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The Winged Solar Disk or Ibo Itεi Facial Scarification1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2012

M. D. W. Jeffreys
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Extract

This article is based on researches, undertaken in 1930-1 at the request of the Nigerian Government, into the magico-religious beliefs of the Umundri group of Ibo in the Awka Division, Onitsha Province, Southern Nigeria. Umundri means ‘children of Ndri’ (a ‘Sky-Being’).

Résumé

LE DISQUE SOLAIRE AILÉ OU LA SCARIFICATION FACIALE ITΣI CHEZ LES IBO

La forme de scarification faciale décrite dans cet article est pratiquée par le groupe Umundri des Ibo, dans la province d'Onitsha de la Nigérie du Sud. Elle est l'apanage des personnes riches et de haut rang; l'opération est entreprise par des praticiens spécialement qualifiés et elle est extrêmement douloureuse, à tel point que le nom de l'opération est devenu un symbole de douleur ou résistance. Ce genre de scarification a été pratiqué, paraît-il, depuis plusieurs siècles, mais il n'existe aucune tradition certaine quant à l'origine et le symbolisme des dessins employés. L'auteur suggère que ces dessins sont dérivés du Disque Solaire Ailé d'origine égyptienne, et tout spécialement de cette forme du disque adaptée par les Hittites du Proche-Orient ancien. Pour soutenir cette hypothèse, il fait allusion à d'autres cas de l'influence égyptienne, par exemple, dans les termes spéciaux se référant aux dessins de scarification et dans les mots pour le soleil et le dieu soleil; dans les mots associés au travail de forgeron, ainsi que dans les dessins employés dans l'orfèvrerie, dans les métiers à tisser, et aussi dans la tradition que les forgerons d'Umundri viennent du ciel.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , April 1951 , pp. 93 - 111
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1951

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