How to celebrate New Year in Nigeria. Santa Claus - he is also Santa Claus in Africa
Heat, palm trees and witchcraft - these are its main components. In every village, professional wizards disperse the clouds and find out from the spirits what to expect from the coming year.
Channel One correspondent Igor Riskin met the Nigerian sorcerers.
Not every village is as lucky as this one called Ekota. In dance, even on the occasion of Christian and European holidays, such as Christmas and New Year, you can turn to your African gods and good spirits with a request for well-being. And in Ekota there is a completely professional ensemble that dances, that is, asks much more convincingly.
In the shade - plus 30, instead of fir trees there are palm trees, but here in Nigeria they are also preparing to cheerfully celebrate the New Year. We can only join, because it seems pointless to wait for Santa Claus"
"Greetings, fellow masks!" - exclaimed one movie hero in a completely different situation. Here the masks, of course, represent powerful spirits led by Epo Ntok himself, the patron saint of riotous dancing. It is necessary to dance and beat the drums in such a way that, firstly, Epo Ntok will not be offended by the dancers for their negligence, and secondly, the whole neighborhood will have fun.
And only one performs without a mask, proving that people, although not spirits, can also do something. At least John Udo, the soloist and, in the language we are familiar with, the artistic director of the ensemble, can easily jump for two hours without slowing down, and then he can even have a glass in the thirty-degree heat. True, the drink must be shared with spirits and dead ancestors.
John Udo, soloist of the ensemble: “May we celebrate the New Year well, get together with the whole family and have a lot of fun!”
Many Nigerians who adhere to traditional ancient beliefs believe that the world of the living, the world of the dead and the world of spirits coexist and influence each other. In Nigeria, any sorcerer will explain this to you. On the eve of the New Year, they often come to them for an important matter - to find out the future.
Okiki is a young sorcerer, but already reputed to be powerful. In his village they say that Okiki can divine, rid people of misfortunes and cure illnesses with spells. In addition, it does various magical little things - maybe it stops the rain, or it can cause it. In general, a professional sorcerer. Okiki explains his abilities very convincingly: at the sacred banana, he talks to a spirit named Madyokha. The deceased father, also a sorcerer, helps with this. That is, here, too, it turned out to be “father, son and spirit,” only not a saint, but a cruel, albeit easy-going one - the African idea of power, “which always wants evil and always does good.” The main thing is to appease both Madyokha and the late dad. Woe to him who does not do this.
Okiki, the sorcerer: “Here came to me alone. He wanted to save the family from troubles. But he refused to do what Madyokha asked, and disappeared on the way back.”
Trying to avoid the same fate, we found out what Madyokha loves and what is preferred in the afterlife. It turned out that the living, the dead and the spirits actually have many common preferences.
The sorcerer takes the dollars, raises them up and shouts: “Dad, everything is fine, we can work!” - this is approximately how this exclamation is translated. Since Madyokha had clearly softened, the sorcerer decided to peer into the future for the benefit of the Russians.
Okiki, the sorcerer: “Everything should be fine for your country in the New Year. Madyokha and I see this, and we will help you.”
How nice it is to hear this and start making New Year’s preparations! These preparations in Russia and Nigeria are largely similar. Everywhere women are rushing to get their hair done for the holiday. Hairdressers here work outdoors, weaving hundreds of braids per day with confident hands. By the way, braids come in different varieties, including those for celebrations.
Stella, hairdresser: “We have this Christmas style. At this time we make the braids thinner, but there are more of them.”
And yet we managed to find, it seems, the only Father Frost in Nigeria, aka Santa Claus. Jack, on a voluntary basis, was going to amuse his fellow citizens.
“Yes, I heard, he’s such a kind wizard. He brings gifts to children. It’s so strange to be the Nigerian Santa Claus. I’m shocking everyone now.”
However, the Nigerians who came across the path willingly met halfway and patiently listened to the moralizing speeches of Jack Frost.
“I hope you behaved well and deserved a good New Year. On the way back, I’ll grab some gifts for you. We don’t have chimneys in Nigeria, so I’ll throw gifts to you through the window.”
Whether the Nigerian Santa Claus kept his word is unknown. But he wanted to believe, because this is such a time when it is easy to believe in miracles. New Year, it’s New in Africa too.
Biker from Sevastopol Viktor Gubrienko, who set off on a solo trip around the world on a motorcycle in October, reached Africa and celebrated the New Year in Nigeria.
At the end of November, V. Gubrienko, nicknamed “Romantic,” who started on October 12, safely reached the African continent. Unlike the calm European leg of the trip, the trip through Africa is full of dramatic adventures, which the biker talks about in his online diary.
