From TCNEWS
To make the most of National Knife Day, the President General of Igbo Vanguard Group, IVG Engr. James Nnadozie Uchegbuo has called on the Southeast governors to fish out remaining blacksmiths in the region, empower them to train the younger ones to sustain indigenous technology.
The IVG PG who made the call while interacting with our correspondent in Umuahia, Abia State as some countries across the globe celebrates the August 24, National Knife Day, also observed that blacksmithing was a remarkable indigenous technology in the Southeast.
National Knife Day is the day to appreciate the knives that folk use on a daily basis. This day is a celebration of this marvelous tool that has been with humans since the dawn of time.
Pix: Engr. James Nnadozie Uchegbuo.
Uchegbuo, who lamented also that post-independent Nigerian government contributed to the death of indigenous technology, recalled that the blacksmiths produced knives and all sorts of agricultural and hunting implements for economic, social, political and military purposes, prior to colonialism.
While examining the cultural technology of indigenous Igbo, Uchegbuo who further argued that local people produced various industrial, agricultural and domestic items through the creativity of indigenous blacksmith, also recalled that in Igboland, Awka in Anambra State, Agbaja Udi in Enugu State, Abala in Obingwa L.G.A, Abiriba in Ohafia L.G.A, Umuorie-Amaoji in Ajatanigu autonomous community Oboro clan, Ikwuano L.G.A, in Abia State and Nkwere in Imo State are communities that are known for blacksmith, but regretted that the advent of colonialism and unequal exchange during colonial period stunt the growth of indigenous technology. .
Uchegbuo maintained that the blacksmiths judiciously applied their ingenuity and that the people had also been able to satisfy their basic necessities, recalled the igbu ichi, an ancient tradition performed by Ndi Igbo, where incisions made with ‘aguba’ or knife on the person’s cheeks, as one of the uses of knives made by the blacksmiths.
Pix: A man breaking a kolanut with a knife.
Uchegbuo, who observed that the remaining blacksmiths are shifting to alternative occupations, passionately called on the southeast leadership to support education, mentorship and events that empower individuals and strengthen the community of blacksmiths.
“The Igbo generation would have been wiped out completely between 1967 to 1970, if not for the indigenous technology. So the indigenous technology should be encouraged to improve”, Uchegbuo submitted.
Pix: An Igboman breaking a kolanut with a knife.
According to the records available, the evolution of knives has been a remarkable feat throughout the history of humans – from knives made of bone, stone and flint, to modern creations using titanium, bronze, iron and steel. Nobody can deny the knife is one of man’s most useful tools – for cooking, eating, fishing, hunting, and not to forget the oh-so-handy Swiss Army knife.
National Knife Day has been celebrated each year for more than a decade, since at least 2011. The date that was chosen for observing National Knife Day seems to be associated with the Bowie Knife. It was on August 24, 1838, that a letter was written by Rezin Bowie, the brother of the knife’s namesake, claiming that he (and not his brother) was the actual creator of the knife and deserved credit for it.