world in this book. Thank you for telling me that I deserved everything the world had to offer. Thank you for supporting me through this journey and for your unbridled excitement through every step of the way. Thank you, AJ for being so eager to help and get involved. Thank you Aunty Chichi for allowing me to consult you about the wonderful Igbo words that helped to make this book magical.

  I’d also like to thank Donna, Alice and Troon, my brilliant editors, and every single person who has helped to shape this book.

  Thank you once again to the reader. I hope you enjoyed the magic of this world; I can’t wait to share more with you.

  DICTIONARY OF WORDS

  Word (Pronunciation)

  Language

  Meaning

  Abara (Ahh-baa-rah)

  Igbo

  A double-edged sword, originally used by the Ika people of Delta State, Nigeria

  Afọ (Ahh-for)

  Igbo

  3rd day of the Igbo week system

  Agbala (Ag-bah-la)

  Igbo

  Priestess of Ala; She is in charge of executing punishments against individuals who commit immoral acts

  Agwu (Ahhg-kwoo)

  Igbo

  God of health and divination; the trickster deity, who enjoys confusing human

  Ajo-nmuo (Ahh-gee-ohn-moh)

  Igbo

  Demon

  Akara (Ahh-cah-rah)

  Igbo

  Tainted; Marked

  Akwa (Ahh-kwa)

  Igbo

  Nest

  Akwa Akwete (Ahh-kwa Ak-wet-tay)

  Igbo

  A unique handwoven fabric of Igbo women of Akwete in Abia State, Nigeria. Akwete cloth weaving is said to be as old as the Igbo nation.

  Akwụkwọ (Ahh-kwu-kwoh)

  Igbo

  Green leaf

  Akwụna (Ahh-kwu-nah)

  Igbo

  Prostitute

  Ala (Ahh-la)

  Igbo

  Earth Goddess; female diety of the earth, fertility, creativity and morality

  Algaita (Al-hai-ta)

  Hausa

  A woodwind instrument with double reed in the Northwest African savannah; also known as algaitu

  Alijanesu-ojoo (Ahh-li-jah-neh-su-o-joh)

  Nsinri

  Demon

  Amadioha (Am-ahh-dee-owm-ha)

  Igbo

  God of justice; Metaphysically, Amadioha represents the collective will of the people; he speaks and strikes through thunder

  Amaghi (Ama-yee)

  Igbo

  Mysterious; unknown

  Anwansi (Ann-wan-zy)

  Igbo

  Magic

  Biko (Bee-co)

  Igbo

  Please

  Chi (Ch-ee)

  Igbo

  Chi, the spirit believed to inhabit each individual; soul

  Chukwu (Choo-kwu)

  Igbo

  God

  Chukwu Di Mma (Choo-kwu dee-ma)

  Igbo

  God is good; good God

  Dada (Dah-dah)

  Yoruba

  A child born with naturally mattted or locked hair that cannot be combed

  Daga (Dah-gah)

  Igbo

  Knife

  Dambe (Dem-bay)

  Hausa

  Dambe is a form of boxing associated with the Hausa people of West Africa

  Dibia (Deeb-pee-yah)

  Igbo

  Mediators between the human world and the spirit world

  Efere (Eh-fair-reh)

  Igbo

  Plate

  Efuolas (Eh-fu-oh-lah)

  Nsinri

  Illegitimate

  Ehuru (Eh-oo-rue)

  Igbo

  A spice similar to nutmeg

  Eke (Eh-kay)

  Igbo

  1st day of the Igbo week system

  Ekwensu (Eh-kwen-zoh)

  Igbo

  God of bargaining and war; ruled over the wicked spirits and the chaotic forces of nature

  Elu (Eh-lu)

  Igbo

  High

  Ero (Eh-ro)

  Igbo

  Fungi

  Gawa (Gah-wah)

  Igbo

  Move; go

  Gburugburu (Goh-bu-rue)

  Igbo

  Round

  Ikenga (Ee-ken-gah)

  Igbo

  Literal meaning “place of strength”; a horned deity; personal god of human endeavor, achievement, success, and victor

  Lolo (Louw-louw)

  Igbo

  Lady; revered woman

  Mami wata (Mah-me woh-ta)

  Pidgin

  Water spirit; mermaid

  Mgbapu (Mm-ng-bah-pu)

  Igbo

  Going away; leaving; running away

  Mmiri (Mm-ee-ree)

  Igbo

  Water

  Mmo (Mm-moh)

  Igbo

  Spirit

  Ndewo (Nn-de-oh)

  Igbo

  Greeting; welcome

  Ndụ (Nn-du)