In Mauritania he was almost burned alive. V. Gubrienko stopped for the night next to a police post in the desert and pitched a tent. He had almost fallen asleep when unknown men pulled him out of the tent, put a rag soaked in diesel fuel in his mouth and strung several tires on him. After dousing the biker with gasoline, the attackers were about to set him on fire, but it turned out that they had no matches! While they were deciding how to get fire, the policemen woke up and drove away the unknown people.
From a conversation with the police, it turned out that there was a “robber on a motorcycle” in the vicinity; in the dark, the traveler was simply confused with him.
At another police checkpoint, the biker was politely arrested. It turned out that there was a religious war going on in the region where he was going to go. The police authorities spent a long time figuring out what V. Gubrienko was doing in their country, whether he was spying for his neighbors. They believed me after looking at the website and the route map, gave me to sign a paper stating that the traveler assumes all responsibility, took me to the border with Mali and let me go.
In Benin, Romantik was robbed... by police.
“It was a surprise for me,” writes V. Gubrienko. “When I approached a blocked road with a police post and a bunch of local assistants, they started searching me and checking my documents. Everything seems to be fine, but the “assistants” are trying to rummage through my luggage while the police are looking at my documents. I drive away the looters, but the policemen block me and take everything out of my pockets. Then it’s even more interesting, taking the wallet, the policeman takes out all the cash and everything that was there and puts it in his pocket. He throws an empty wallet at me and demands dollars and euros for ransoming the documents. In essence, what is happening is a simple robbery. In the end, I collected my passports and papers, although I was not yet able to leave immediately. “Helpers” demanded money for themselves and did not open the passage..."
Finally, having dealt with the thieving Benin policemen, V. Gubrienko entered Nigeria, where he celebrated the New Year and Christmas. But the traveler will write about this a little later.
Where Victor is passing now, there is often no connection at all, so I live like on a volcano, constantly worrying and worrying about my husband. Another two whole years of separation. But it’s okay, he will succeed,” the traveler’s wife Irina Gubrienko is sure.
Reference
EUROPE: Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, France, Andorra, Spain, Portugal, Spain.
AFRICA: Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Toga, Benin, Nigeria.
Andrey Bondarev / Sports
World Cup 2018. All flags will come to visit us! As Pushkin exclaimed in the introduction to his poem “The Bronze Horseman”. Well, okay, not everyone will arrive specifically in Volgograd, but , whose teams will fight for the right to reach the playoffs of the championship at the Volgograd Arena, will definitely come to our region. And here, in order not to lose face, it is useful to know the main points about each of these eight countries.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS COUNTRY?
So what do you need to know about Nigeria? The official name of this state, located in West Africa, is the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In terms of population (more than 183 million as of 2015), it ranks first in Africa. The country's territory extends from the Atlantic coast of the Gulf of Guinea to the West African savannah. The capital is the city of Abuja. The monetary unit is naira (at today's exchange rate it is equal to approximately 5 rubles 77 kopecks).
The Russian Air Force service, for example, gives this African country the following description: accustomed to military coups, today Nigeria is a presidential republic with a government elected by the people. In 1999, civilians returned to power and political freedoms were granted to the population. This was taken advantage of, in particular, by militants from religious and ethnic groups, who found it easier to instill their views, and with increasing cruelty. There is a threat of possible disintegration of the country along ethnic and religious lines.
Yes, approximately half of Nigerians profess Christianity, the other half Islam. There is still about 10 percent of the population who adhere to local paganism. There are many languages in this part of Africa - according to various sources, from 250 to 520 nationalities live here. This could create serious difficulties for translators, but fortunately for them, the main official language in Nigeria is English and there should not be any particular difficulties in communicating with Nigerian fans. And why they are guaranteed not to transfer their contradictions to Volgograd soil - we will talk about this further (spoiler - football).
A POOR OIL PRODUCING STATE, ALMOST LIKE RUSSIA, BUT BLACKER
Certain conclusions about life in Nigeria can be drawn from the following facts. The country is among the 20 largest countries in the world in terms of population; countries with the highest mortality and, at the same time, the highest birth rate (4.8 children per woman); the 20 countries with the highest infant mortality rates; in the 20 countries with the shortest life expectancy (46 years for men and 48 years for women); in the top three countries for HIV infection per capita (more than 3%); among the countries with the highest proportion of people below the poverty line; and, at the same time, is one of the leading countries in oil production and export.
