A simple look at the Jamaican culture will reveal a lot of similarities with the Igbos, this similarities even extend to the language.
From the food, dance, music and even festivals in Jamaica, the relation to the Igbos is very striking.
This is not surprising, considering that during the 18th and 19th centuries, Igbo people were taken in relatively high numbers to Jamaica as slaves.
The Igbo people are native to South-Eastern Nigeria and have many interesting customs and traditions. With a population of around 40 million throughout Nigeria, they are one of the biggest and most influential tribes.
The “Red Ibo” or “Red Eboe” was used to refer to the Igbo slaves in Jamaica because of their light skin. Igbo slaves were distinguished physically by their fair or “yellow” skin tones, a stereotype which persists to present-day Nigeria.
Originating primarily from the Bight of Biafra in West Africa, Igbo people were taken in comparatively high numbers to Jamaica as slaves. Besides Virginia, Jamaica was the second most common disembarkation point for slave ships arriving from Biafra.
Cane cutters in Jamaica.
Their presence had a great influence in forming Jamaican culture. Igbo cultural influence remains in language, dance, music, folklore, cuisine, religion and mannerisms.
In Jamaica, the Igbo were often referred to as Eboe or Ibo. There are a substantial number of Igbo language loanwords in Jamaican Patois language.
One of the major results is the infusion of some Igbo words into the Jamaican Patois.
Some of these words include:
Unu: You people
Ima osu (Jamaica) Imu oso (Igbo): to hiss by sucking your teeth
Akara (Jamaica) Akàrà (Igbo): bean cake
Soso (Jamaica) Sọsọ (Igbo): only
Also, the yam festival celebrated in Jamaica; Jonkonnu, was introduced by the Igbos.
The Jonkonnu festival held in Jamaica. The festival is very similar to the New Yam Festival celebrated by the Igbos.
In Nigeria, it is simply called the New Yam Festival.
Jonkonnu is a masquerade festival held in Jamaica which is attributed to the Njoku Ji or “yam-spirit cult”, Okonko and Ekpe of the Igbo. Natives also allege that the Ibu Town is named after the Ibo slaves.
The Igbo also influenced the culture with actions such as “sucking-teeth” coming from the Igbo “ima osu” and “cutting-eye” from Igbo “iro anya”.
According to the Guardian, “From Jamaica’s history, the Igbos influenced the culture, music, the pouring of libation, the “ibo” style, idioms, language and way of life of the Jamaicans.
The Jamaicans are so related to the ways of the Igbos such that it is not uncommon to see Jamaicans watch Igbo Nollywood movies. Some of their rural areas are very similar to the Igbo’s in Eastern Nigeria.”
From history, Igbo slaves were known to resist enslavement.
An important account of their resistance is when 250 Igbo men in Saint Elizabeth’s Parish conspired to kill every white man in the land in what is now known as the 1815 Igbo conspiracy.
The following year, that is 1816, another revolt tagged the Black River rebellion plot was uncovered after a novelist Matthew Gregory “Monk” Lewis took a recording of their song:
Oh me good friend, Mr Wilberforce, make we free!
God Almighty thank ye! God Almighty thank ye!
God Almighty, make we free!
Buckra in this country no make we free:
What Negro for to do? What Negro for to do?
Take force by force! Take force by force!
ALL:
To be sure! to be sure! to be sure!
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These two events massively contributed to the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act.
The Igbo slaves were also popular for committing suicide as they believed it would return their spirits back to their homeland. Another popular resistance is the Igbo Landing, where about 75 slaves took over their boat and matched back into the water to drown, singing and chanting in Igbo. This was in Georgia.
Multiple Grammy award winner; Beyoncé, in a track on her 2016 album, relied heavily on imagery from the Igbo Landing, sparking discussion internationally about the historical event.
Beyonce’s “Igbo landing” depiction
The video of the track was set in a marshy area, and it shows Beyoncé leading a group of black women into the water, almost as if they are about to drown themselves.
REFERENCES:
- WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_people_in_Jamaica
- WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_Landing
- PULSE NG: https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/did-you-know-about-the-igbo-people-of-jamaica/t4l1pb0
- GUARDIAN NG: https://guardian.ng/life/culture-lifestyle/a-brief-profile-of-the-igbo-people-of-jamaica-2/
