IKWERRE Origin Revealed | history, Lifestyle And Food

If you marry a Korean woman, they don't cheat. Because we have this law. Because if you cheat, your husband will pursue you. There's no house for you. In a world where history is often written by outsiders, there are stories that remain hidden. Stories only the people themselves can tell. This is one of those stories. Why is it that your language is more similar to Igbo language? Deep in the heart of River State, Nigeria, lives a people who are more than just a name. Their strength, their resilience, they are the Kwere. When you say Igbo language, it's like a Mecca. We know that person is an indigent of a home. We say Mecca. Their dances speak for their ancestors. Their soups carry the taste of the land. And their festivals echo voices from centuries past. But who are they really? Where did they come from? Today, we step into their village, sit with their elders and taste their food, not to tell their story, but to let the Kwere speak for themselves. This is the untold journey of the Kwere people. Our food journey has brought us to the Kwere land. Who are the Kwere people? Where do they come from? What is their lifestyle? What are their signature dishes? And why is their language so similar to the Igbo language? All these questions and more, we are going to answer in this video. Welcome to Epic Food Review. Let's go. Before the end of this video, you are going to see three of the most important dishes eaten by the Kwere people. But before then, let's know the people behind the food. If you notice that you know from Igbo, as an Igbo man, as an Osama or Yoruba man, if you come here and say Igbo and Mecca, we will look at you. We will say this person is too old. We cannot answer you because you are not the son of the soil. So like you, you can't tell us Mecca. You can't say Diel. Because you are not the son of the soil. You will say Oweu. Oweu. Like even if they say Diel, maybe this generation doesn't know the tradition. It's just for fun. Okay. But come, the Kwere man can never answer you Diel. If you tell me Mecca, I cannot answer you Diel. It's me that will tell you Mecca. And I will ask you Diel because you are from Yoruba. Okay. Then for our ladies, or our wives, when they want to come and greet us, they will just come like this. I don't want any more. Then you will touch me. Just like this. I don't want any more. Yes. You will touch me like this. That is how the women greet their men. Then if you want to talk to us, you won't stand. They will look for a chair. Not this type of chair. They will look for this type of chair. Like a small chair like this. Yes, this type of chair. And sit. Then they will sit like this. And close it. You will keep your hand like this. Then they can start talking. And this tradition is still... Yes, up till tomorrow. We have it now. The Kwere people live in the central part of River State, Nigeria, spread across areas like Port Harcourt, Obiako, Kwere, and Emoa. In the Kwere area, we occupy most of the upland areas. Such as Obiako, Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt is the local government. Then Emoa. Local government. And Kwere. Kwere is the local government. Kwere is also under the Kwere government. Yes, it is also an upland area. So, Kwere is an upland area, but they are not the Kweres. No, I am talking about the Kweres. Kweres. Port Harcourt is the local government. Obiako, Emoa, and Kwere is the local government. And the Kweres are five. So, these are the geographical entities that make up Igora. So, we will always be calling it Igora. That is our name. Igora. And Kwere is the word people use to know. Yes, our name is Igora. It is natively called Igora. Getting to Ikwere land is like stepping back in time. The energy is different here. It is slower, it is warmer, and full of life. And the Ikwere people are very, very welcoming. Their land is blessed with fertile soil, rivers filled with fish, and forests rich with palm trees. For generations, they have farmed, traded, and fished, building a culture deeply connected to the environment. What is the occupation of the Ikwere people? Like, what are they known for in terms of jobs? The Ikwere people are known as a farmer and a trap setter. Yes. My grandfather, according to my grandfather, was a hunter, a trap setter, and a farmer. That's the occupation. The occupation of the Ikwere people. Before, when there was no land, what they used to train us, your father can go to the bush and set traps. The next day, he will go and watch those traps. Some traps will catch about five meat. Some will catch like ten meat. Out of them, they will come back to us, they will say some, they will roast some, they will dry some for them to use as feed. In terms of cooking, they will go to their farm. This is what the Ikwere people do. We have a lot of palm trees. Every family has a palm tree. We don't buy all those things. Those are our tradition, those are our farm. Let me also contribute. Now, we are just in a civilization. Then, the way we normally farm, like now, in your own family, you have your family, you have your family, I have my family. Now, each season of farming starts from January. Now, all the men in the family, all the men in the family, this portion of land or acres, this is where our wives will farm this year. Now, all the men in the family, we now assemble. We are going to sow, sow, plant, and we will go and clear all the bush. After clearing all the bush, now we set it on fire, and the bush will now burn. Now, we, the men in the family, you, your wife, will farm three plots. You, your wife, will farm two plots. Me and my wife will farm five plots, six plots, one