Hello everyone, this week I will be writing on the topic " The traditional belief of my people". As We all know, every tribe and ethic group has their traditional way of doing things and what they believe in, which is unique and accepted by their people alone.
Mellon the forbidden crop in Akabor
Akabor is a small town in Oguta area, all in Imo state of Nigeria. In this town, the planting of melon is regarded as a taboo. According to our forefathers, melon is a cursed crop because it kills every other plants in our land, destroy soil fertility and causes starvation. According to them, the gods of the land is against this particular crop for a reason best known to the gods. For this reason, when the crop is seen growing anywhere around the community, the elders will immediately seek for solution in removing it, if not every other plants dies thereby causing hunger in the land. If by chance one sees melon seed mistakenly growing around his farm, immediately the person will start performing incantation. Telling the gods how innocent he/she is. Making them to know that whatever you have no knowledge of won't affect you nor your generation. Exonerating yourself and family from the curse that will befall on people. After all, pull it out.
Punishment for offenders of this belief
- For those who are ignorant of this belief, such as visitors, their punishment is just to cleanse the land. Get yourself few numbers of cowries and other sacrificial materials and hand them over to the elders. They will do the rest. After which, the crops will be uprooted.
- For those who are aware of this, they will be paraded through out the community, with palm leaf tied around their waist. After the cleansing, they won't be allowed to come out nor communicate with others for seven days. It is assumed that the cleansing will be accomplished after the seventh day.
My view concerning the belief
For me, this belief is unacceptable and should be abolished because it is a way of depriving people from cultivating their desired crops. Also a way of hindering people's income. How can a community forbid growing melon (egusi) yet they consume it as if it is the only food on earth. What an ironing of life. It will interest you to know that during harvest season, the people of my community goes to neighboring town to buy Mellon seeds in large quantities. Still we forbid it. Where did my people get this belief from, who told them that growing melon makes the soil to loose it's fertility?. As we all know, melon is a cover crop. It prevent the harshness of the sun directly to the soil. Since it is the first crop to be harvested, the leaves turns to manure there by adding nutrients to the soil.
I just found out about this thank you very much it all depends on each other's trust
That is it. Thanks for stopping by
Yes, sister, you have given a wonderful example of your traditional beliefs in your area of Nigeria that farmers in your area think that watermelon cultivation will harm them. In fact, there are many superstitions in every region which we traditionally believe. You have also presented your article with many beautiful examples. Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful article with us.
You are welcome. Thanks for reading
I don't think I can survive in your Community for melon soup turns out to be my best soup.
You are allowed to eat it but forbidden to farm it. You see, you can survive
Really you explain very nicely and I know something new about water melon
Very interesting belief, I just found out about this. because this is the first time I heard there is a belief about the curse of planting watermelons. I can give the perception that it looks like this trust will continue to be maintained and not easily lost. Interesting post, I really like it.
This actually true my sister, for me I believe Mellon kills other crops in the farm
Wait o, I don't understand, they actually eat it despite forbidding it from being planted?
If the fruit is so cursed they shouldn't be eating a cursed plant. It should be regarded as poisonous and bad for the body. Its quite an outrageous superstition but then it's not surprising like other weird superstitions we have in our country.
😂😂 I can't stop thinking about it...
Thank you for opening my eyes to such beliefs. ❤️✅
Of course, how can they eat a cursed crop.
Yeah it's baffling, that should stay from it at all cost 😟
What a strange belief. I hope people don't get to break the law so they won't get punished.
People adhere to the law
Hmm who are we to question the god's, but melon is a top and healthy fruit, that can improve the economy of the community.
They should look for something to do to accommodate melon.
Please oo, we need to question them.
Wow...This is the first time I am hearing about this. If it was not such a serious matter, it would have been a little funny.
They ban the planting of melon but consume its soup. Just like our dear government that banned Twitter and then used Twitter to announce the ban.
It has to be stopped because people can make a livelihood from this.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Seriously, it has to be stopped. The question is, who is ready to protest against it. No one
I never knew too not till I asked my parents