The Ohafia War Dance (Igbo: ikpirikpi ogu) is a popular war dance performed in several parts of Eastern Nigeria.
01 · What it is
Dance
Live movement, rhythm, costume, or staged dramatic performance passed between generations.
02 · Where & name
Geography awaiting source
Add a cited source naming the region or community that carries it.
03 · How it is doing
□□□□ (Not yet assessed)
Documented in open cultural records, but no cited field assessment of its current vitality has been added here yet.
04 · Proof & reuse
2 cited sources
Every claim links to a public record below. Free to quote, teach, and share under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Chapter Takeaways
OriginAccording to oral history, the ancestors of Ohafia were renowned to be mighty men of war who were always on the lookout for wars to take part in.
PerformanceThe Ohafia War Dance which is also performed to celebrate an individual's achievement is headed by a lead dancer carrying a basket full of human skulls (Igbo: oyaya) while holding a short cutlass and a small palm shoot…
Common Questions Answered on Record
What is Ohafia War Dance in plain words?
The Ohafia War Dance (Igbo: ikpirikpi ogu) is a popular war dance performed in several parts of Eastern Nigeria.
Where is Ohafia War Dance practised or documented?
No verified geographic place has been linked on record yet — editors can add a cited place from the edit page.
What is the current condition of Ohafia War Dance today?
□□□□ (Not yet assessed): Documented in open cultural records, but no cited field assessment of its current vitality has been added here yet.
How do I cite or share this Ohafia War Dance entry?
Cite as: "Ohafia War Dance." folkroom, https://folkroom.org/art-forms/ohafia-war-dance, text CC BY-SA, with attribution.
The Ohafia War Dance (Igbo: ikpirikpi ogu) is a popular war dance performed in several parts of Eastern Nigeria. The dance which has its roots from Ohafia is performed by a group of muscular men in commemoration of their strength in fighting and winning wars in the past. 1
Origin
According to oral history, the ancestors of Ohafia were renowned to be mighty men of war who were always on the lookout for wars to take part in. The Ohafia warrior tradition which remains one of the fundamental identity of the people of Ohafia is hinged in the performance of ikpirikpi ogu - the practice of beheading a fallen enemy. A human skull is a proof of a man's courage and strength. Only those who brought home a human head could join the Ogbu-Isi society and wear an eagle's plume which is a symbol of courage. 1
Performance
The Ohafia War Dance which is also performed to celebrate an individual's achievement is headed by a lead dancer carrying a basket full of human skulls (Igbo: oyaya) while holding a short cutlass and a small palm shoot in his mouth, while his fellow dancers dressed like fierce warriors mime the cutting off of human head while dancing to the music from the akwatankwa musical instrument thus portraying Ohafia as a land of brave warriors. 1
The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Ohafia War Dance”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. 1
Ohafia War Dance is type of dance, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. 2
The source record links this tradition to 1 external register, which can be verified through the citation. 2
