Echoes of culture : Importance of hunters in Igbo security culture

Dr. Chuks Osuji

Before I begin this analysis, I want to apologise to my teeming readers of my inability to write my regular columns for the past two weeks. It was due to circumstances of time which made it impossible for me to meet up with my avowed determination to continue to serve my people particularly in the areas of culture in this newspaper.

Today, I want to discuss the significance of hunters in the security architecture of our people. It is unfortunate that due to imperatives of colonial influence in the name of colonization that many of our most cherished cultures have disappeared. When time was time, forests and bushes were plentiful, there were organized professional hunters.

They could be found in every part of the Igbo community. They were so organized with rules of engagements. They were effective and active during the dry season. Then and only then, on any particular day except on Sundays, they would assemble at the village square for regular meetings and to apportion out what areas they would occupy to search for animals to hunt.

It must be said that the availability of forests and bushes were the conditions for thriving of hunting spree at that time. Usually they would divide themselves into segments or little groups. Most of the animals to be hunted were: hares, antelopes, deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family circle.

Other mammals or animals they hunted for were those commonly available in low forest areas in our communities. It must be mentioned that violent and large animals such as elephants, tiger, lion, giraffe, etc were never found in our forests rather those could be found in mid western region where large forests existed. I remember that when I was young, one morning, a straying tiger was found in a nearby community in our clan.
The entire towns and villages were mobilized to give it a chase. It must be recalled that the efforts to hunt it down which began at about 9am continued until 4pm when it mistakenly ran into a large ban somewhere in today’s Mpam. Because of her ferocious capacity and tendency to kill anybody it charges, people were very careful in giving it a hit and run chase.

As I said, it was about 4pm when she apparently got tired and mistakenly entered into a ban hence the people were able to kill it with all manner of weapons-den guns, long cutlasses, cudgels and other improvised weapons. In fact that was about 1945. Since then, no such rare animal have been spotted in our community or elsewhere.
According to some hunters, they finally traced the origin of that tiger from some large forest in Ikwerre land where until today despite developments, we could still find large forests.

During the hunting spree, hunters divided themselves into groups to march into large forests where they suspected they could find some games. They were escorted by hunting dogs that could wrestle a man down with ease.
These were locally well trained and bred dogs with locally fabricated bells which may be hung around their necks aimed at scaring out some hiding animals. The noise from the bells pulls out the animals and exposes them to the hunters. In the process, an animal will jump out from its hiding place on hearing the noise from the approach of the dog to signify that danger was ahead.

It could be said that hunting exercise then could be very risky because it could be said that a hunter might be fired by a fellow hunter who must have suspected a noise inside the bush. This is especially the case for those hunters who do not wish the animal to run away not knowing it’s a human being may fire.

Incidents such as these though not rampant occur. On any given hunting spree, most of the hunters could go so many miles in the forest without getting any animal and most of the time they will assemble to access their successes in the day. Some of the animals they killed would be shared among themselves. One or two of the animals will be killed, roasted, dissected and shared by the hunters.

It must be mentioned that there were some hunters who specialized in night hunting. These were usually very brave persons. They, too, usually moved in groups of not less than 3/4/5 persons. One of the most important materials they used was the headlight (Head lamp) which they tied on their forehead to light the forest so that they could see very clearly. Many believed that bush animals were easily attracted by those hunting light hence on seeing the light they would focus their eyes on the light without seeing the hunter hence they will become easy prey.

Another important aspect of hunting is that Cobra (Eke) the longest specie of the snake family. Some could be as long as between 15/24ft. These cobras were very dangerous hence they could kill a hunter by ringing itself around the hunter in a swift manner. Apart from hunting for animals, hunters were important in working as security because of their bravery and courage.
It is interesting to read recently that the Imo state association of hunters is organizing to provide security in the state if well sponsored by the government. This is a welcome development because instead of waiting for Ebubeagu to be formed and regimented, hunters could be organized to provide security.

Although then they did not use machine guns and AK47 they were still effective and made do with den guns which were authorized by the law. Indeed and unfortunately the disappearance of hunters in our society today in spite of our disappearing culture should be revived. Indeed, it will help