Abstract
The village arena (or ‘square’ or ‘Otobo’ in Nsukka Igbo) is at the physical and socio-cultural centre of Igbo life, in southeast Nigeria. It is a space where intangible Igbo cultural heritage is played out, and also serves as a virtual museum where heritage materials are kept. The arena performs its roles in two very different ways: as a sacred space hosting initiation rites and religious rituals; and as a profane space for meetings and ceremonies. Either way, these uses see the arena transition between permanency and temporality, following routines and rhythms which themselves give the practices meaning and significance, and contribute to their inscription on the landscape. This paper explores the complexities associated with these village arenas with a particular focus on their socio-cultural, political, economic and religious functions through time, as well as the way those complexities are manifest in material cultures that serve to characterize the village arena.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 7-22 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | World Archaeology |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 1 Jun 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Bibliographical note
© 2018 Informa UK Limited. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.Keywords
- Igbo
- Nigeria
- Village arena
- permanent space
- rhythmanalysis
- temporary space