Concerning hair-dressing among the Awka maidens:
‘The women dress their hair most elaborately. Some whom we saw had fantastic ornaments on their heads, not unlike the comb of a cock in shape, and reaching about an inch from the forehead right over the head to the neck. This erection was covered with some red material, and on either side were fastened six pearl buttons.’
Concerning the town’s defence, she says:
‘Each house stood in a compound surrounded by a high mud wall. There were small loop holes in the walls at equal distances, through which a gun could be fired in the event of an enemy attacking the town. [ such walls with ‘gun holes’ in them were called ekpe] In each compound also there was generally at least one high tree with a platform in its branches, from which a good look-out could be obtained. We noticed also two large, square watch-towers, three times the height of ordinary houses.’
The European arrivals were taken to the compound of Onwurah Ukozu, a prominent personage from Umuanaga Village. Describing the hall of Onwurah, Mrs Dennis writes:
‘As he [Onwurah] was a chief of very high standing his compound was an elaborate one. The walls were beautifully smooth, and painted over with all sorts of queer designs. The door, boxes and other wooden articles were quaintly carved. Here we rested during the heat of the day, and in the afternoon went into a large open space where we preached to the large crowd who soon gathered around us.’
The next time European missionaries came to Awka was four years later, in 1903. And in that year, Awka was embroiled in a bitter war, not with its neighbours but with itself.
‘The women dress their hair most elaborately. Some whom we saw had fantastic ornaments on their heads, not unlike the comb of a cock in shape, and reaching about an inch from the forehead right over the head to the neck. This erection was covered with some red material, and on either side were fastened six pearl buttons.’
Concerning the town’s defence, she says:
‘Each house stood in a compound surrounded by a high mud wall. There were small loop holes in the walls at equal distances, through which a gun could be fired in the event of an enemy attacking the town. [ such walls with ‘gun holes’ in them were called ekpe] In each compound also there was generally at least one high tree with a platform in its branches, from which a good look-out could be obtained. We noticed also two large, square watch-towers, three times the height of ordinary houses.’
The European arrivals were taken to the compound of Onwurah Ukozu, a prominent personage from Umuanaga Village. Describing the hall of Onwurah, Mrs Dennis writes:
‘As he [Onwurah] was a chief of very high standing his compound was an elaborate one. The walls were beautifully smooth, and painted over with all sorts of queer designs. The door, boxes and other wooden articles were quaintly carved. Here we rested during the heat of the day, and in the afternoon went into a large open space where we preached to the large crowd who soon gathered around us.’
The next time European missionaries came to Awka was four years later, in 1903. And in that year, Awka was embroiled in a bitter war, not with its neighbours but with itself.
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