Also in Nigeria, coal, tin, columbite are mined, palm oil, cotton, rubber and aluminum are produced, and leather is processed. In 2014, it became Africa's largest economy, overtaking South Africa in terms of GDP. It seems that Nigerians should live in abundance, however, the country is so mired in political instability, corruption, the already mentioned religious conflicts, in addition, it has such a neglected infrastructure that the very name “Nigeria” inspires fear. However, these are the current geopolitical realities. Countries that have a lot of oil in their depths are regularly shaken up. The only exceptions to this rule are Saudi Arabia, whose national team, by the way, will also arrive in Volgograd on June 25, and the United States. And here you can remember the old Roman rule - look for who benefits.
The World Bank estimates that only 1% of Nigeria's population benefits from oil revenues. About 92% live on less than $2 a day, and more than 70% live on less than a dollar. The UN estimates that Nigeria's poverty rate rose from 46% in 1996 to 76% in 2009.
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL
Football in Nigeria, like in many countries, is the national sport. The country's football team has achieved significant success: it took part in five World Cups (1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014), won the African Cup in 1980, 1994 and 2013. In 1996, Nigeria took football gold at the Olympic Games, defeating Argentina in the final. In addition, the Nigerian youth team (under 20 years old) is the silver medalist of the 1989 and 2005 World Championships, and the Nigerian youth team (under 17 years old) has won the world championships four times (1985, 1993, 2007, 2013) and reached the level three more times. finals (1987, 2001, 2009). Many Nigerian footballers play in European championships.
NIGERIAN FANS
By June 22, about a thousand Nigerians intend to come to Volgograd to cheer for their home team, which is also called “super eagles” since this bird is present on the state emblem, in the match with the Iceland national team. Fans will arrive early to have time to see the sights of the hero city. The guests plan to stay next to the “first mile” area, otherwise called the “fan road”, and on the day of the match, on the territory of the Central Park of Culture and Recreation, they will organize an interactive platform to introduce citizens to the traditions and customs of their country.
Football is loved in Nigeria. This is what, despite all the ethnic diversity and religious contradictions, unites Nigerians. There are more than half a thousand football clubs in the country and, accordingly, the same number of fan groups. And they all love the “super eagles.” It's funny that, contrary to the name, the team's mascot is a chicken. Therefore, from time to time, Nigerian fans try to bring it to national team matches. At the 1998 World Cup in France they were even allowed to do this.
Football in Nigeria is always a celebration. Therefore, do not be surprised if fans of the “super eagles” sing, dance, and play musical instruments before the match, and if the team wins, then certainly after.
Let us note that the Nigerians themselves believe that their team’s participation in the final part of the 2018 World Cup is already a great success. This is a young, promising team in which, with the exception of John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses, there are no veterans of previous World Cups. And although German coach Gernot Rohr organized the team well, as a result of which it took first place in the qualifying tournament, it will be very difficult for it to qualify for the playoffs from a group with Argentina, Croatia and Iceland. The Argentina national team is generally one of the favorites of the championship and the great Lionel Messi plays for it. The Croats traditionally play tough, principled football. And the Icelanders at the last European Championship showed themselves to be a nut to crack that even recognized giants like Portugal could break their teeth on, even though the latter became champions in 2016 and, therefore, were in excellent shape.
WHAT TO TREAT A GUEST FROM NIGERIA
Nigerians are unpretentious when it comes to food. Daily Nigerian food consists of a kind of hominy, which is usually made from yam flour or from mashing the same potato-like tuber. It is served with meat or fish with sauce. Moreover, this sauce is spicy. According to reviews from those who have tried it, it is terribly spicy. Like typical southerners, Nigerians use a large number of spices in their cooking. As they say, the climate obliges.
The main thing for Nigeria is a dish under the simple international name “soup”. But it is radically different from the soup we are used to. First of all, because of its thickness: its consistency is more like gravy. And again, it's very spicy. Nigerian soup can be made from all kinds of vegetables and types of fish and meat, including beef skin. All ingredients are finely chopped and stewed for a long time with the addition of oil. Usually palm. They traditionally eat it with their hands, dipping a piece of hominy into the soup and scooping up its thickets. Although Nigerians also know how to use a fork and knife.
In Nigeria they also eat snails. But we are not talking about our garden slugs, but about their local giant snails that live in the bush or are raised on special farms.
Nigerians have a diametrically opposite attitude towards alcohol. The northern part of the country professes Islam and, according to the norms of the Koran, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited for them. A seller caught selling alcohol there can easily have his hand cut off. In general, alcoholism is a common disease in Nigeria. A person who is slightly drunk is not condemned by society, but one cannot appear visibly drunk in public places. So such a problem as drunken Nigerian fans should not arise. Not the British, tea.
