Material Lore as an Appendage of Folklore: The Kola Nut Example

Abstract:

Kolanut is an indispensable aspect of the Igbo tradition. As an integral part of the Igbo tradition, kolanut is present in every traditional and customary festival in all parts of the Igbo society. It is held in high esteem in Igbo as no festival would take place without the presence of kola. According to the tradition, kola nuts must be prayed with, broken and eaten by the people present before any occasion can progress. In the same vein, any visitor to an Igbo person, not offered a kola nut by the guest is simply understood to mean that he is not welcomed by the guest. Despite the role of kolanut in the Igbo society, many Igbo people are ignorant of the significance of kolanut and the right way to use kola nuts for an occasion. The researchers are aware that many people have written on kola nuts but the writers concentrated solely on the importance of kola nuts. In this paper, the researchers have decided to take a different part by vividly analysing the significance of kolanut in the Igbo society, with emphasis on the symbolic implications of each type of the Igbo kola nuts. As the research bothers on culture, the researchers see New Historicism as the most appropriate theoretical framework for the study.