Anioma Traditional Marriage Attires: Akwa Ocha 2024

The Anioma traditional marriage attires are well cultured and designed with various patterns and designs. In Aniomaland, the bride and groom dress in native attires. The bridal train is also costumed in pure Anioma specially made for traditional marriage.

Anioma Tribe Of Delta State

Anioma is an ethnic group in Delta State, Nigeria along with Urhobo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Isoko. Their cultures are a great treasure to the people, and it has remained unchanged to date. With the rate at which people embrace them, they are sure to be preserved whole for the future generation.

Marriages in Anioma land are a great day for the people to don their Akwa Ocha outfits and look their best. We have pictured over 40 styles that you can take inspiration from to recreate your wedding attires.

If you’ve never been to an Anioma traditional marriage or you’re yet to see how their brides costume themselves at wedding ceremonies, then this post is for you.

Akwa-Ocha Cloth Of The Delta-Igbo Tribe

The Igbo (Anioma) speaking tribe of Delta state wear Akwaocha during important occasions like Traditional titled ceremonies, Cultural Festivals, Marriage ceremonies, Burial, and National and state ceremonies, among others.

Akwa-Ocha or simply ‘’White Cloth’’ is the native attire predominantly worn by the Enuani people of Delta state Nigeria. The Akwa-Ocha used by the ANIOMA people of Delta-State is not just a white cloth or fabric, it is a distinctively patterned cloth of the Enuani people (Ndi Anioma).

Some traditions brought rise to the Enuani’s Akwaocha and its distinct designs. Accessories like a red cap with an eagle feather and elephant tusk are used to complement the outfit.

Most persons refer to ordinary white clothes as the AKWA-OCHA of Delta state simply because “Akwa Ocha” in the Igbo language means white cloth. This is entirely wrong as the Delta AKWA-OCHA is neatly woven, hand-made, and very expensive. It is in demand just like the beautiful AKWETE.

The Anioma traditional attire is not restricted to the Delta-Igbo people only. It is worn by some other Igbo communities like the people of Ogbaru in Anambra, Oshimili in Delta, and Ndoni LGAs of Rivers state. They use the attire as their native wear.

It is popular regalia worn by titled men and women alike. It is a symbol of dignity and purity. Men who have the Agbalanze title of Nze n’ Ozo and women with the Odu title wear Akwaocha. Widows also switch from Akwa ojii to Akwaocha after some months of mourning. Akwaocha is also wrapped around sacred trees in most shrines in Igbo land. Both Igbo and Delta-Igbo kings put on their Akwaocha robes.

The white George worn by Nze n’Ozo and their lolos tie to cover their breast in Imo State during “ahia ozo” is also called “Akwa ocha”. Sometimes, the title is inscribed on the material. Akwaocha culture is not exclusive to Ndi Anioma. It serves different purposes in the central Igbo land from what it does for the Anioma people.