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Ala (odinala)

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458: 709: 535: 22: 301:), which is especially revered in many Igbo communities. In art, Ala is often represented as a regal figure seated on a throne, surrounded by her family. In the past, such figures took the form of life-size mud sculptures in special festive shrines dedicated to the deity and known as 275:
and holds the deceased ancestors in her womb. Her name literally translates to "ground" in the Igbo language, denoting her powers over the earth and her status as the ground itself. Ala is considered the highest Alusi in the Igbo pantheon. Ala's husband is
329:) was committed on her earth. Ala is also responsible for many aspects of Igbo society and guardianship of women and children in general. She is often depicted with a small child in her arms and her symbol is the crescent 293:. All ground is considered holy land as it is Ala herself. With human fertility, Ala is credited for the productivity of the land. Ala's messenger and living agent on earth is the 484: 450:
Von Forslun, T. (2021). Encyclopedia of the Divine Feminine: Goddess of 10,000 Names. Storbritannien: Xlibris AU.
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As the goddess of morality, Ala is involved in judging human actions and is in charge of Igbo law and customs known as
491: 105: 65: 43: 39: 809: 72: 779: 457: 804: 54: 799: 774: 794: 769: 743: 789: 32: 341:, the earth. It was sometimes believed that Ala could swallow people up into the underground. 784: 708: 814: 289:. Taboos and crimes among Igbo communities that are against the standard of Ala are called 317:
in a community, that they have also desecrated or insulted Ala as the abomination (called
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Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 761: 744: 485: 751: 737: 492: 478: 348:and is annually paid homage to during the 106:Learn how and when to remove this message 417: 383: 762: 344:Ala is still worshiped by the Igbo of 313:It is said that if a person commits a 473: 379: 377: 147:of the Earth, Fertility, and Morality 703: 44:adding citations to reliable sources 15: 464:Traditional African religion portal 13: 374: 14: 826: 418:Ekennia, Justin Nnadozie (2000). 271:. In Odinani, Ala rules over the 707: 533: 456: 387:The Concept of Man in Igbo Myths 20: 31:needs additional citations for 411: 1: 384:Ogbuene, Chigekwu G. (1999). 367: 723:. You can help Knowledge by 7: 499: 355: 182:Igbo Land southern Nigeria 10: 831: 702: 126: 120: 679: 653: 622: 591: 542: 531: 507: 226: 216: 202: 197: 187: 177: 163: 153: 141: 136: 421:African Modernity Crisis 390:. P. Lang. p. 208. 308: 261:dialects) is the female 127:Not to be confused with 424:. Barloz. p. 153. 715:This article about a 810:Underworld goddesses 40:improve this article 780:Fertility goddesses 805:Underworld deities 217:Bakongo equivalent 55:"Ala" odinala 800:Justice goddesses 775:Fertility deities 732: 731: 700: 699: 431:978-978-33363-5-3 397:978-0-8204-4704-9 280:, the sky deity. 236: 235: 227:Yoruba equivalent 118:Fertility goddess 116: 115: 108: 90: 822: 753: 746: 739: 711: 704: 537: 494: 487: 480: 471: 470: 466: 461: 460: 443: 442: 440: 438: 415: 409: 408: 406: 404: 381: 203:Roman equivalent 134: 133: 111: 104: 100: 97: 91: 89: 48: 24: 16: 830: 829: 825: 824: 823: 821: 820: 819: 795:Justice deities 770:Earth goddesses 760: 759: 758: 757: 701: 696: 675: 649: 618: 587: 538: 529: 503: 498: 462: 455: 447: 446: 436: 434: 432: 416: 412: 402: 400: 398: 382: 375: 370: 358: 311: 241:(also known as 149: 132: 125: 119: 112: 101: 95: 92: 49: 47: 37: 25: 12: 11: 5: 828: 818: 817: 812: 807: 802: 797: 792: 790:Igbo goddesses 787: 782: 777: 772: 756: 755: 748: 741: 733: 730: 729: 712: 698: 697: 695: 694: 689: 683: 681: 677: 676: 674: 673: 668: 663: 657: 655: 651: 650: 648: 647: 642: 637: 632: 626: 624: 620: 619: 617: 616: 611: 606: 601: 595: 593: 589: 588: 586: 585: 580: 575: 570: 565: 560: 555: 549: 547: 540: 539: 532: 530: 528: 527: 522: 517: 511: 509: 508:Establishments 505: 504: 497: 496: 489: 482: 474: 468: 467: 452: 451: 445: 444: 430: 410: 396: 372: 371: 369: 366: 365: 364: 362:Igbo mythology 357: 354: 310: 307: 234: 233: 228: 224: 223: 218: 214: 213: 204: 200: 199: 195: 194: 189: 185: 184: 179: 175: 174: 165: 161: 160: 157: 151: 150: 142: 139: 138: 117: 114: 113: 28: 26: 19: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 827: 816: 813: 811: 808: 806: 803: 801: 798: 796: 793: 791: 788: 786: 783: 781: 778: 776: 773: 771: 768: 767: 765: 754: 749: 747: 742: 740: 735: 734: 728: 726: 722: 718: 713: 710: 706: 705: 693: 690: 688: 685: 684: 682: 678: 672: 669: 667: 664: 662: 659: 658: 656: 654:Sacred Places 652: 646: 643: 641: 638: 636: 633: 631: 628: 627: 625: 621: 615: 614:Igbo calendar 612: 610: 607: 605: 602: 600: 597: 596: 594: 590: 584: 581: 579: 576: 574: 571: 569: 566: 564: 561: 559: 556: 554: 551: 550: 548: 546: 541: 536: 526: 523: 521: 518: 516: 513: 512: 510: 506: 502: 495: 490: 488: 483: 481: 476: 475: 472: 465: 459: 454: 449: 448: 433: 427: 423: 422: 414: 399: 393: 389: 388: 380: 378: 373: 363: 360: 359: 353: 351: 347: 342: 340: 336: 332: 328: 324: 320: 316: 306: 304: 300: 296: 292: 288: 287: 281: 279: 274: 270: 266: 265: 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 240: 232: 229: 225: 222: 219: 215: 212: 208: 205: 201: 196: 193: 190: 186: 183: 180: 176: 173: 169: 168:crescent moon 166: 162: 158: 156: 152: 148: 146: 140: 135: 130: 124: 110: 107: 99: 96:February 2024 88: 85: 81: 78: 74: 71: 67: 64: 60: 57: –  56: 52: 51:Find sources: 45: 41: 35: 34: 29:This article 27: 23: 18: 17: 785:Igbo deities 725:expanding it 714: 671:Ibini Ukpabi 435:. 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"Ala" odinala
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JSTOR
Learn how and when to remove this message
Ala (Pluto)
Allah
Alusi
Planet
crescent moon
python
Igbo Land southern Nigeria
Amadioha
Juno
Ceres
Nzambici
Yemọja
Igbo
Alusi
Odinani
underworld
Amadioha
omenala
python

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