WHAT IS IKENGA?
IKENGA is a potent masculine spirit force grounded in the belief that the power for a person to accomplish things is in their right arm. It is the force with which one fearlessly negotiates life's challenges as we forge toward achieving goals with a resolute determination.
Existence for the Igbo is a dual but interrelated phenomenon involving the constant interaction between the world of man and the spirit world; the visible and invisible forces; masculine and feminine forces. At the intersection of this duality is IKENGA
IKENGA reinforces the Igbo cosmological worldview as a dynamic world based on an equalitarian principle that gives all its citizens an equal opportunity to succeed.
IKENGA is exclusively an Igbo symbol and it is neither an idol nor is it an iconoclastic symbol. It is a symbolic representation of the Igbo enterprising spirit, adventurism, and ambition that the Igbo associate with good fortune, personal ability, war, and general success. To the Igbo, a man's worth is not measured by his inheritance but by his enterprising efforts. It is in this realm of personal achievement that IKENGA takes precedence.
ỌKPARA HOUSE IKENGA™ is a timeless and uniquely Igbo symbol that is modern and universal in its appeal. Its design is not a departure from the formal IKENGA structure but an evolution incorporating modern manufacturing and design principles. Strict attention to aesthetic and symbolic representation is maintained, as observed in the best examples of the 'abstract' form of IKENGA in private and public collections.
WHAT ARE THE ICONOGRAPHIC MEANINGS OF THE IKENGA STRUCTURE?
Ikenga is a symbol of power and authority made up of various parts each metaphoric symbols of the Igbo culture and worldview
The horns; Opi. The primary iconography of all Ikenga is a pair of horns, a meaning of power in the Igbo culture. The horns are inspired by the ram, a normally docile animal. But when provoked, it becomes relentless, attacking with its horns. The ram paradigm includes restraint as well as determination
The body. Okposi. The base of Ikenga takes on the form of a Oche Ozo, a title stool. This is an indication of a high rank, nobility, power and prestige associated with wealth, status, strength, and aggression.
WHY IS IKENGA RELEVANT TO CONTEMPORARY LIFESTYLES?
There has always been an underlying belief that African cultures were inferior to their western counterparts in areas of intellectual pursuits. Ikenga is a contradiction to that notion. Predating ideologies such as the “American Dream” by several centuries, Ikenga shows that our ancestors were empirical thinkers. The world is multicultural, and knowledge systems lie outside the Western purview with innovative solutions that contribute to the sum of knowledge assets at the disposal of humanity. Ikenga is black Africa’s gift to humanity. It may be exclusively an Igbo symbol, but its concept is timeless and inspires all.