The People of the Land & Things We Shall Do in the Land
2 Tribes, 1 Lineage: A Deeper Look into the Hebraic Customs of "The People of the Land" & "Things We Shall Do in the Land"
This article presents a comparative examination of the preserved Hebraic practices of two historically aligned communities: the Second Temple-era Samaritans, traditionally referred to as the "People of the Land," and the Hebrew Igbo of West Africa, whose indigenous religious system is known as Omenana, meaning "Things we shall do in the land."
Both communities are of Jewish stock, maintaining lineages and covenantal practices consistent with Torah-based tradition. Their customs reflect continuity of law, worship, and community structure rooted in the Hebrew biblical order.
Tribal Identity & Covenant Continuity
The Samaritans trace their descent to the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Levi, while many Igbo clans, particularly Nri and Aguleri, maintain oral histories that trace their lineage to Gad or Levi; however, Igbo heritage is not limited to these. Both groups consider ancestral identity an integral part of their religious practice.
The Samaritans are identified as am ha’aretz—"People of the Land," reflecting the Torah-based land covenant. At the same time, the Igbo term Omenana signifies customs and commandments tied directly to the land, reinforcing the same concept.
Sacred Texts, Language, and Script
Samaritans follow the Torah (Pentateuch) exclusively and preserve the Samaritan Pentateuch, written in Paleo-Hebrew script. The Hebrew Igbo preserve oral Torah-based traditions and maintain Hebraic linguistic features, including theophoric names such as Chukwu, Obi, and Eri. The Nsibidi system preserves ideographic tradition.
Sacred Geography and Temple Orientation
Samaritans revere Mount Gerizim as their central sanctuary. Similarly, Igbo religious centers include Aguleri, Nri, and Awka, which serve as locations of ancestral worship and law. Mount Sinai is also highly revered by Hebrew communities across West Africa, regarded as sacred in cultural memory and oral tradition.
Ritual Practices: Sacrifice, Purity, and Sabbath
Samaritans continue Passover lamb sacrifices on Mount Gerizim. Among the Igbo, ritual offerings such as Igbu Ehi are preserved within traditional covenant ceremonies, matching Torah-prescribed Passover rituals.
Purity systems are active in both communities. Samaritans maintain Torah-based separation and cleansing protocols; the Igbo observe Nso Ani (moral purity laws), Ọgwụ (ritual cleansing), and Iru Mmuo (post-contact purification), reflecting identical Torah-based standards.
Sabbath observance is recognized. Samaritans follow a seventh-day rest. Igbo communities observe a Sabbath aligned with Torah law, often falling within the four-day week system and recognized uniformly by Torah-centric Igbo families.
Festivals and Sacred Time
Samaritans observe Passover, Shavuot, and Yom Kippur according to Torah prescriptions. Igbo ceremonial observances such as the New Yam Festival (Iri Ji), Ikochi, and Igu Aro follow the agricultural and covenantal cycles described in the Torah.
Circumcision and Initiation
Both groups observe circumcision on the 8th day, a direct commandment from Torah law, practiced continuously through generations.
Priesthood and Community Structure
The Samaritans maintain a hereditary Aaronic priesthood. The Igbo religious structure comprises Dibia (priest-healers) and Nze na Ozo (priestly elders), who occupy roles consistent with Levitical and tribal priesthood systems.
Community governance in both groups is structured through clan-based leadership rooted in ancestral law and Torah-based judgment systems.
Continuity of Identity
Samaritans were not integrated into the post-exilic Jewish priesthood centered in Jerusalem, but they continued to practice Torah-based traditions in parallel. The Igbo were not included in European-centered Jewish classifications but maintained Torah-aligned customs, purity laws, festivals, and circumcision independently.
Both groups preserved an identity and practices consistent with the pre- and First Temple Israelite tradition, maintaining uninterrupted observance through oral tradition, community enforcement, and priestly lineage.
Contemporary Practice
Samaritans reside primarily in Nablus and Holon, Israel, where they maintain Torah rituals, including the Passover sacrifice. Igbo Hebrew communities across Nigeria, the United States, and Israel continue to observe Omenana and Torah, including the revival of the Hebrew language, ancestral festivals, and covenant-based financial and governance practices.
Unified Continuity of Law and Practice
The Samaritans and the Igbo Hebrews are both rooted in Second Temple Jewish lineage, maintaining uninterrupted Torah-based systems of law, purity, sacrifice, priesthood, and festival observance.
There is no fundamental historical or theological division between these two communities. Both represent preserved expressions of the Hebraic covenant, demonstrating the geographic and cultural breadth of Torah adherence during and after the Second Temple period.
They remain living embodiments of covenantal law, unified by ancestry, practice, and sacred duty to the land, fulfilling the charge to keep the statutes and judgments given to Israel.
Comparative Summary Chart: Samaritans and Hebrew Igbo
Categories
Lineage
Core Text
Script
Sacred Center
Temple Practice
Purity Laws
Sabbath
Festivals
Circumcision
Priesthood
Community Governance
Current Population Centers
Calendar
Identity Preservation
Samaritans
Lineage: Ephraim, Manasseh, Levi
Torah (Samaritan Pentateuch)
Paleo-Hebrew
Mount Gerizim
Passover sacrifice maintained
Levitical purity laws observed
7th day rest
Passover, Shavuot, Yom Kippur
8th day
Hereditary Aaronic line
Clan-based, Torah law
Nablus, Holon (Israel)
Torah-based calendar
Hebrew Igbo (Omenana)
Gad, Levi (Aguleri, Nri traditions)
Torah (oral and adapted)
Nsibidi, Hebrew names
Aguleri, Nri, Awka, Mount Sinai
Passover sacrifice maintained
Levitical purity laws observed
7th day rest
Passover, Shavuot, Yom Kippur
8th day
Dibia, Nze na Ozo
Clan-based, Torah law
Nigeria, U.S., Israel
Agricultural-Torah alignment
Oral law, sacred site practiceOral law, sacred site practice
Aniefuna Omenana is a cultural historian and financial strategist with a focus on preserving and restoring Hebraic traditions within African and global communities.
