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An essay of the culture of the igbo
Culture of the igbo society
Culture of the igbo society
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I, Obeirika, am writing to you, the District Commissioner, in order to combat your respond to the portrayal of the Ibo. I plan to help you understand the Ibo internal logic so that you can comprehend and value it. We Ibo believe that killing twins is necessary because the earth had decreed that they were an offense on the land and must be destroyed. If we did not exact punishment for an offense against the earth goddess. Her wrath was unleashed on all of the land. If welcoming twins makes the earth goddess angry, then the Christian practice of saving twins is going against our earth goddess. That could and will throw us into chaos. The view maybe barbaric but it’s also our way of living.
You also say that human sacrifice is disgusting and revolting to sacrifice another human being. That it is savage and disgraceful. We Ibo believe that human sacrifice is sometimes appropriate because it is ordered by the oracle and can prevent punishment and devastation for our village. Human sacrifices are most of the time necessary to avoid war, dysfunction and chaos. If the Oracle is meant to be obeyed , the clan must follow and obey the oracle. No questions would be asked, you simply nod and do as told.
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You might even call it a crime of some sort. The church was burned as a direct consequence of Enoch unmasking and killing a spirt. When this happened a grave crime was committed. If Christianity is leading people away from tribal religion, then we Ibo have the right to defend our own religion. It’s taking away our culture
In the 21st century, slavery and the Atlantic Slave Trade are viewed as immoral and quite possibly the most horrifying treatment known to man by society and foreign leaders but, was the same view regarded in the 17th century? The short primary sources, “Nzinga Mbemba: Appeal to the King of Portugal”, and “Captain Thomas Phillips: Buying Slaves in 1639”, enables individuals to identify how foreign leaders, specifically the kings of African nations, conducted the issue of slavery and the slave trade. In the words of Nzinga Mbemba and Captain Phillips, the kings of Congo and Ouidah both knowingly accepted slavery in their country but, had strikingly opposing views concerning the Atlantic Slave Trade; King Mbemba prohibited the trading of slaves whereas the King of Ouidah welcomed slave trading.
... is a sin in and of itself. If the Crusaders really were fighting for religious purposes then they would not have needed to change the Bible around because they would’ve already been living a Christian life. This just goes to show that it clearly was not religious reasons that backed the Crusader’s reasoning as to why they started the attack it was socioeconomic factors that led them to the Middle East.
He displays it through the conversation Mr. Brown has with Akuma, in which he “learned a good deal about the religion of the clan” and made the conclusion that “attack… would not succeed” (Achebe 181). Unlike Mr. Smith’s quick and dramatic reaction to the clan, Mr. Brown makes it his duty to interact with the tribe and understand them. Mr. Smith’s refusal to understand the Ibo culture makes him interpret all of their actions as a culture to be violent, such as the burning of the church (Achebe 191). Because of his impatience for comprehension, Mr. Smith sacrifices the harmony that could coexist between the two cultures. Mr. Brown, on the other hand, makes an effort to understand the universal themes and similarities that run through each of their religions, like the importance of an absolute deity. Despite the differences, Mr. Brown chooses to accept the culture, even though he may not agree with it. His acceptance is what truly allows the Ibo to coexist with the missionaries without conflict for a short period of time, proving that with communication, conflict can be prevented. However, the lack of communication once Mr. Smith takes over is what causes the clash between him and the Ibo because he jumps too quickly to conclusions rather than trying to understand why the Ibo do what they do. The depth of the culture that is shown through the conversation between
They were blamed for the fire in Rome supposedly started by Nero and used as scapegoats, since Nero did not want the blame and his name to be ridiculed. The Roman Empire was also in decline and Nero blamed them for the decline and all the invasions from surrounding peoples. He put gas on them and burnt them for fun. He also blamed them for social and economic problems killing them. This could be called genocide but he wasn’t wiping out a race but a religion. Christians were crucified and burnt as previously stated and used as torches at night all because Nero could not admit his
According to the online Webster dictionary to be civilized means marked by well- organized laws and rules about how people behave with each other. It also states that to be civilized means to be polite, responsible, and respectful. Based on a reading of the novel and related non-fiction articles, it is clear that in the 1880’s, the Ibo culture of Nigeria is civilized. The Ibo culture fits the definition of one who is civilized perfectly. They have rules for their government, they are respectful and grateful during festivals, and the women are responsible when taking care of their family.
