Ọgụ Afọ Ndi Igbo, the Igbo calendar or “Igbo year count”, a foundational element of Igbo culture, has for the most part, been replaced by the Gregorian calendar as a means of reckoning time in Igboland. The inestimable and seemingly irreparable loss of knowledge occasioned by this near abandonment of Ọgụ Afọ Ndi Igbo, exemplifies the weakened links that bind us together in an unrelenting cultural impoverishment. This primarily four-principled constellation of time constitutes an ancient system of knowledge and serves as a cultural container of Igbo cosmology, spirituality, philosophy, metaphysics, and language. In short, Ọgụ Afọ Ndi Igbo, is a sacred way of life. This original way of being human has become an imperative for us in the diaspora, for whom sustained epistemicide has occasioned a deprivation of lineage, language, and culture. We argue for a return to the privileging of Ọgụ Afọ Ndi Igbo and the recognition of Ọgụ Afọ Ndi Igbo as an encyclopedia, a comprehensive summary of Igbo knowledge. We posit Ọgụ Afọ Ndi Igbo as a didactic tool that will bridge the knowledge gap and address the epistemicide rooted in racism, slavery, colonialism, and other attendant evils. The linguo-cultural reconnection afforded by a return to correct timekeeping is also a repair of the disconnect between the modern Igbo and natural rhythms which constitute the intellectual legacy of our pre-Christian forbears. Proper knowledge of and access to Ọgụ Afọ Ndi Igbo will revitalize Africana culture as we weave ourselves anew from ancient threads of timelessness, and reconnect with the sacred rhythm of this our mother earth, Ala.
Why Attend?
- Learn how to use the Igbo Calendar.
- Be part of the movement advocating for the use Africana calendar systems.
- Be part of the movement advocating for the repeal of the Obeah Law and the decriminalization of African spiritual traditions in Jamaica.
- Appreciation of Obeah/Ọbịa practice as a science of time.
- Connect with a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about Cultural reclamation, religious freedom and exiting the Gregorian time matrix.
- Understand the relationship between the Igbo calendar systems and Caribbean Ọbịa [Obeah]
- Participate in the interactive exploration of time as a healing modality.
How to Support:
- Share this event with your networks and invite others to join us.
- Donate to support our advocacy for legal reform and public education.
- Engage in discussions on how we can reclaim our heritage by reconnecting with each other through ancient African systems of timekeeping.
Learn More
Without you we would not be able to create an intentional space to connect, learn, reflect, and grow. We invite you to sign the petition to assist decriminalize a law that has disconnected people of African descent from African spiritual practices. We are also collecting donations to continue to work on decriminalizing Obeah and invite you to donate here. We invite you to sign the petition to aid in decriminalizing Obeah. We will be providing a peaceful, learning and healing space for all attendees. We invite you to show up with an open heart, an open mind, and willingness to learn. Let’s unite to dismantle the legacy of colonial oppression and honor the resilience of African spiritual traditions. Together, we can effect real change.
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