𞤵𞤺𞤢 Uga - Overstanding the Four Ages of the World
According to the ancient 𞤭𞤦𞤮 Igbo tradition called 𞤮𞤣𞤭𞤲𞤢𞤲𞤭 Odinani, which we have incorporated into our Afrikan 𞤳𞤭𞤤𞤽𞤥𞤦𞤮 𞤾𞤮𞤣𞤵𞥊𞥅𞤲 Kilɔmbo Vodún way of life, there are four major cyclic stages of the world. They are referred to as 𞤓𞤺𞤢 Uga. Uga means era, age, cycle, epoch kwk.
Each age carries unique significance, representing epochs of growth, wisdom, chaos, destruction, building and renewal. Each uga is 𞥒𞥑𞥖𞥐 2160 years in length with a complete cycle of the 4 Uga equalling 8640 𞥘𞥖𞥔𞥐 years. It is further noted that each 2160 period is broken down into four 540 year epochs and each of them into four 135 year epochs.
We have thoroughly adopted this concept into our Kilɔmbo Vodún Way of life. These ages are:
1. 𞤢𞤳𞤢 Aka - time of divine mind and universal consciousness. No boundary between heaven and earth. Very mystic human beings occupy the earth. Also known as the 𞤸𞤱𞤫𞤿𞤮𞥊𞥅𞤲𞤵𞤼𞤽𞤲 Hwexónutɔn (Primordial Age), it serves as the foundational era from which all existence emerged. In this age, the cosmic forces took form and primordial energies danced in a celestial symphony. It is the time before time, the epoch of boundless potentiality, where the seeds of creation were sown. Here, our ancient Afrikan ancestors found the essence to the origins of all that is; a sacred wellspring from which the subsequent ages would draw their essence. It is interesting that it is said that in this uga humans only existed in spiritual form. It represents pure consciousness, where beings existed in the astral plane as pure energies without physical bodies. It was a time of pure spiritual essence and potential, a prelude to physical incarnation. The color of this age is yellow/gold.
Themes
(A) 𞤣𞤮𞤼𞤽 𞤫 𞤥𞤹 𞤲𞤵𞥇 𞤤𞤹 𞤧𞤭𞤿𞤵 𞤶𞤹 𞤣𞤫𞥊 𞤫𞥊𞥅 Dotɔ e mɛ nǔ lɛ sixu jɛ ɖè é - The Abyss of Possibility: Uga Aka represents the boundless void, a realm pregnant with potential but devoid of form. It embodies the concept of unmanifest potentiality, akin to a blank landscape before ready to be molded into a beautiful work of art.
(B)𞤲𞤵𞥊𞤳𞤵𞥊𞥅𞤲 𞤩𞤹𞥇𞤼𞤽𞤲 Nùkún Gnɛ̀tɔn − The Seed of Existence: Within this age, the seeds of life, wisdom, and creativity were planted, preparing the ground for the subsequent ages to flourish.
2. 𞤷𞤮 Chi - world age of the preponderance of reincarnated people. This age marks the beginning of human matter and the transformation from pure energy into physical flesh. Humans were closer to nature still. Yet, 𞤭𞤳𞤵𞥊𞥅 Ikú (death) emerges but does not have a profound effect on 𞤩𞤹𞤼𞤽 gbɛtɔ (humans). Intuitiveness. Duality comes about. Individualized 𞤷𞤭/𞤧𞤹 chi/sɛ (souls in Igbo and Ajã languages) come about. Uga Chi is Gbɛ́sù (the Age of Divine Wisdom), where the hùn/òrìṣà (deities) descended to bestow upon humanity the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, and the arts of civilization. It is an epoch characterized by divine intervention, as the deities took it upon themselves to illuminate the minds of mortals. Through this sacred exchange, Afrikan humans bestowed with the ability to cultivate the land, create, and progress. The color of this age is black.
Themes
(A)𞤱𞤫𞥁𞥆𞤭𞥁𞤢 𞤥𞤭𞤥𞤹𞥇 weziza mímɛ́ − Divine Enlightenment: Uga Chi signifies the awakening of the human intellect, the infusion of higher knowledge and wisdom from the celestial realms.
(B) 𞤺𞤤𞤫𞤤𞤭𞤤𞤹 𞤲𞤵𞥊𞤲𞤭𞤲𞤢 glelilɛ nùnina − Cultivation of Gifts: In this age, humanity learned the arts of agriculture, animal husbandry, craftsmanship, and other essential skills that propelled civilization forward.
3. 𞤀𞤲𞤱𞤵 Anwu - age of light. Death and illness escape from the bag of hatred and become clearly manifest in this age. Mindless-ness plants its seeds. The consciousness during this age was one of self-realization and self-actualization. Lifespans became shorter, and there was an increased overstanding of how to manipulate energies. This age is associated with the consciousness of duality, where humans started to explore their individual and collective potentials more intimately. The color of this age is red.
