Okalê-Grêba

The Tecs are profoundly religious. These polytheistic people worship many gods. They believe that there are three levels of divine beings: the highest level is the supreme god, or “Okalê.” Underneath Okalê are lesser gods, called “Umuagbara”, and under these are the “Ndi Ichie,” the spirits of dead people. The Tecs also believe in reincarnation. They see death as a transient phase between life and the spirit world. When someone dies, he or she starts a new life in the spirit world. After a time in the spirit world, a dead person would be reborn as a new person and the cycle would continue on. Each performance has "priests" and priestesses who help in all spiritual matters, conducting ceremonies and rituals. And since the Tecs believe that everything in life is controlled by higher powers, there are also diviners in a performance that attempt to predict the future.