Tea and coffee are not popular in Nigeria. The most popular drinks are fruit juices, locally produced low-alcohol beer and a drink reminiscent of kvass, but thicker and with various fruit additives. So we can expect that Volgograd kvass will be to the taste of Nigerian fans.
What we do not recommend is treating Nigerians to eggs - they have mixed feelings about this product. For example, children are not allowed to eat eggs, as it is believed that this may cause them to become thieves. For the same reason, eggs are excluded from the diet of pregnant women.
AND TALK?
In addition to football, guests from West Africa should be interested in the topic of cinema. They love him just about the same. The film industry in Nigeria began to boom in the 1990s and 2000s, eventually becoming the second-largest film industry in the world in terms of annual film premieres, surpassing the United States and second only to India. According to a CNN report, Nigeria generates US$250 million in revenue by producing about 200 videos per month. At the same time, the average cost of producing a full-length film in Nigeria is about 15 thousand dollars. By analogy with Hollywood, the Nigerian film industry is called Nollywood.
You can also probably talk to Nigerians about housing and communal services. For them it is much more painful than for Russians. Maybe organize an excursion for them to the Volzhskaya hydroelectric power station? In Nigeria, the problem of water and electricity shortages is very acute.
But it’s better not to touch on the favorite topic of Volgograd residents about the work of public transport. They won't understand your pessimism. Public transport in Nigeria is all private. Old broken down cars are being used. On buses, to prevent passengers from falling out when turning, the doorway is blocked at approximately waist level with an iron rod, since there are no doors or glass in the windows as such. Nigerian minibuses look the same. In them, conductors are concerned about the safety of passengers - they stand in the doorway, finding themselves outside the car, cling to the roof and spread their legs wide, while continuously shouting out their next destinations.
The price of travel, whether on a bus or a minibus, depends on the mood of the conductor, mutual sympathy or antipathy, as well as on the ability to bargain well.
WHAT CAN SCARY A NIGERIAN RESIDENT IN VOLGOGRAD?
Remember the description of the Air Force at the beginning of the article and ask yourself this question. It would seem that Nigerians are accustomed to everything, but still there is an answer. They are afraid of witchcraft. These people are very superstitious and the media report an ongoing “witch hunt” in this African country: every year dozens of... children are executed on suspicion of witchcraft. Strange as it may seem, they are the ones most often accused of having connections with the devil.
But such a popular topic for us as midges and mosquitoes cannot intimidate Nigerians. In their homeland, there are tons of all kinds of blood-sucking insects almost all year round. Moreover, there is also enough such “charm” as a malaria mosquito. Therefore, they are accustomed to this scourge, they know how to use repellents, and they can wear a long-sleeved shirt in the heat. “And what a special heat it is in Volgograd,” the average Nigerian will be surprised, “in Ambuja we have plus 36 in May-June and with high humidity - this is the norm.”
What Volgograd residents, as hospitable hosts, should help fans from Nigeria is to cross the road without violating traffic rules. It is customary for them to cross the road. In the former capital of the state, Lagos, there are virtually no markings on the roads, it is not customary to let pedestrians pass or generally follow any traffic rules.
Could there be anything more interesting than celebrating the New Year in the hot jungle? We invite you to go on an amazing journey and find out how the New Year is celebrated in Africa! Photos, traditions, interesting rituals - all this awaits you in this article!
History of the holiday
The founders of everyone's favorite celebration can be called the ancient Egyptians. After all, it was they who came up with the idea of creating the first calendars, allowing time to be measured not only in hours and days, but also in months. The Egyptians celebrated the change of year at the end of September, this was due to the flood of the Nile. On the holiday, they lowered a ship onto the river, on which statues of such deities as Amon, Mut, and Khonsu were previously installed. This ship floated with the current for a whole month, then the statues again took their places in the temples. At that time, the rest of Africa did not yet have a state organization, and therefore they did not celebrate the New Year. This magical holiday began to be celebrated everywhere with the arrival of colonists from Europe on the continent. This is what has led to the fact that some African countries in our time celebrate the change of the calendar on the first of January, and the style of celebration coincides with the Catholic one.
New Year today
How is New Year celebrated in Africa today? Local residents have not yet lost touch with nature, and therefore their celebration is not associated with a specific date. Usually it corresponds to important natural events: river floods, the first or last day of the rainy season or work. Often New Year's celebrations are associated with legends or myths.
In “Europeanized” countries the holiday is similar to the one we celebrate. But there is a difference: the inhabitants of these countries are extremely poor, and therefore are forced to live separately throughout the year - husbands go to work, and their wives and children remain in their native villages. But since New Year's Eve is the most magical of the year, a miracle awaits all Africans: men return to their loved ones and bring gifts. Such meetings make the holiday even happier!
