Nigerian Nativity Scene

My parents have an amazing collection of nativity scenes which they have purchased over the years when they travelled to different countries.   Although my Mom doesn't usually put them all out these days, I asked her if she would mind digging them out so I could take photos to show all of you.  She was very obliging - and now their condo looks nice and festive.

I went over to their condo a few weeks ago and took lots of photos but haven't had a chance to edit them and write the post until now.  I'm just going to show the Nigerian nativity scene today as there are quite a few photos of it and it is really unique.  I'll show you the rest of the nativity scenes  tomorrow. 

When I was a child we lived in Nigeria for two years and my parents brought this fantastic thorn carved nativity scene home with them.  These carvings are made from the thorns of the Ata tree which has fairly large thorns growing up the trunk.   The thorns were not quite big enough to make the standing figures so the bottom quarter is a separate piece that has been attached on to make them tall enough. Some trees have light-coloured thorns and some have dark.  I just love the light star hanging from a dark palm tree and the use of two colours of thorns to make the dark faces and lighter coloured clothing.  

A travelling trader used to come to our house in Ibadan and sell us things.  Even though I was only five and six when I lived there, I remember the trader coming with a gigantic basket on his head and spreading out his goodies on our front porch.  On one visit my parents asked him to find them a nativity scene and when he came again he brought this one.  Although he was a Hausa trader from the north, the nativity scene was most likely made in the south as thorn carving is a Yoruba art from the southwest of Nigeria.

The Nigerian set is very special to us and has pride of place on my parent's mantel.  My Mom puts the straw around them as a bit of a backdrop.  That is the same straw that was used to pack the crates that brought our things back from Nigeria in the mid 1960s.

Here's a close-up of Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus.  They are dressed in clothing typical of the Yoruba people.  

The three wisemen are wearing headgear of an Oba or king.

Here are the angel, the drummer boy (not actually part of the set, but still a little thorn carving and my Mom puts him out with the others), and a shepherd.  The little drummer boy is tapping on a talking drum (a west African drum that makes different pitches when you squeeze the cords on the sides while hitting it, making it possible to play different songs and even send messages).

 The shepherd, carrying a staff and wearing a straw hat, has a couple of sheep

 and some Fulani long-horned cattle.

This is the Nigerian nativity set as it started to get dark with the fibreglass covering the lights making them glow.

E ku odun, e hu iye' dun! (Merry Christmas in Yoruba)!

Linked to Share the Decor at No Minimalist Here

Company Dinner Recipe - Nigerian Curry

When I was young we lived in Nigeria, a country in west Africa.  The photo below is me at the Ibadan Zoo (say the sign out loud and you will see who is allowed past the gate).   

When we lived there we often ate Nigerian Curry.  According to my mother it was not the kind of curry that the local people ate, but rather a curry brought over from India by the East Indian workers and modified to accomodate local foods. 

It is chicken in a curry peanut sauce, served on rice, with a variety of fruit toppings.  In our family we use the following toppings:

• pineapple
• grapefruit
• orange
• banana
• coconut
• peanuts
• raisins

The original recipe I have was very homestyle.  You boiled a whole chicken and removed the meat to use in the curry and used the broth in the recipe to make the sauce.  You also were instructed to "fry the onion small".  I have simplified the recipe so it is actually quick and easy to make.

Ingredients (serves 6 people):

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon oil

1 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup chicken stock or bouillion

1 -2 tablespoons curry (depending on taste)

To prepare:

Cook chicken and onion in oil, until chicken is no longer pink.

Add the rest of the ingredients and cook gently until blended (adding water if it thickens too much) for about 10 minutes.

Serve with rice and a variety of fruit toppings.

This is one way to eat Nigerian Curry - the organized way (this was my plate)

This is another method - the big pile (this was my son Malcolm's plate)

Both methods are yummy!!!

I usually serve Nigerian Curry with boiled eggs in it as well - sounds strange, but it is really good.  

This is our family's favourite meal - I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!




p.s. Anyone guess what the sign says in the first photo?

Linked to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum 
and Best of 2010 Blog Party - Recipes at House of Grace