ỊJỤTA AKWỤ: RECALLING AND MOURNING THE DEATH OF A MISSING CORPSE

Abstract

Death is a sad event that leaves survivors of the deceased with pain and sense of loss. The
pain is deeper when the body of the deceased is not found. This aggravates the grief. There
are existing studies about death, grief and mourning but there is dearth of information on the
present study which was conducted to bring to the front burner, Igbo cultural slant to death,
grief and mourning for a relative whose corpse is missing. This research was carried out by
observation, in-depth interviews and focus group discussion in the Ọmabala communities in
Anambra State of Southeast Nigeria. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. It was
found out that cultural beliefs concerning the loss of the body of a dead person increases
grief and may have negative spiritual implications for the relatives and the spirit world. This
is why the people of the area do not only insist on according due respects and funeral to their
dead relatives but also recalling their spirits and bodies home in a ritual ceremony known as
ịjụta akwụ. The study suggests proper understanding of a people's culture, beliefs and
practices before giving it a negative tag as has been the case with Christian missionaries that
labelled aspects of traditional religion and practices heathen