plot, just like that. We make sure that particular acres will contain all the men in the family. So, after splitting them, now it's left for you, and your wife, and your children to decide when you will go and begin to clear your own. Plant corn first. We plant corn. Corn. First. We plant corn first. Then, after planting corn, then once the corn starts to grow, then you cannot clean the farm. Then start putting cassava. Cassava. Okay, you plant the corn first. The Kule people have many stories about how they began. Some speak of migrations through rivers and forests. Others believe they have always been here, rooted like the pantries that shed their villages. The truth lies in the memories of the people, each family, each elder, carrying a piece of the puzzle. What is the origin of the Kule people? Some people have so many speculations about the Kule. Some will tell you the Kule people are from this place. Other people will say the Kule people are from this place. And so many people are arguing about it. So, that's why I said let me come and meet people from Ikwede, because most of these people that do this argument are not actually from here. Some are Igbo people, claiming that the Ikwede people are Igbo people. Some are Binyi people, claiming that the Ikwede people are Binyi people. So, I said, okay, let me come and meet the Ikwede people themselves. Thank you very much. You know, speculation is speculation. Yes. In every geographical entity, you must have to hear speculation, whether true or not. Yes, like our forefathers, the way they told us that Ikwede people migrated from Oba. Oba. Yes. Now, Oba migrated from Binyin. Okay. You understand? Okay. Not Ikwede people migrated from Binyin. Ikwede people migrated from Oba. Oba. While Oba migrated from Binyin. Okay. You understand now? Yes. And that Oba is a ahoda. Ahoda. Homok. All those areas, they are Oba. That's where Ikwede people come from. Migrated from. Okay. Then Oba now, itself, come from Binyin. Binyin. Okay. Is this the reason why people are saying that Ikwede people come from Binyin? Yes. Because they feel since Oba people come from Binyin. Yes. That is where we have come from. That is the reason why we are saying that we are from Binyin. Why is it that your language is more similar to Igbo language than Binyin language? Okay. If you go to Omeya Waluka government, they are close to Oba. They hear Oba and they speak Oba language. We that have boundary with Igbo state, Abya state, we hear Igbo state, we hear their state. Likewise them, they hear Igbo language. It doesn't mean that we are part of Igbo. Okay. Are you done? Let me also comment. What you rightly say that the language is similar. It is not similar. That is how you people understand it. Now, what you could call this in Igbo language? Oche. Then why we call it Ekwe. Or Oku. Okay. You understand? Yeah, that one is not. But when you say tradition in Igbo language, they call it Omenala. Omenala. Then Ekwe language, what do they call it? Owen is awa. Owen is not awa. Omenele. It is different from Omenala. Omenele. It is different from Omenala. You could call chest. Obe. We would say Boma. Boma. Now, you know, I want to get something now. That part of Ekwe people that live close to Oba, is their own Ekwe language a little bit different from the ones that live close to Igbo people? Yes. They have a little difference. The Ekwe are known for their colourful festivals. Masquerades, drums, and dances bring the community together. These festivals are not just for fun. They are a way to honour their ancestors and celebrate life. Is there any significant tradition or maybe festivals or anything that Ekwe people are known for? We have a lot. Even currently now, one is going on now. In terms of culture, we have a lot of them. That is the one we call Eriogada. Where you see our young girls, our spencers, they dress, they tie wrappers, from their waist like this, and another one from here, just to cover their breasts. They will be playing their drums, Ogele, and the native, we would call it Ngele. Their native drums, Osha. They will be dancing and people will be admiring them. They will go to community by community. They have a central place where they display. Each community, you have your own community. In your own community, you have your own. In my own community, we have our own. Then another one is, we call this one Memba. Memba. More especially, it's for guys. Men will dance like women? Yes, men will dance like women. We have so many traditional songs that will move you. That will move you. If you go around, you will see them. In every area, in every area, like this Obyapo, each of the clans under Obyapo, have their own Memba culture. It's very sweet. When they display here, if you have one million in your pocket, you will give them. I would like to attend that kind of event. I have your number. I will call you. I would like to call you. We have another one. We call it a real way. Masquerade. A real way. They carry masquerade. Different type of masquerade. With a knife. They can use a knife to display. And you will carry it away. If they are displaying here now, if you have money here, you can spend all your money here before you go. Like example of it, we have a wanton. Wanton. We call it a wemwe. So many. There are many. Apart from that one, our main traditional culture. We call it Egelege. Egelege. In all Yoronga. That is every festival. We are into the festival now. Every Saturday, we used to do that. Egelege. Two men will come and wrestle. We want to know who has power. When they fought each other, they have win. They will spray money. They will enjoy. They used to use that thing to marry. In