Ritual Dirt and Purification Rites Among the Igbo

This article explores the Igbo purification ritual and the meaning of dirt used in that tradition. The Igbo, the author argues, see dirt as essentially religious phenomena. Their ideas about pollution and purification, as well as prohibition, have a wide array of social and psychologial functions in...

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Published in:Journal of religion in Africa 1985, Vol.15 (1), p.3-24
Main Author: Ikenga-Metuh, Emefie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
African culture
Deities
Divinity
Environmental pollution
Ethnology
Incest
Priests
Purification rituals
Religion
Religion, magic, witchcraft
Religions, beliefs, worships
Religious beliefs
Religious rituals
Rites, ceremonies
Rituals
Sociology and Anthropology
Traditions
Water pollution
Yams
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container_title Journal of religion in Africa
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creator Ikenga-Metuh, Emefie
description This article explores the Igbo purification ritual and the meaning of dirt used in that tradition. The Igbo, the author argues, see dirt as essentially religious phenomena. Their ideas about pollution and purification, as well as prohibition, have a wide array of social and psychologial functions in Igbo culture.
doi_str_mv 10.1163/157006685X00020
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ispartof Journal of religion in Africa, 1985, Vol.15 (1), p.3-24
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subjects Africa
African culture
Deities
Divinity
Environmental pollution
Ethnology
Incest
Priests
Purification rituals
Religion
Religion, magic, witchcraft
Religions, beliefs, worships
Religious beliefs
Religious rituals
Rites, ceremonies
Rituals
Sociology and Anthropology
Traditions
Water pollution
Yams
title Ritual Dirt and Purification Rites Among the Igbo
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