Igbo Ichi Tribal Marks

Tribal marks served different purposes in different tribes including: identification, healing, spiritual protection and for beautification. In the Igbo tribe, descendants of the Nri Kingdom, the oldest in Nigeria, tribal marking was more for affluence and social status, commonly known as Ichi. However, later on, tribal marks were also given to women too for the purposes of identification, beautification and healing. These consisted of "Agbaja" marks (moon-like circles and semicircles) and "Ndri" decoration (sun-like carved lines that go from forehead to male chin and across cheeks).

Getting Ichi scar was painful and meant to test male courage (children and adults were not allowed to make a sound).