Reincarnation — Ilo Uwa

- [T1] Seven or eight cycles of reincarnation per plane of existence, moving up or down planes by spiritual merit: Uwa m asaa, Uwa m asato ("my world seven, my world eight"). Used in the vow-ritual ibi uwa ("cutting off the world"): "in all my seven/eight worlds, never will I..." [pp.4, 39]

- [T1] Judgement: the departed stands as Nkwu — a motionless, speechless icon with two open palms facing Chukwu. One's record is imprinted on the palms (akala aka — palm lines, symbols, mounts). Outcome: rise to ndu (the level of truth/life) or fall into Ikelekwum Mmuo. Those whose funeral rites are unperformed are stuck at Ijite naabo / Ezi Mmuo — the between-territory. Onwero onye ga-ata isi Chukwu; onye obuna ga-ebunagalu Chukwu isi — no one eats God's head; everyone must return God's head to God. [pp.33, 50]

- [T2 — Omenigbo] Ilo Chi = the original pre-birth emanation of the soul from the one cosmic soul (Oma Uwa/Ele Uwa); Ilo Uwa = re-manifestation (reincarnation), a stairway of spiritual maturity aiming at transcendence and return to the realm of Chi. Cycle cosmologically capped at seven; karma (oghom uwa na ometalubulu) causes extra returns. The soul's ascent-memory spirals like tree rings; a fully completed soul releases as a feathered/rainbow serpent (Ushi Egwurugwu — ancestors of rainbow ascent) and reincarnates no more (Ibi Uwa — cessation).

- [T2 — Omenigbo] Igbu Ichi (facial scarification) as the mystical "highest death": dying seven times and resurrecting seven times while alive; Ichi-bearers (Ndi Gburu Ichi) were held to have conquered death — onye gburu ichi emerigo onwu — entering the taboo-restored innocence state Ugo Ebe Na Aja, exempt from manual labor, able to release their souls at will. [T1 corroborates ichi as the spartan gateway to Dike/heroism, borne without anesthetic or a single cry — p.67.]