Thursday In House News...

 I salute you all.......

BLOG VISITOR EGO CELEBRATES 40TH BIRTHDAY

She says.....

''I just want to thank God for giving me another year on earth. It's really a best moment in my life as I climb the 4th floor, also celebrating a milestone of my life.


BVs, join me and celebrate my 40th birthday, it is my Ruby jubilee.

Thank you Stelz for all your good works on this platform, I have really learnt a lot on your blog, I truly appreciate everyone here.

Ego...

Beautiful woman!!!

Happy 40th Birthday to you.. It is indeed wonderful to see a beautiful, self confident looking woman celebrating herself.

🥰😍🧡❤️

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IN HOUSE MEMO

How is everyone doing?

I bring greetings from BV Ceasar......

He sent an SMS to explain that he was swallowed with work but will resume commenting soon to torture you Ladies.....LOL *na una sabi*

Send in your Chronicles....

Send in your Omugwo stories

send in your labour room drama

send in what needs to be sent in....

May the rest of your day be peaceful and filled with love.

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INSIDE THE MIND OF A WOMAN GOING THROUGH MOTHERHOOD




I remember when my first was going to be one, there was so much anticipation in the air. Apart from it being his first birthday, he was not walking yet and all the grandmas and well wishers had assured me he was going to walk before or on his first birthday.

The birthday came and went and he didn’t walk, the pressure and calls started.

 Everyone meant well but it was overwhelming. A month later he wasn’t walking and all manner of suggestions and blame started.

By the time he was a year and two months I had made up my mind to tell everyone to back off and stop putting the boy and I under a lot of pressure. Few days to his one year and five months date. I was in the sitting room with my siblings, it was a good Friday before Easter and my boy stood up with his legs spread, tummy pushed out at an awkward angle and he took his first steps .

We all scared the poor boy with our screaming, we were so excited, he fell, got up again and this time around started running round the sitting room staggering. We were able to make a video of him. It was so beautiful to watch, similar story happened with his talking too, now when he calls mummy for the umpteenth time. I try to mask my frustration .

Today as I was shouting at him, to stop running In the house I remembered the days I used to pray for him to just walk.




Hehehehehehe that description of when he first got up to walk is so hilarious!

My first bambino started walking on his first birthday...he just got up and the shock on his face was evident as he took the first steps wearing hi walking shoes.

My eyes widened in shock and he started laughing when he saw me.....

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IJEOMA'S GIST CORNER
TRADITIONAL KIND OF OMUGWO

Today I want to go down Memory Lane as that local girl that I am. 

 Back in the days where I come from, Omugwo used to be very interesting and competitive amongst mothers of bride and the brides themselves. Those days, mothers don't go visiting for Omugwo, instead the brides come home to their mothers and before she comes, her hubby and mother must be fully prepared financially especially if it's the bride's first time of experiencing motherhood.


Her hubby sends message across to her mum that she's coming to her hometown for omugwo, her mum too will in turn call neighbors to do 'oronwa' (Mek una no vex, I no know the name for English oh). 

To do oronwa, she'll call neighbors and announce to them that her daughter has given birth and will be coming for omugwo, she'll buy drinks, biscuits, nkgwongwo, ugba garnished with pepper and kpomo and baby powders. Anyone that comes will have the powder rubbed on his/her body and have some drinks and others while the happy women sing loud childbirth songs joyously. They'll sing and dance with local Kongs till late in the night. As dem dey dance dey sing, na so orishirishi and choppings go dey go on till they return to their homes. Most times they don't go home empty handed, they go with toiletries each.


Then on the day the bride will finally come home to her people for Omugwo, hubby will go to the market to buy her big box, plenty latest wrappers and blouses, fine baby things to show he's taking good care of her (such things are what new mothers use to compete amongst themselves). The village people sef wey go come welcome her, some of dem na to see wetin she carry come so that there will be something to gossip about 


Her mum too will be waiting for her with plenty things to take care of her during the Omugwo. When she finally arrives, people welcome her happily with another round of dancing and eating.

Omugwo don start. 

 Below are some of the things she uses for her omugwo :


1. Ijah and traditional beads - 

Don't know the oyibo name for ijah, pls forgive me oh. 

This ijah is worn on their legs and the beads are expensive too. When they wear ijah, as they walk, it makes a special kind of sound, as she approaches, those around knows a new mother is coming or close. She dresses beautifully each day that passes with the beads and ijah anytime she goes out to greet people as the tradition demands while someone else will have to carry her baby. The only time a new mum carries her baby is when she wants to breastfeed, her mum and the rest of the family carries and cares for the baby all day long. She came to rest and be taken care of. The purpose of wearing ijah is to make her not work or assist in any kind of domestic work. 

Her only work is to eat, bath, sleep, wear expensive wrappers and blouses and breastfeed, shikinah.


2. Uri - 

Uri is a dark substance used to draw artificial tattoo on her body, to beautify her with different designs each day that passes


3. Uhe - 

Uhe is reddish in colour, she uses it on her skin to make her glow (no be today bleaching start).


These and many others are what she uses each day that passes. She's not expected to repeat clothes, na the competition be that.

Special meals are prepared for her with uda, big stock fish wey get ear, and big local fish like Elem, Elem Ogoni, okpo and different kinds of bush meats. Each time a bush beat is prepared for her, her father will hang the skull of the bushmeat in the kitchen, so as to know how many bush meats they killed for her and for outsiders to see too how they took good care of her.


Before she comes out of this omugwo, she's expected to put on plenty weight, glow and more beautiful. Her hubby comes once in a while to visit. So she has to look peng each time hubby comes. Because of how beautiful she's become, they'll warn hubby not to over touch to avoid another pregnancy.


Before she comes out of omugwo that lasts for at least three months, she performs two traditional rites/rituals:


1. Going to the riverside - 

It's a mini party, she dresses in her best outfit while others accompany her to the river with food and local songs. When she gets to the river, she'll be made to sit by the bank while they play local Kongs and dance. She joins in the dance and party along while they eat and drink



2. Going to the market -

 She'll go to the market on a market day where everyone will see her as she glows. Walks round the market with powder in her hands. As she powders anyone's face or body, the person gives her cash while other women followed with songs of joy. After she's done walking, they bring out the food and orishirishis and everyone eats. This marks the end of her omugwo, she's now allowed to go wherever she wants and also takes off the ijah and follows her hubby back to their home. 

As she's leaving, she'll have to keep her box and some of the wrappers for her mom as a 'thank you' package.

As she leaves, her mum carries herself with pride, e no easy na. If you're a mother and you no do omugwo for your pikin, you can't talk where she's talking na, she be your mate? hahahahahaha.

This is really really interesting and sounds better than the one the Mother will visit and the husband will begin to carry face or his family disturb  or the hubby begins to eye the mum and others... I love the igbo tradition so much!

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