Creative dynamism and religious syncretism in Igbo oral funeral songs

Abstract

Igbo oral funeral songs are dynamic and resilient oral forms. Applying the tenets of an infracultural model of ethnopoetics to study Igbo oral funeral songs collected during fieldwork, in this article, I examine the emerging trend in most Igbo communities of the co-existence, modification, and adaptation of Christian/western ideals into the mainstream repertoire of Igbo oral funeral songs. I therefore examine a situation where Igbo oral performers are drawing inspiration from western religious, linguistic, and cultural philosophies and applying them to the trajectory of Igbo oral funeral poetry. Observing that the reason for this is to accord the deceased a befitting funeral rite, I underscore the resilience of Igbo oral funeral poetry which acculturates western cultural elements into its oral funeral performances which are deployed to help reduce the pain of bereavement and assist the dead to successfully find their way as they journey to join their ancestors.

Keywords

• Igbo oral funeral songs
• creative dynamism
• religious syncretism
• Christian influence on oral tradition
• infracultural ethnopoetics