Igbo Cultural Wear Show Holds in Los Angeles

Two certified Igbo models living in the United States have been chosen to direct the spectacular Igbo Cultural and Traditional wear show as part of the 2nd Igbo Diaspora Cultural Heritage Festival coming up August 17-18 in the City of Angels, Los Angeles California.

Making the announcement, Planning Committee Chair, Chief Okechukwu Oranika,(Odezuligbo 1), Founder of Igbo Diaspora Cultural Heritage Festival along with Mrs Ezinne Helen Duruhesie (Oputaozuo), President General of Umuada Di Igbo Mma of Los Angeles (UDIM) both agreed that this is a very important aspect of keeping Igbo language and culture alive.

Lately Igbo cultural wears are now in vogue in the Igbo Diaspora and young Igbo marriage festivals in the Diaspora now included Traditional Igbo Marriage activities, performed exactly as it is done in Igboland. The highlight of the Igbo Traditional marriage involves a ceremony where the woman is offered a glass of wine by her dad and asked to go round the crowd and seek out her man.

The woman would dance her way through the gathered crowd to find her man and when she finds him she sips some of the drink and then offers him the drink and if he accepts and drinks the wine that is the confirmation of acceptance of marriage according to the dictates of Igbo Culture. Mrs Ezinne Duruhesie (Oputaozuo) of UDIM,  said that she is particularly happy at these developments and says progress is slowly being made to keep Igbo language and culture alive for the enjoyment of new generations of Igbos yet unborn.

Okechukwu Oranika, (Odezuligbo 1), in his remarks said that participants in the cultural wear show have to speak Igbo language. These efforts help to create more awareness about the declining usage of Igbo language. He also said that more Igbos have started to hold conversations in Igbo, and more Igbo language schools such as PILA in Baltimore and Atlanta Igbo School in Atlanta and many more have increasing enrollments in young Igbo Children in their Igbo Language classes.

On the Igbo Women Cultural Wear Show, Oranika said that they have chosen the best talents and Igbo Language ambassadors to organize the event for us Anayo Ntukogo  and Chi Chi Nwanyimanaria are both culturally sophisticated in Igbo Language and Culture. Both women are beautiful and understand Igbo culture and traditions. Both women are certified models and have not shied away from their rich Igbo Cultural Heritage. Oranika said he is happy with the dimension things are moving. There is a lot of work to be done to keep Igbo language and culture alive in the coming years.