Explore a rich collection of images that capture the essence of Igbo culture, history, and traditions. This category features photographs with detailed descriptions, showcasing various aspects of Igbo life, including art, fashion, archaeology, architecture, and more.
This black and white photograph, taken by G.I. Jones in the 1930s, showcases five intricately carved wooden figures representing Igbo ancestral figures. These figures are placed within an obi, in Ohafia. The photograph is part of the Jones Archive at Southern Illinois University. The figures vary in height and are…
These towers are far from mere remnants of the past. They were vital strongholds built during a tumultuous period – the brutal era of the transatlantic slave trade (15th-19th centuries). As you gaze upon their sturdy forms, captured in Zbigniew Dmochowski’s photographs, imagine the Igbo communities of that time facing…
This photograph was taken by G. F. Packer in 1889 and is source from the Pitt Rivers Museum. It features a trader from Timbuktu and a rich trading woman, who who might be a member of the Onitsha women’s Otu Odu society, or an Omu, the female counterpart to the…
The image features Obi John Samuel Okolo Okosi I, the first Christian Obi of Onitsha, seated in a dignified manner. He is dressed in European-style royal attire, including an ornate crown and a richly adorned robe, signifying his high status. The backdrop includes two emblems with crowns, enhancing the regal…
The image is a black and white photograph of Chief Obudugbo, also known as Ezeana of Neni, taken by Northcote Thomas around 1910-11. Chief Obudugbo is dressed in traditional attire, including a necklace with large beads and a patterned garment, reflecting his high status within the Igbo community. Chief Obudugbo…