  Igbo

  Life

  Nkwọ (Nn-kwo)

  Igbo

  4th day of the Igbo week system

  Nkwobi (N-wkoh-bee)

  Igbo

  A delicious dish consisting of cooked cow foot mixed in spicy palm oil paste

  Nnunu (Nn-nu-nu)

  Igbo

  Bird

  Nwunye (Nn-wun-ye)

  Igbo

  Wife

  Nzuzuo (Nn-zuh-zwo)

  Nsinri

  Secret

  Ọbara (Oh-bah-rah)

  Igbo

  Blood

  Obi (Oh-bee)

  Igbo

  An aristocratic title, meaning either elder in the first instance or chief in the second; also symbollically meaning heart

  Ofo (Oh-for)

  Igbo

  A staff carried by selected Igbo elder men

  Oga (O-ga)

  Pidgin

  Boss; master

  Ọkụ (O-ku) Igbo Fire

  Ọnụ ụzọ (Onour uh-zoh) Igbo Entrance; portal

  Ọnwa (Oh-wah) Igbo Moonlight Daughters of Nri-BFORMAT-p.indd 440 04/09/2019 08:32 441

  Ọnye Nyocha (On-yay Ny-oh-cha)

  Igbo

  Reporter; someone who reports; spy

  Onyinyo (Oh-nin-yo)

  Igbo

  Shadow

  Orie (Oh-rey)

  Igbo

  2nd day of the Igbo week system

  Osigwu (Osi-gu)

  Nsinri

  Midwife

  Otjize (Oht-jeeze)

  Herero

  A mixture of butterfat and ochre pigment used by the Himba people of Namibia to protect themselves from the harsh desert climate

  Otomy (Oh-toh-me)

  Nsinri

  Atoms; miniscule particles

  Ozo (Oh-zoh)

  Igbo

  Sir; revered man

  Sayensi (Sigh-en-see)

  Nsinri
r />   Science

  Shekeres (Sheh-ke-reh)

  Yoruba

  A percussion instrument consisting of a dried gourd with beads or cowries woven into a net covering the gourd

  Uchie (Oo-chee)

  Igbo

  A delta region; Uchie tree, flame trees originating from Uchie

  Ugu (Oo-gu)

  Igbo

  Pumpkin

  Umu ada ogu (Uh-moo ahh-dah oh-gu)

  Nsinri

  Warrior goddess

  Ụtọ (Uh-toh)

  Igbo

  Sweet

  Zoro (Zoh-roh)

  Nsinri

  A grey material that can change its state instantly

  Udara (Uh-dah-rah)

  Igbo

  An African cherry fruit with a chewable, edible skin that ranges from green to orange depending on its ripeness

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Contents

  Praise for Daughters of Nri

  Copyright

  *

  Map 1

  Map 2

  The Trials to Ala

  The Trials to Ala

  1. The Black and Gold Oracle

  2. The White Mahogany Tree

  3. Death at the Window

  4. The Birth

  5. The Namibian Cook and the Efuọla Girl

  6. The Visitor from the City of Nri

  7. The Chief’s Fatal Mistake

  8. A Walk to the Soldiers’ Quarters

  9. The Emerald-Eyed Soldier

  10. The Request

  11. The Survivors

  12. Ọnye Nyocha

  13. The Girl who Shook the Earth

  14. The Seven Obis

  15. An Old Friend

  16. A Series of Games

  17. The Three Puppet Masters

  18. Asilia Wakes from her Slumber

  19. The Midnight Meeting

  20. The Girl who Fought

  21. The Head General’s Key

  22. The Timbukan Scholar

  23. An Idea Forms at Breakfast

  24. A Gift for Ina

  25. The Journey to Udi

  26. Enikan

  27. The Obis’ Court

  28. The Coward

  29. The Right Question

  30. Ashes to Ashes

  31. Meekulu’s Cave

  32. Taken

  33. Sharp Arrows and Soft Hearts

  34. The Basements

  35. The Akwụna

  36. The Ìhè Courtyard

  37. New Arrivals

  38. No Light

  39. Born of Black and Gold

  40. Dancing Leaves

  41. Strained Lunches

  42. Four Friends

  43. The Nzuzo Gardens

  44. The Flame Tree

  45. A Night’s Dance

  46. A Parchment from the Eze

  47. Wooden Boxes

  48. The Golden Doors

  49. The Hidden Villagers

  50. Wooden Darts

  51. The Ndụ Crystal

  52. The Daughters of Nri

  Acknowledgments

  Dictionary of Words

 

 

 


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