those days. If you are a good wrestler, if they know you as a good wrestler, and once you are stepping out, we call it Dimba. Dimba. A lot of all these fine guests, they will be arriving. Because you are a strong man. If you marry them, they will protect you. You will protect them. Anywhere they hear your name, they will respect. Ask another Dimba, don't go. They will throw you. Marriage in Egele land is a big celebration. It is not just about two people. It is about two families coming together. Traditional marriages often include the giving of drinks, yams and bride price, followed by dancing and feasting. Is it too expensive to marry from here? No. It is not as expensive as you think. But the little I know is this. When you want to marry an Egele woman, even you yourself, you will know that we are not after money. We are after our daughters. Not your money. We are not after your money. Some people usually say you couldn't get her. They will cut your neck. They will beat you. No. Why people are raising it like this? Or talking or saying it like this? Because we value our daughters. We don't want to give our daughters. After giving our daughters out, you start mistreating our daughters. Hold it. You see, in terms of this marriage, like as we said, our tradition and during our forefathers, Egele people are proud. Okay. Even the men, the women. And our daughters don't like to marry outside. Okay. They marry Egele men. Okay. And you that are coming to marry our daughters, we don't care about your money. We only care about our daughters. Don't mistreat our daughters. When you marry her. Okay. Like before, our women marry strong men, not money. If you are a wrestler, our women will marry you. If you are a very hard working man as a farmer, our women will marry you. They know that they cannot lack of hunger and anything. Not now that Oyebo people have destroyed everything. Before, our Egele men marry strong men. So now if I carry small money, come. Yes. That's why I said Egele women are proud. And we are proud. Anywhere we are, Anywhere you see Egele men, they will tell you that they are Egele men. They cannot intimidate any Egele person. Anywhere we are, we don't pretend. They cannot intimidate us. And the same thing to our girls, our women. If we are seeing the reality like before, if our women are married, they don't marry because of money. And why Egele people don't pretend? According to our tradition, if you marry our girl, as you marry her, anything that happens to her there, anything, you bury her there that you marry her. There are some people when their daughter marry, when the woman die, they will go and carry it. They will call, they will say all the property of the woman, they will carry it. They will do this, they will do that. Egele people don't do that. Once you marry, you are married. If you die, your people will just come and confirm you are dead. They will confirm where they will bury you. Any of your property, any of you have, it belongs to your people. Nobody cares about it. So that is why Egele people pretend. If you want to marry some people now, they will say bring 1,000 Naira. You think that their marriage is cheaper. But when that woman die, when you go there, you will do something that if you pay 100,000 Naira and carry the woman, there, when you pay 1,000 Naira, you will pay 1,000,000 Naira before you bury the person. That's why Egele people don't pretend. Or they will take the corpse. If you come to my place here to marry, if he asks you to pay 100,000, that is 100,000 Naira you will pay. So there are places where these things happen? Yes. But in Egele here, it doesn't happen. If you marry, you don't marry. So that was why we give out our... If we are taking 1,000 Naira from you, that 1,000 is our 1,000. And we cannot come back and give us our property. We want to carry our daughter. No, we don't do that. I want to tell you this. Egele women they are the best. They are the best. I know exactly what I am talking about. My wife is from Egele. My wife is from Egele. Egele women, they are the best in terms of marriage. They are not looking after your money. What they are looking after is to build you and build your home. And also plan with you ahead. Like some of them, we have some of them are, this is my husband, if you know, give me 50,000 today. No, not Egele women. I hope you guys are hearing this. Egele women are hard working. They don't cheat. If you marry Egele women, they don't cheat. Because we have this law. Because if you cheat, your husband will pursue you. There is no house for you. You cannot come back. When you are giving her to your daughter for marriage, the first thing you will tell her, no house for you to come back again. No house for you to come back again. You don't go. They will speak it in our language. If you marry Egele women, if you marry Egele women, there is no house for you. If you come back here, you cannot come back. But there is no house for you. That one alone will make you to sit up in your husband's house and obey your husband. The rules are regulations. And that alone will make you not to cheat on your husband. If you marry Egele women, just be rest assured that your home is safe. And your home is safe. I will go and look for small money and come. Exactly. I know exactly what I am talking about. Your home is safe. The Egele people are not just about the past. They are shaping the future. From agriculture to politics, from music to education, they continue to grow while holding on to their values. Is there any bad thing that an Egele man can never do? Yes. Like now, before you continue, like now, in Egele, we don't steal. We don't kill. Yes. In fact, it is a