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By Emeka Chiaghanam

The almost serene atmosphere at the Umudioka Cultural Centre, Neni, Anaocha LGA of Anambra State in Eastern Nigeria began to witness a surge of crowds into the centre late in the afternoon on the last day of December 2024, as drumbeats from a traditional troupe at the far corner of the right stand filled the air.

The 5,000-capacity centre was the venue for the celebration of an ancient tattooing practice festival known as the Nka Dioka Cultural Festival with the theme, "Promoting Tourism Through Culture," it is celebrated every year-end by the Umudioka community in Neni Town.

The rectangular-shaped centre which has a two-decked structure on the left and a single deck to the right has an entrance from an inner town road. The expansive cultural centre with its modern look has a seating arrangement similar to that of a stadium, with a ground space suitable for almost any event. The tops of the decks were mostly decorated with red, white, and a mixture of green satin materials in some parts, while the top of the ground deck was adorned with white satin material. On designated spots and on canopies on the pitch were displayed banners and flags indicating various groups, such as age grades cultural associations, and dignitaries, highlighting the cultural significance of the event.

The cultural centre filled with a crowd of enthusiastic people, had more adults in traditional attire and ceremonial clothing gave the place a beautiful scene to behold.

The centre's famed museum is situated at the extreme of the first deck on left from the entrance and measures the standard size of two rooms with sufficient ventilation for its exhibitions. The museum has a collection of artifacts, sculptures, and pictures that reflect the people’s cultural heritage. The pictures depict various activities and events related to Nka Dioka practices and symbolism and the festival some of which date back 40 years.

The statue of Dioka the progenitor of the Umudioka dynasty, stands at a prominent spot at the end of the ground space opposite the entrance, and adjacent the administrative hall and his apprentice, known as Nwankpa in the local parlance, stood behind holding Dioka's bag.

Speaking on the importance of the festival, Chief Hyginus Mbaonu, the President-General of the  Umudioka Community, said that the festival, now in its 46th year, serves as a platform to celebrate the year's achievements and honour eminent individuals from the community. He explained that the festival has its origin in Umudioka community, one of the villages that make up the Neni community noting that the traditional tattooing practice is solely for beautification, and maintains that Umudioka is the only community that carries out this practice.

According to Chief Mbaonu, the ichi tattoo is practiced by individuals of all ages and performed similarly for both sexes, with the only exception being Iwa-eze (tooth-gaping), for both sexes, ‘’for males, the incision is referred to as ichi or Igbu-ichi (face tattooing), which is carried out on the face, while for females, it is called Itu-mbubo (abdominal tattooing), done on the tummy and the upper chest area,’’ he said.

He also noted that in the past, the incision performed on women's tummies was more visible due to their clothing style, which was different from today’s fashion that covers their tummies. He emphasized that the tattooing was done solely for beautification and that it does not affect conception in any way. "It is not everyone who carries out the practice; one must undergo the process," he said. "Like the pictures in this museum, you will see some people with a type of knife to show that it is a trade for some, not for everybody."

Chief Mbaonu further clarified that the craft of tattooing is not based on family lineage or association. He stressed that in the past, ichi was done in Umudioka for children as young as seven years old. He highlighted that this practice is unique to Umudioka Neni.

He further stated that the festival plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting the culture and traditions of the Igbo people. "It brings together Umudioka people from all over the world and serves as a census, highlighting our love for the tradition and the way it is practiced outside Umudioka to beautify people."

Chief Paul Muotolum, the past President-General of the Umudioka Community and Chairman of the Planning and Implementation Committee, shared his insights on the Nka Dioka festival. He explained that the festival celebrates the homecoming of Neni people who have traveled far and wide to practice the art of tattooing. It also serves as a platform for census. According to Chief Muotolum, the practice of ichi is important because it marks the coming of age for males. He emphasized that before one is initiated into the prestigious Ozo society, they must first undergo the ichi rites.

He added that in the past, anyone with the ichi incision could not be sold into slavery, as it was a symbol of maturity and status. "We no longer practice the rites as they were originally done," Chief Muotolum said. "Today, we only carry out the ceremonial aspect of it." He further cautioned that attempting to perform the rite as it was traditionally done could be dangerous, as it is a high-powered science that is not suitable for practice in the present day. "Carrying out the practice today may lead to death," he remarked.

Chief Edwin Ezeude, a prominent community leader in Umudioka, sharing his views on the relevance of the Dioka festival explained that the festival serves as a time for Umudioka people to come together at the end of the year to thank God for His blessings. "In the past, while some people would dread traveling to certain places, Umudioka people would traverse such areas," he said. "During the Dioka festival, if any Umudioka person is not seen, it means that they are either missing or in need of help, and we immediately launch a search for them."

He also highlighted the importance of travel and learning from others, saying that the Dioka trade provides an opportunity for Umudioka people to learn from communities outside their own. "When you travel, you learn from others whose ways may differ from yours," Chief Ezeude noted. "Whatever you learn during your journey, you bring back to enrich our community."

Another key aspect of the festival, according to Chief Ezeude, is the opportunity to express gratitude to the local deities in their community. "We use this time to appreciate and thank the local deities that have been instrumental to our well-being," he explained.

The festival has evolved over time, with charity now being incorporated into the event to help the less privileged in the community. Chief Ezeude further shared that in the past, the incision on the face was believed to have healing properties for certain ailments. "For those with dental issues, the face incision provided a solution," he concluded.

