Okoroshi-Owu Festival Starts in July and ends in the first week of August. Before the performance starts proper, the custodians of the cultures will put every necessary thing in place to enable a fun-fare and successful festival and this includes informing the villagers about the festival as well as them being in a celebrating mood.
During these periods, the movement of people is restricted from 5:am to 10:pm. Since it is a gender bias, women are not allowed to participate in the performance but are part of the culture through her representative Ada Owu (Owu daughter), usually one in Obudi. Outside the Ada Owu, and the Owu initiates, the rest of the population of Obudi’s movement are restricted from10:pm; and if need be, such can only happen with the help of an initiates who informs the performing night masquerade that ofekel(a non-initiates or Aguotu for women is coming) and it will make way for them to pass.
Ugly masquerades perform day and night. Its daily performance commences from 6: am and ends at 7:pm. Between the hours of 7:pm to 9:59 pm, the normal movement of the people continues and will end by 10; pm; which marks their night performance till 5:am. All ugly masquerades perform in all the four days of Igbo’s weekly calendar except on Nkwo Days; while the beautiful masquerade performs
Okoroshi-Owu Festival Starts in July and ends in the first week of August. Before the performance starts proper, the custodians of the cultures will put every necessary thing in place to enable a fun-fare and successful festival and this includes informing the villagers about the festival as well as them being in a celebrating mood.
During these periods, the movement of people is restricted from 5:am to 10:pm. Since it is a gender bias, women are not allowed to participate in the performance but are part of the culture through her representative Ada Owu (Owu daughter), usually one in Obudi. Outside the Ada Owu, and the Owu initiates, the rest of the population of Obudi’s movement are restricted from10:pm; and if need be, such can only happen with the help of an initiates who informs the performing night masquerade that ofekel(a non-initiates or Aguotu for women is coming) and it will make way for them to pass.
Ugly masquerades perform day and night. Its daily performance commences from 6: am and ends at 7:pm. Between the hours of 7:pm to 9:59 pm, the normal movement of the people continues and will end by 10; pm; which marks their night performance till 5:am. All ugly masquerades perform in all the four days of Igbo’s weekly calendar except on Nkwo Days; while the beautiful masquerade performs