Power
It is said that if a person commits a taboo in a community, that they have also desecrated or insulted Ala as the abomination (called ajo njo or Aru Ala, Alu Ani) was committed on her earth. Ala is also responsible for many aspects of Igbo society, and guardianship of women and children in general. She is often depicted with a small child in her arms and her symbol is the crescent moon. It is believed that the souls of the dead reside in her sacred womb. All in the community have to respect Ala as everybody lives on ala, the earth. It was sometimes believed that Ala could swallow you up into the underground.
Ala is still worshipped by the Igbo of Nigeria and is annually paid homage to during the Yam festival.
Read more about this topic: Ala (Odinani)
Famous quotes containing the word power:
“Though I than He—may longer live
He longer must—than I—
For I have but the power to kill,
Without—the power to die—”
—Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
“Language is legislation, speech is its code. We do not see the power which is in speech because we forget that all speech is a classification, and that all classifications are oppressive.”
—Roland Barthes (1915–1980)
“Swift as a shadow, short as any dream,
Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
That in a spleen unfolds both heaven and earth,
And, ere a man hath power to say “Behold!”
The jaws of darkness do devour it up.
So quick bright things come to confusion.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)