SIX OLDEN LIFE PATTERNS OF UTURIANS THAT SHAPED OUR HEROES
In the olden days of Uturians, when life was full of fun and activities are set based on human strength and wisdom sharing. It was then, that most inherited pattern of Uturu people were shaped by our past heroes who never fear fighting nor accept defeat from a common source.
During those ages, wisdoms are shared freely in open places without descrimination and jealousy. The people lived together as one blood and help each other both in accomodation and tolerance. Plays were seen as plays then.
Here are the six deep life patterns Uturu people lived before that favours them deeply.
6 Olden Life Patterns of Uturians That Shaped Our Heroes
When I was growing up in Uturu, I used to ask my grandfather one question: How did our people survive without phones, money, or big houses?
He would smile, sit under the mango tree, and say: "Son, our strength was not in what we had. It was in how we lived."
The olden days of Uturians were not easy. Life was built on human strength, tradition, wisdom, and community unity. But it was in those hard times that the 6 life patterns of Uturians were shaped by our past heroes. Men and women who never feared a fight, and never accepted defeat.
These patterns may look "local" today, but they are the reasons Uturu people are known for wisdom, courage, and unity.
Here are the 6 deep life patterns our forefathers lived that still bless us up to today.
1. Moonlight Night Storytelling
This is the first classroom. One of my sweetest childhood memories was dry season nights.
When the moon was full and the sky had no clouds, all the children in the compound would gather outside. No TV to watch, no data to play video games. Just moonlight and voices.
Our parents and elders would sit on benches or mats and tell stories. Not just any story. These were; heroic stories, animal stories and wisdom stories.
There were stories about the tortoise and the lion mostly. Stories about how a small ant defeated a big elephant with wisdom. Stories about brave Uturu warriors who protected the village.
This kind of stories help us built on our characters, respect, intelligence, hardworks, unity and children who listens became the wise ones. In all these things, no descrimination nor abuse among peers.
2. Houses and Thatched Roofs Building With Our Hands
In the earlier days, our fathers didn’t have cement or blocks. They had clay, sand, water, and their legs and brain.
I watched them mix the mud with their bare foot until it became smooth. Then they moulded it into blocks and dried it with little sun heat. The roof was made of grasses - we called it "thatched roof".
Was it weak? Yes, during heavy rain you had to re-roof every 2-3 years. Was it beautiful? Yes, because it was cool in hot season and warm in cold season.
The lesson; Our people were creative with little. A moulded house could last 15+ years. They taught us that you don’t need big money to build a home. You need skill, patience, and community help.
Today we prefer zinc and cement. But we’ve lost the art of building with our hands.
3. Formed Ovens and Firewood
This the heart of the home. Every house had a kitchen made of moulded blocks and thatched roof. Inside it was the "formed oven" - 3 stones arranged in a triangle. That was where our mothers cooked.
Firewood was gathered from the bush. New wives were proud to cook with it. No complaints. No "NEPA took light" as we had it now.
Today, most wives want gas cylinders and electric stoves. And that’s fine because time changes. But the lesson remains; Our mothers taught us dignity in work. Cooking was not suffering. It was service, love, and pride. The formed oven reminds us to be grateful for simple things.
4. Idolatry and Spirituality
The Search for Power and Protection. This is a sensitive one, but we must talk about it honestly.
Uturu people inherited strong spiritual practices from our forefathers. There was worship of idols, native doctors, and belief in spirits. Places like "Isume at Ugwuele" and the "Ajaba stone caves" are proof of this.
When missionaries came, they preached about Jesus Christ. Many people was converted after seeing miracles. But as time went on, some went back to old ways. Some mixed both for public mouth gossips.
I heard stories from my wife. Her grandfather, 'Silvester Umezuruike', was a great native doctor and friend to the famous 'Pericoma' from Imo State. They believed in the power of 'Ihuku' - that it had a living spirit.
What’s the lesson?
Our forefathers were searching for protection, powers and answers from the unknown sources. Today, we have the Bible, the Quran, and education system. But we must never forget that the core was; "Who do we trust for help during casualties?"
Civilization and religion changed many views. But the history is part of who we are.
5. Rain Play
The Dirty, Fearless Play of Age Grades. This one will make modern children laugh without thinking. During heavy rain, we boys and girls would run naked from the stream to the village square. We would pour dirty water on ourselves, roll in the yellow mud, and run back to the stream to wash out our bodies.
It was an 'age grade tradition' as was then. Your seniors taught you. You followed. They came into the world before you.
We didn’t fear wounds. If you cut your leg, it was "not serious". God was our doctor as of then. Our faith is not doubted.
Why it mattered to participate?
It built courage. It removed shame. It taught us that we are all one - boys and girls, rich and poor, all dirty together.
Today, children won’t try this. "They have eaten the forbidden fruit of nakedness awareness" as my grandfather would say. But we lost something: the fearlessness and community joy has all gone never to come back again.
Battle of Courage and Unity. I didn’t witness this myself, but one of my late senior colleagues told me stories that gave me goosebumps.
Villages would gather at the public square. Drums would beat. Dancers would come to the center. Then a man from another village, say village A would point and drag a man from another, say village B for a wrestling match.
It was not personal. It was for the honor of the village. If you won, your whole village would rejoice. Sometimes they would kill a fowl to celebrate you.
What it taught me; courage, preparation, and pride. You didn’t fight for yourself. You fought for your people.
Today, masquerades and football matches have replaced wrestling. Knowledge has replaced physical battle. But the spirit of "stand up for your own" is still in Uturians.
Conclusion;
The 6 olden life patterns of Uturians were not perfect. But they gave us 6 things we still need:
1. Wisdom - From moonlight stories
2. Creativity - From moulded houses
3. Dignity in work - From firewood ovens
4. Spiritual awareness - From our history
5. Courage - From rain play
6. Community pride - From wrestling
Civilization, computers, and religion have changed us. But if we forget these roots, we become people with no foundation.
As an Uturian, I’m proud of where we came from. Even though I haven’t made money from writing yet, I write this so our children will know that our heroes didn’t fear, and neither should we.
"The pen is mightier than the sword" - Edward Bulwer Lytton
Question for you: Which of these 6 patterns do you still remember from your childhood? Comment below and let’s keep our history alive.
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