4. 𞤀𞥁𞤭 Azi - (Our current Uga ending 214 years from now in 2239 of the Gregorian calendar) - battle against nature and divine law. Negativity dominates. Ultimate age of degeneracy. Identity confusion prevails. Maximum increase of ear. Uga Azi marks a period of upheaval, discord, and societal disintegration. It is an era characterized by the imbalance of cosmic forces, where chaos and disorder held sway. This tumultuous age saw the unraveling of the harmonious order established in in the first two Uga. This age is marked by crime, evil, war, deceit, delusion, irreversible effects of family infighting, and ignorance just to name a few. It represents the lowest level of consciousness, where destructive behaviors and pestilence prevail. This age is associated with the consciousness of ignorance and vanity. It reveals the challenges and darker aspects of human consciousness. Of major significance, the ancients said that Azi is marked by a breakdown in family...disconnection of generations....confusion in familial identity...increase in mental disorder and crimes committed by those carrying such spirits. An age of reincarnated negative spirits (ex., reincarnated captors, reincarnated people who hunted down our people to sell to Europeans, kwk). The color of this age is white.
Themes
(A) 𞤺𞤢𞥇𞤲 𞤲𞤵𞥊𞥅 𞤶𞤤𞤹𞤶𞤭𞤲𞤭𞤲𞤽 Gǎn nú Jlɛjininɔ − The Struggle for Balance: Uga Azi serves as a reminder of the inherent duality within existence, where chaos must be met with order, and discord with harmony.
(B) 𞤶𞤭𞤶𞤽𞤣𞥉𞤮𞥇 Jijɔɖŏ − The Forge of Character: It is within this age that individuals and societies are tested, their mettle forged through adversity and the trials of chaos.
The last of the four cycles, 𞤓𞤺𞤢 𞤀𞥁𞤭 Uga Azi, started in 4320 AX (Julian calendar year of 79 CE). We are currently in the deepest part of the age of Azi which ends in 𞥖𞥔𞥗𞥐 6480 AX (2239 CE of the Gregorian calendar). This is the age of maximal chaos, confusion, and destruction: an era of utter moral and socio-economic chaos. The era is dominated by people who are jimakplón - rude, impolite, born/raised uneducated; degenerate, destructive with no regard; born without knowledge; badly educated. Knowing what stage that we are in within a particular uga is crucial in that it helps us to navigate life at its maximum benefit. You have to know the time you are in.
Look around. The proof is in the experience in this world gone mad. This is why culture and spirit are of extreme importance to Afrikans during this chaotic time; and these lived with the intention of passing this on generationally.
The profound Igbo ancients discovered not only a cyclical view of time, but a profound overstanding of the ebb and flow of existence itself. These ages also represent stages of consciousness. Each of them offer insight into human consciousness and its evolution. As can be seen, these four ages each have distinct characteristics and durations, they reflect the multidimensional nature of Igbo reality. Overstanding these ages can help us gain insights into the different planes of existence, reincarnation, and the progression of spiritual consciousness in Igbo reality and Odinani cosmology.
The Kɔngo Connection
Interestingly enough, when overstood from a more extensive level, the Kɔngo Dikenga Symbol expresses the same concepts as follows:
The Kɔngo cosmogram symbolizes the rising of the sun in the east, the setting of the sun in the west, and represents cosmic energies. The horizontal line in the Kɔngo cosmogram represents the boundary between the physical world (realm of the living) and the spiritual world (realm of the ancestors). The vertical line of the cosmogram is the path of spiritual power from Nzambi a Mpungu ("God") at the top traveling to the realm of the dead below where the ancestors reside.
The four points refer to the pivotal stages of life that are equated with the daily passage of the sun: dawn = birth; noon = maturity; sunset = gateway to death; and midnight = day in the realm of the ancestors. As with much symbolism found in Afrikan culture, this is read counter clockwise and in the same spirit as to why Odù Ifá are marked from left to right and how the ọpọn Ifá is viewed.
There is no greater history map than the language of a people itself. Our ancestors came to the profound conclusion that human consciousness has evolved and continues to evolve through different cycles, and by overstanding these cycles, we can better align with the desired consciousness for ourselves and our descendants.
As mentioned, these four ages are not just timelines of existence in Igbo spirituality, they are realms of consciousness. This point might be controversial for some, but because these four ages are equally four realms of consciousness, they represent realms of incarnation which souls re-enter the world (Igbo reality) from. Each age of consciousness is ruled and preserved by the foundational spirits that guide reality.
These Uga are not merely linear in their nature, but exist simultaneously in a multidimensional framework. Just as past, present, and future coexist, so too do these uga, allowing for a complex and layered metaphysical justification of human existence.
Year Dates of the Uga
Notes: In parenthesis, you will see the BCE years. BCE means "before the common era". The common era is used as a non-religious/secular way to refer to how Europeans count time from the birth of their mythological Jesus savior. Thus, the Jesus advent represents a central year "0" and when you see CE it represents that amount of years after that "o" year. So the years you see represent the year that the uga started, using that terminology. The only reason I'm even using that is so people can keep up with what's being said and they can compare.
However, the first number you see is based on the total amount of years ago that the era actually started. For example, 17, 066 is 15, 041 BCE + 2025. Ya means "years ago".
Previous 4 stage Uga Cycle
Aka 17, 066 ya (15, 041 BCE)
Chi 14, 906 ya (12, 881 BCE)
Anwu 12, 746 ya (10, 721 BCE) (time of the Great Sphinx)
Azi 10, 586 ya (8561 BCE)
Our current 4 stage Uga cycle
Aka 8426 ya (6401 BCE)
Chi 6266 ya (4241 BCE) This is the year our current calendar started. That is why it is the year 6266 for us.
Anwu 4106 ya (2081 BCE)
Azi 1946 ya (79 CE and ends 2239 CE of the Gregorian calendar)