very big abomination. Temptatively, mistakenly, something of nature happens, you will be banished from the land. And they will continue stealing. And they will disgrace you first. They will disgrace you openly. They will make you rub with charcoal that if it is plantain, if it is yam, they will tie it, put it on your neck, rub with charcoal, carry you to all the communities in the town. They will make you to shame before they banish you. That is why Egele is very peaceful. That is why Egele is very peaceful. Even up to today, if a thief catches you, he will do the same thing. For the Egele, food is more than just survival, it is culture. Meals like Mini Urioza, Mini Uriokaze and so many others tell the story of the rivers and farms that feed the people. Cooking is often done with family and food is shared as a way of showing love. They say the best way to understand a people is through their food. So I will be eating three of the most popular dishes that Egele people are known for. The first one is a soup that a lot of people believe to have healing powers. This soup is called Mini Urioza. After that, I will be eating another soup. The one that they said is the most important soup of the Egele people. They call it Mini Uriokaze. Finally, we are going to be eating one of the most popular soups in the whole of River State. This soup is so popular that every tribe in River State have their own recipe for this particular soup. It is called River's Native Soup. So first, let's eat Mini Urioza. Mini Urioza is more than just a soup for the Egele people. It is believed to have the power to ease stress and bring both the body and mind to a calm, relaxed state. Its key ingredient is the orza leaf which is carefully washed and cut before being added to a rich broth made from assorted dried fish and meat. The result is a comforting, deeply flavored soup that speaks to the soul. Alright guys, so here we have the Mini Urioza. A very beautiful looking unique soup to the Egele people. Inside, it looks watery. I am seeing a lot of water. Is it how it is supposed to be? Yes, we call it Mini Uri Gorogoro. Gorogoro means water? Yes, light soup. It is not thick like the Okazi. I am just seeing separation. Water under, then a lot of meat and things. Wow. Okay. The appearance, it looks like Oha soup. It looks like a watery version of Oha soup with a lot of meat and fish inside. Orza soup. You call it Oha orza? We call it Orza soup. Okay, Orza soup. This is Orza soup. Which is the version of Oha soup prepared in the Kwere land. Yes. Did you add any thickener here? Yes, I added Murachi. Murachi, okay. You didn't put a lot of it? Yes, just to thicken it. Just light. So, a little bit thickened but it is not thick. We call it Mini Uri Gorogoro. It is watery. It is a watery version of Oha soup with a lot of flavors coming from the good amount of fishes and meat and so many things added inside. This is a pot. This is a plate of goodness. The next soup I was given was Mini Uri Okazi, often referred to as a signature soup of the Kwere people. This soup is hearty and rich, made from ground melon seeds, a variety of proteins and the star vegetable, okazi leaves. It is a soup that not only fills the stomach but also showcases the unique cooking traditions of the Kwere people. Okay. Wow. The taste of this soup is exceptional. It has that hint of melon seeds that you can see inside. Also, the taste of the okazi is also here because the okazi was pounded. It is everywhere inside the soup. Once you put your swallow here and put it in your mouth, you get a complex taste of the okazi, the taste of the melon and the rich taste that was brought in by all these fishes added in this soup. This is wonderful. I love this soup so much. The last soup I was served is a soup that could easily be called the most popular in all of River State but with a distinct Kwere twist. Made from a mix of fresh fish and okazi as a vegetable, this soup's flavour reminded me of the famous Fisherman's Soup where it carries its own story and depth, unique to the Kwere way of cooking. Alright guys, so here we have the Minwiri Azobudu or what people call Bivas Native Soup. Yes. When looking at this soup, you will know it will be delicious. You know, there are some soups that you look at, you will know that this soup must be delicious. If that soup is not delicious, there will be problems. This one is one of those soups. When looking at this, you know that the soup will be delicious and it is actually delicious. You can taste the freshness of the Ozeza. Ozeze. You can taste the freshness of the Ozeze. This Ozeze is what they call, Igbo people call it Ozeza. In English it is called hot leaves. So you can taste the freshness and the kind of minty flavour that comes from that Ozeze. And also, everything here is fresh. You know, fresh prawns, fresh fish, fresh abaca. Abaca fish. This one is abaca fish. This one is Ikinji. This is Ikinji fish. Everything here was gotten fresh and prepared fresh. The story of the Kwere is not finished. It is written everyday in their farms, their festivals, their families and their faith. Where they came from may be debated, but who they are is clear. A people of strength, unity and endless spirit. To understand the Kwere, you must hear it from them because their story is best told by the voices of the land. Alright guys, so here you have it. The untold story of the Kwere people told by the Kwere people themselves. If you loved this video, like, share and subscribe. And if you want me to visit any other tribe, please write them in the comment section. And always remember, eat to live, while I live to eat. I am Mr. Epic and I will see you in the next video.