Igbo Tribe Analysis

An Unfortunate Result to Cultural Collision With the increased technology of today’s world, cultures collide constantly, and these interactions can either have positive results of a blended culture, or negative results of horrible tragedies and acts of violence. However, this trade of cultural ideas has been occurring for several thousand years, all over the world. The novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, is a breathtaking novel about the struggles of the African tribe of Umuofia to change their lifestyle to comply to that of a powerful group of white foreigners that invade their land. The collision of cultures is adapted to by some better than others, and the novel seamlessly conveys the results of each response to the newcomers, as

Some people might think that the oracle is a bad spirit and gives bad commands. According to “Things Fall Apart”, “Yes, Umuofia has decided to kill him. The Oracle of the Hills and the caves has pronounced it”(Achebe,1959,p.57). The reason why Ikemefuna had to die is because it was apart of a religious ritual and it is the law to follow the oracle’s laws. However, the oracle isn’t only there to kill people it is there to give advice and to help the people in the village when they came to with misfortune.

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Although many readers tend to blame the missionaries for the disastrous end to the Umuofian society, Chinua Achebe, the author of Things Fall Apart, suggests that the real culprit is the clash of customs between both the Africans and Europeans because of the Africans unwillingness to change their customs, the Christian’s feelings of superiority, and the inclusivity of Christianity. The loss of culture signifies the lack of unique views, values, and a sense of belonging. The differing customs of the Africans and Europeans were important factors to the destruction of the Umuofian society due to the Christians disdain for the African’s religion. For example, the Europeans believe they "have to put an end to the awful misery” (Source A).

This was a fateful act because it could urge Umuofia to attack the missionaries, but Umuofia decided to not go to war. Okonkwo explains how the white missionaries have come in and converted all the Igbo people into their religion until their own tribes become too weak to fight back against them. The white missionaries described by Okonkwo, “brought a lunatic religion, but he had also built a trading store

They offered the local people material benefits, “encouraged them with gifts of singlets and towels” (Achebe, 160), and offered the indigenous people jobs such as teachers to arouse them to convert their religions. The novel Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, showed the readers how their culture and unity had fallen apart after a new religion, Christianity, was introduced. After the missionaries built church on the “evil forest” (Achebe, 130), where evil spirits and people with wicked diseases were buried, and survived. People started to feel dubious about their own religions and converted into Christianity, thinking that it was more powerful than their own religion. “That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia.

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One of the biggest and most powerful tribes in South Carolina was the Cherokee tribe. The were also known as the “real people”. THe Cherokee tribe was huge. Just one village could have over 600 people in it, and most of their villages were lined with a thing called palisade surrounding it for protection. Their leaders could be made up of men and women, and either gender could own land. Also, a ‘holy man’ could be a man or woman. Men and woman had pretty equal rights. Whenever times were peaceful, the village had a ‘white leader’, and whenever there was war, there was a ’red leader’. Fishing was a big food source for the Cherokee, they would even use walnut bark to poison the water so the fish would be easier to catch.

Ever wondered how the Native Americans lived? They live with delicate beliefs that cannot be changed. Amazingly, their complexity of survival and beliefs is beyond fascinating and weird at the same time. From the Native’s emergence until the end of the genocide, the Native Americans proved their excellence in terms of culture and customs. To start, Native American spirituality followers don’t take their practices as a religion like other religions, but their beliefs play an important role of themselves.

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Okonkwo just wants to be respected by his clan but being like his father isn’t going to get him respect. When Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna he felt bad and had a guilty conscious from that day on. He wouldn’t eat nor drink he would be too depressed to do anything. All he has been doing is worrying about Ikemefuna and how he felt bad. All he could do was to think about Ikemefuna , he couldn’t sleep nor walk.

Achebe writes, “ Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 63). Many other members of the tribe would have let their son be killed because of the unwavering faith many have in their religion and the decisions of the elders. However, not many would do it themselves. This scene truly showcases Okonkwo’s fears.

“Things Fall Apart”, a novel written by Chinua Achebe about Africa through the character Okonkwo, a man who Achebe uses to illustrate the complexity Igbo culture, contrary to what the Europeans portrayed Africa as. One main focus of the book is to counter the single story, which is the idea that an area is represented by one story, similar to a stereotype. However, differing from a stereotype a single story often completely misrepresents something, and in this case Africa. Europeans had been the only ones writing about Africa, describing all the culture as problematic for being different, rather than looking at what African culture really is. Achebe was one of the first to write about African culture for westerners to read about, making Things Fall Apart a true innovation in writing. Achebe’s goals for Things Fall Apart is to counter the single story and portray a more cultured and complex of Africa opposing westerners ideals with the inclusion of Igbo folktales, Igbo proverbs, and 3rd person narration.

Given a way to reach the African people that hunger spiritually, it was a celebration to the indigenous culture. It’s using the gifts, healing, casting out demons, speaking in tongues, and prophecy that the African Christian can use as tool or weapons in the spiritual warfare that they face. This also helps when they take part in remembrance of the first and third century church that started in the northern regions of Africa. The way that this draws people together in a time of political wars, gives people hope when dealing with healing, whether socially or physically. (Cox, p.