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Dating & Marrying Igbo

Soups and hospitality

Why cooking matters at an Igbo wedding, and which soup says what.

Lesson 1 of 2

Food as a welcome

Cooking is a language

In Igbo culture, cooking skill is a sign of readiness for marriage and an expression of hospitality. When in-laws visit or the Igba Nkwu feast is served, the food reflects the dignity of the bride and her family.

Foreigners and non-Igbos who marry in are often expected to learn at least the basic soups, such as Ofe Nsala or Ofe Onugbu, to show care for the household.

Lesson 2 of 2

Meet the soups

What each soup means

Tap to flip

Did you know?

For Ofe Onugbu, the bitter leaves are washed again and again until the bitterness is only a trace.

★ quiz