Seventy-four-year-old Mrs. Eucharia Uchenna  who shared her thoughts on the meaning of Nka Dioka, a practice they sometimes referred to as Mma Nka, said "Nka Dioka is a practice we often take to other towns to perform.’’  Continuing she said, "In the past, the Ichi rite helped us identify and know where a person was from. This tradition started long before I was born, though it has undergone some changes over the years."

Mrs. Uchenna emphasized the cultural importance of the practice, particularly for women. "For women, this rite tells a happy story that they have come of age," she said. "To some extent, the rite also helps women to be healthier and overcome certain challenges." She also highlighted the moral aspect of the practice, noting that once the rite is performed, the individual is expected to uphold high moral standards. "It is expected that once the rite is performed on you, you must be upright in your moral conduct," she concluded.

Chief Raphael Udeze, a respected community leader, spoke about the significance of the tattooing practice in their culture. "What we are doing today is part of a long-standing tradition," he said. "We met our forefathers performing this rite. In the past, to become an Ozo titleholder, you had to have the Ichi incision. We are known for performing this rite on others, and at the end of the year, every Umudioka person must return to participate in the Nka Dioka festival."

He continued, "If someone doesn't return for the festival, it signifies that they are missing, and we dispatch a search team to look for them. We know where or which town they went to. The Ichi rite has no specific rite for its performance; it varies from town to town. Dioka from Umudioka goes to various towns to carry out the task."

Chief Udeze also emphasized the role of the festival in showcasing the Igbo culture and tradition, particularly that of Umudioka. "We are the only ones who perform the Nka rite in the whole of Igbo land. Other Umudioka people in different towns, such as Umudioka Awkuzu in Oyi LGA and Umudioka in Dunukofia LGA, practice the Ichi rite, but only Umudioka Neni performs the full rite," he explained.

While the traditional practice has changed over time due to colonial influences, Chief Udeze noted that the symbolic aspects are still carried out today. "We no longer carry out the full practice because colonialization put an end to it. Since then, if someone still wants the Ichi, it will be performed symbolically. If you want to be initiated into the Ozo society today, you must perform the rite, but it is done symbolically, not the way it was done in the past."

He added that in Umudioka Neni, every child between 5 and 7 years old is expected to perform the Ichi rite to learn the practice and be able to pass it on to others. However, he pointed out that no one is initiated into the Ozo society in Umudioka Neni without having gone through the rite, even if it is now performed symbolically. "Since the rite is no longer in full practice, we hardly recognize where people come from based on this," he noted.

He further explained the differences in the practice across various communities, saying, "While the Imbubu incision was done on women’s tummies and upper chest regions to show they were ripe for marriage, in places like Udi in Enugu State, they perform it on women's faces. We, Dioka from Umudioka Neni, perform the rite in the way that various communities want it, even for those that wore the tribal marks seen on both sides of the mouth."

Chief Udeze also mentioned that certain communities do not participate in the Ichi practice carried out by Dioka from Umudioka Neni, such as the Tiv people from Benue State, who carry out their own version.

Mr. Sunny Ibeanu, a member of the Anyi Bu Ofu Age Grade, the age grade responsible for this year's festival, spoke about the cultural significance of the Nka Dioka festival and highlighted that different age grades organize the festival each year. 'The Nka Dioka festival is a cultural legacy passed down to us by our forefathers,' he said. 'The festival celebrates the traditional tattoo practices of Ichi, Itu-mbubo, and Iwa-eze (tooth-gaping).

He explained the festival's importance, noting that at the start of each year, the traditional tattoo artist, Dioka, would leave Umudioka Neni to travel to other towns for work. "In the month of Nka, the last month of the year, they return, and the festival serves as a platform to count and ensure everyone is accounted for," he added.

Mr. Ibeanu also highlighted the historical connection between the Ichi rite and the Ozo title initiation, explaining, "In the past, before you could be initiated into the Ozo title, you had to have the Ichi incision, and it must be performed by a Dioka from Umudioka Neni. The able-bodied men in the trade often had apprentices, little boys known as Nwankpa who carried their tools in bag for the rite."

He went on to explain why the physical Ichi rite is no longer practiced in the same way. "Today's civilization frowns upon it," he said. "The organic food we ate in the past served as an antidote to the Ichi incision, but today's food may cause diseases, and tetanus could even result in death. This is because Dioka used organic herbs from the bush for the healing process."

                              

Mr. Ibeanu reflected on the social status associated with the Ichi rite, stating, "In the past, anyone who could conduct the Ichi rite on their children was considered wealthy. When Dioka travelled to other towns, it was mostly the people of those towns who patronized them. However, in Umudioka, the rite was free for our people."

He proudly noted that although Umudioka people live in various places, such as Dunukofia, Awka, Awkuzu, Enugu State, Imo State, and beyond, it is only Umudioka Neni that performs the full Ichi, Imbubu, and Iwa-eze rites. "We are the custodians of this practice," he emphasized. "Many Umudioka people from other towns are here today celebrating with us."

Two key events that captured the crowd's attention the most were the symbolic enactment of Igbu-ichi (face tattooing), carried out on two young men, and the Itu-mbubo (abdominal tattooing), performed on the tummy and upper chest region of two middle-aged women. This was preceded by the majestic entrance of a group of mostly elderly women dressed in elegant white outfits, with ivories on their wrists, holding their customized animal skin hand fans, each with their names and titles on them. Various masquerade displays added colourful side attractions to the event.