Ceremonial swords: Defying religion, moderating in Owo

By Erukpe Edna
Owo is an ancient town in Ondo state. It is the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area. Owo is geographically located between Benin – City and lle – lfe. It has cultural affiliation with both ancient cities.
Owo is blessed with material and non – material cultures. It is endowed with rich cultural heritage in the form of festivals, ceremonies, dances, burial rites and cultural objects etc of immense intrinsic value
According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a sword is a weapon with a long metal blade and a hit with a hand guard used for thrusting or striking and now typically worn as part of ceremonial dresses.
It is also seen as weapon ( such as cutlass and rapier) with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of authority.
Ceremonial means a set of formal acts, often fixed and traditional, performed for important social or religious occasions. Ceremonial implies strict attention to what is prescribed by custom or ritual. Ceremonial applies to things that are associated with ceremonies.

According to Wikipedia, a ceremonial sword is an object used for ceremonial purposes to display power or authority. They are often used in parades and as part of dress uniforms. Some ceremonial swords are fully functioning weapons that are also highly decorated. They are constructed with prescious metals or materials. Most ceremonial swords are made using precious metals or other materials like wood and leather that make them too delicate for combat use.
There are different types of ceremonial swords. They are classified as follows; double -edged and straight swords, edgeless and thrusting swords, single – edged and curved swords.
Owo as an ancient town is blessed with a lot of cultural heritage of which ceremonial sword is one of them. There are different types of ceremonial swords in Owo. Some of them are as follows;
Ibbtebete sword: This is an aluminum ceremonial sword. It is triangular in shape. It is a double-edged sword. It is used for dancing during important ceremonies like Ajo and funeral . It’s length is 87.4cm, weighing 1kg.
Ape sword: This is another ceremonial sword in Owo. It is in form of a leaf with thick mid rig and iron handle. There are incision designs on it. The mid- rib extends to form the handle which is twisted towards the end. There is a round projection which meets at the middle of the handle where the twisted part starts. It is a dancing sword. It is used during funeral ceremonies such Ajabue and Oposi. lt is also used by new chiefs during installation. It is one of the material that links Owo with Benin. It is 90.8cm in length.
Ape without handle: The object is in form of a leaf. The pattern on the blade are in C shape. lt is an aluminum dancing sword. It is used during funeral ceremonies and the installation of a new chief. The length is 55.5cm and weigh 500gm.

Ape with zig- zag patterns on the blade : This is a ceremonial sword with leaf-like design made of aluminium. The iron handle is covered with two curved flat ivories and ends in a circular form. Its length is 81.25cm.
Ada: This is an iron sword in the form of a cutlass with the handle covered with leather. It is put in an sheath with two rings fastened to the sheath in two places. It was used for fighting in the past. Its length is 99cm, weighing 1.1kg.
Agada: This is an iron dancing ceremonial sword in the form of cutlass shape with rounded top usually with five perforated holes at the broadest part of the blade. This type is held by young children and elders during funeral procession such as lsiku, Oposi and Ajabue. It is used during Ajo ceremony in Owo. Its length is 81cm, weigh 600gm.
Flat iron ceremonial sword: This is another form of ceremonial sword. It is curved at the top with holes on it. There are designs on it with a thin handle. It is carried before Olowo during his outings. Its length is 51cm weighing 500gm.
Udamalore: This is a ceremonial sword with elaborate beaded sheath of the royal court of Owo kingdom. It is a symbol of power and prestige to people. The ivory is treasured for its durability, scarcity and associated with elephants which is a symbol of prestige. However, modern ones are made of exotic wood while the sheath and the panels are lavishly embroidered with brilliantly coloured glass beads. The beads are used to symbolize wealth. It is used during lgogo festival by the Olowo of Owo. Udamalore literally means a ‘ sword of the well born’.
Modernity in terms of Christianity and Islam has not influenced the use of ceremonial swords in Owo kingdom. Their usage is still very prominent with the people of Owo. Most of the indigenes still use ceremonial swords as occasions demand. The use of ceremonial swords is not open to everyone. This is because they are not common objects for everyone to use. They are associated with rank and status in their usage.
Finally, ceremonial swords in Owo are rich material cultural objects. They play vital roles in the daily activities of the people of Owo. The tempo should be sustained to preserve the rich cultural heritage for future generations.