article

Ibo age organization, with special reference to the Cross River and north-eastern Ibo

Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland • 92 • Published In 1962 • Pages: 191-211

By: Jones, Gwilym Iwan.

Abstract

This source presents a comprehensive analysis of Igbo age organization, based primarily on the author's field work in the eastern Igbo region in 1927-1946 and again in 1956 and further supplemented by unpublished government reports written in the period of 1930-1940. The paper is divided into two parts, the first of which provides a general background summary of age stratification and organization for the Igbo as a whole, while the second presents a most intensive analysis of the age organization systems in operation in the eastern and northeastern sectors. In describing the different systems of age organization, the author distinguishes between actual and ideal, the former being the system in operation at the time it was observed, while the latter was the model provided by the informants to which they felt the actual system should conform (as it did in the past). Throughout the analysis of the material on age organization, Jones frequently uses the terms 'age-grade,' 'age-sets,' and 'age classes.' The term 'age-grade' is used in its widest extension to refer to age-categories -- the senior grade of elders, the middle grade of men and women, and the junior grade of boys and girls. By 'age-sets' is meant a group of individuals, all of approximately the same age, who are subordinate to all those of higher age and superordinate to all those of lower age (p. 193). When a number of age-sets join together for a particular purpose, as for example passing from one grade to another, this group is called age-class.

HRAF PubDate

2003

Region

Africa

Sub Region

Western Africa

Document Type

article

Evaluation

Creator Types

Ethnologist

Government Official

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle ; Eleanor Swanson ; 1981

Field Date

1927-1956

Coverage Date

1927-1956

Coverage Place

Cross River and northeastern Igbo; Nigeria

Notes

by G. I. Jones

Includes bibliographical references (p. 211)

LCCN

sv 93006773

LCSH

Igbo (African people)