Myths, Realities Of Ijaws In Destiny With Rivers By Ijawgirl

Due to the riverine and swampy nature of their environment in the south south states, they have over the years, established a perfect relationship with the rivers that surround them. The Ijaw culture and customs are water dominated. This is because God has blessed us with water. <br><br> Because of their attachment to rivers, the Ijaw cultural, social, economic and religious lives are defined and influenced by water. Water, is said, has no enemy. <b>According to some Ijaw elders, water is friendlier to the Ijaw people, however, every Ijaw is expected to be a good swimmer so he or she can survive capsizing of boats when it happens.</b><br><br>Through life experiences, the ancestors have developed a social system that makes the Ijaw feel comfortable being around water. It is not unusual for Ijaw children, especially those born or raised at home, as young as four, to become expert swimmers and divers. By the time they reach ten years old, most have become prolific swimmers.<br><br><b>The first, every free born of Ijaw must be able to swim irrespective of the size, the wave, or current of the river or sea. To this end an Ijaw family start to train its child only some days after birth. The first step is to throw the baby into the river, if it floats in the water it is interpreted to be an Ijaw and thus will be able to swim with proper training.&quot;&quot;</b><br><br>everything about the Ijaws is interrelated with <b>water. Unlike in the north where they dance like antelopes, we dance like fishes. Our dance steps are like the movements of the fish and the wagging of their tails in the waters, The Ijaw masquerades usually wear heads of the fishes.</b> All our festivals have their origins from water. Our ways of life are influenced by our environment which is surrounded by water.<br><br>boat regattas as part of Ijaw festivities, symbolizes the early days when our forefathers used to go to war in the waters so as to conquer neighbouring communities and make them their slaves. That reminds us of that. He said there are two types of boat regattas: the ceremonial boat regatta and the war boat regatta.<br><br>The Ijaws have a lot of idioms and proverbs which are water inclined. One popular Ijaw proverb goes thus: when you see a hippopotamus pursuing a canoe in the river, it is not actually interested in the canoe, but what is inside the canoe. As soon as the person insight jumps into the water, that ends the pursuit
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