New Year traditions
Many people ask the question: “How do they celebrate the New Year in Africa, since spruce trees don’t grow there?” Let’s say right away that the tradition of decorating wood has not bypassed this continent. True, instead of the usual coniferous trees, palm trees or junipers are decorated here, which are considered a symbol of life. Africans believe that if there are a lot of decorations on the holiday tree, then the coming year will be successful.
Bathing
The population of South African countries believes that on the holiday of changing the calendars, you must definitely take a swim or at least immerse your palms in the water. Here it is believed that this will wash away all past sins, and the year will begin with a clean slate.
Finding a green nut
Guests of the continent are, of course, interested in how the New Year is celebrated in Africa. Traditions and rituals occupy a special place in the lives of local residents. So, the search for green nuts is very popular. They include not only natives, but also tourists, because everyone wants special happiness in the coming year! Local authorities prepare for this ritual in advance: nuts are scattered along the streets in advance, so everyone has the opportunity to find their happiness next year!
Ritual dances
How do representatives of some tribes celebrate the New Year in Africa? They organize wild ritual dances! The dancing warriors are in a state of ecstasy, sometimes they even cut themselves with special ritual daggers! There is no need to worry about Africans: the wounds on their bodies heal very quickly thanks to miraculous ointments, which are used not only to heal wounds, but also to immerse themselves in a meditative state.
Sahara Festival
The last week of December on the Dark Continent is the time of the Sahara festival. More than 50 thousand people gather in an oasis called Duza! The festival is timed to coincide with the date harvest season. This is where you can not only taste the most delicious dates in the world, but also get acquainted with a variety of traditions. Guests of this festival will enjoy national dances, a camel procession and, of course, a festive atmosphere!
New Year's menu
Almost every African family has a real feast on this holiday! Meat delicacies appear on the table. And instead of champagne, it is customary to drink home-made beer here. It is displayed directly in a bucket, from which everyone can scoop the drink with their own mug. Residents of the continent do not drink sparkling wines, because their prices are too high, and champagne can only be bought in the capitals.
Holiday in different countries of the continent: Tanzania and Kenya
Celebrating the New Year in Africa (and especially in Kenya and Tanzania) is practically no different from ours. The difference is that here the celebration falls in the middle of summer - the hottest time of the year. That’s why all folk festivals take place near water. By the way, it was here that the tradition of taking a plunge into the water arose.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is one of the most developed and wealthy countries on the continent. Unfortunately, this is only due to the fact that this is where tourists come. It is for this reason that wealthy segments of the population and government officials hold various charity events on New Year’s Day. This helps pay for celebrations, give gifts to low-income residents and young children.
By the way, South Africa also hosts the Minstrel Carnival. Hundreds of dark-skinned people dressed in bright costumes take part in this action. The carnival procession is accompanied by African songs and dances.
Ethiopia
How is New Year celebrated in Ethiopia? It is celebrated on September 11th. The day was not chosen by chance - it was at this time that the rainy season ends. The entire population of Ethiopia goes out for mass celebrations. According to local tradition, palm branches are placed in one large pile and set on fire, driving away evil spirits and attracting good luck and wealth.
Ghana
The people of Ghana have another interesting tradition. Here it is customary to talk about all your hardships and grievances to others. And you need to do this as loudly as possible, you might even cry! No less loudly, people share the positive moments that took place in the past year.
Sudan
A story about how New Year is celebrated in Africa would be incomplete without mentioning Sudan. Traditionally, all celebrations take place on the banks of the Nile. If you believe the signs, this allows the universe to hear your most cherished dreams and, of course, fulfill them. The best gift here is a green nut, a symbol of new life.
Ivory Coast
In this state, ancient customs have been preserved to this day. For example, the wild Abiji tribes living here organize unusual competitions on a festive night - racing on all fours with a fresh egg in the mouth! The runner's goal is to reach the finish line before his opponents, without damaging the shell. What is the sacred meaning of such a strange championship? Everything is quite simple: the egg is a symbol of new life, and the shell is the fragility of existence. After the fun races around the fires, ritual dances begin, during which the shamans cut themselves with sharp blades.
Special New Year
All residents of the Dark Continent have one common holiday - a special New Year. It appeared quite recently, in 1965, thanks to a unique person, a fighter for the rights of Africans, Maulana Karengu. The festivities begin at the same time that Africans harvest their first harvest - December 26th. Until the first of January, the entire local population lights candles at night, each of which has a specific color. In a special candlestick, which is called a “kinara”, the central place is occupied by a black candle, on the sides of it are three green and three red.
