Nkwọ Onunu Cultural Heritage in Nsukka Igbo, Nigeria: A Festival in Honor of a Mother Goddess

There can be no discussion of the Nkwọ Onunu festival without first situating Nsukka Asadụ Ideke Arụmọna (Ishiayanategna).¹ The archae-ology of Nsukka indicates that they are an an-cient people in Igboland. This has been shown through Hartle's excavation at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka farm site, which yielded pottery dated to about 2500 bce. However, it is clear that human activities were already present at about 3000 bce (Chikwendu 2002: 29). Geographically, the town is situated in the northern part of Igboland. It shares borders with Oba and Ede Oballa Nome in the east, Edem Ekeodobo and Alor Ulo in the west, Obukpa Asadu in the north, and Ikwọka Ezembịa and Obimo Asebere in the south. The first indigenous² University of Nigeria is located in the town—hence, the name University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The town is made up of four quarters: Nkpụnanọ, Nru n'atọ Ezke Ekwensu,...