“I know no national boundary where the Negro is concerned. The whole world is my province until Africa is free” (Garvey). These words by Marcus Garvey perfectly illustrate the spirit of unification that characterized the attitude of many people of African Descent as a direct result of the callous treatment that Africa as a whole suffered at the hands of Europeans. Europe not only ravished Africa of a significant resource in the millions of lives that it stole and enslaved. Europe also pillaged the continent with the brutal institution of colonization. The manacles of colonization inspired great suffering in the lands and lives of Africans examples include Land exploitation, labor exploitation and most significantly exploiting the minds and spirits of Africans through inhumane treatment. The disabling affliction imposed upon Africa by the White race was the driving force behind the idea of a Pan-African awareness.
The Ibo culture is a culture of traditions and order. They stick to common religions, practices, and general ways of living. They have several traditions relating to the respect of ancestors, Gods, men, and several other external and spiritual beings. The people of Umuofia depend greatly on unity, several Gods, and opportunities of social ranking to control their land. Though, in the long term their traditional ways of living will not stand in a rapidly changing world. In order to stay connected and alive, I believe that the Ibo people have to learn to adapt while maintaining their individuality.
Religious accusations, which serve as catalysts for conflict, help to develop an accurate portrayal of imperialism and Ibo culture. In Things Fall Apart, the missionaries assertively state “Your gods are not alive and cannot do you any harm” (Achebe 146). This quotation shows the imperialists accusing the gods the Ibo people believe in and worship of being false gods that are idols. These gods cannot harm them and do not pose any threat. Also, in Achebe’s interview, “An African Voice,” he says “You have leaders who see nothing wrong in inciting religious conflict.
Firstly, the church disproves many of the Igbo superstitions ,which encourages the Igbo to break the traditions that they had followed for many years. Therefore, slowly destroying their society. For instance, when the white men who brought Christianity to the people of Umuofia speak to the clan of the village about their new religion. They request a piece of land to build their church on. The clan decides to give them a piece of land of the Evil forest and let them stay. To the clans surprise this happens ”At last the day came by which all the missionaries should have died. But they were still alive, building a new red-earth and thatch house for their teacher, Mr. Kiaga. That week they won a handful more converts.(151)”. The Evil Forest was known as a forest where people go to die, and the clan members thought that by allowing the missionaries to build their church in the evil Forest they could easily get rid of them. Since, the white men didn’t die but lived, this made the Ibo people question their own beliefs. When some of the villagers noticed that they were mislead by their gods they decide to convert to Christianity. Either because Christianity seemed stronger than the ...
One of the flaws inside the Ibo culture that eventually leads to their downfall is the social system. The weaker people join the church as a way to gain acceptance. The osu, or outcasts who lived in the Ibo culture want to feel accepted and as a result, follow the Christians. “The two outcasts shaved off their hair, and soon they were the strongest adherents of the new faith” (157). These two outcasts never have the feeling of being a part of the clan. The church welcomes them. The osu cannot cut their hair, marry, or receive a title in the clan. They are “cast out like lepers” (157). The church welcomes the osu and treats them like human beings. This is where the Ibo social system is at fault. An ideal job is to be a farmer and since not everyone can afford seeds and a barn...
The religious aspect of the Ibo culture is that of both pre colonial and post colonial aspects. The pre colonial ibo worshiped many gods and above all the other gods are Chukwu were the gods below him are just messengers such as the earth goddess ala. They as well worship their ancestors that give them better harvest and luck. Then when the white men came from england and other areas bringing christianity they changed the culture of ibo and if some towns and villages did not comply to them they would wipe out most villages, an example from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe in chapter twenty it talks about how the people of this village of Abame. Another example of this is at the end of the book in chapter twenty five the District Commissioner
Many African tribes still have deep connections to their main deities. Tribes in Africa worship many different deities according to their tribal beliefs. There are tribes that have similar beliefs like the Igbo and the Swahili who believe that their gods sent an animal to tell humans that they could live forever, but another animal reached humans first causing humans to die. Because there are so many different tribes, there are many different ways of respecting the divine in Africa. Sacrifices are a popular way of worship. A tribe will sacrifice an animal as an offering to their gods. These sacrifices show that there is a deep connection to the gods in most tribes. The willingness to kill and animal that could be providing them with food shows that they have great faith in their gods. This faith is an example of their deep connection. They trust their gods and respect them so that they don't bring illness or bad weather. This contrasts with the Western culture’s connection to deities.
A Christian nation has never had the slightest respect for the rights of barbarians; neither has any Christian sect any respect for the rights of other sects. Anciently, the sects discussed with fire and sword, and even now, something happens almost every day to show that the old spirit that was in the Inquisition still slumbers in the Christian breast.
In the novel Purple Hibiscus, culture is paramount to the development of both Kambili and Jaja while being a source of personal conflict or pride for other characters in the novel. There is a clear juxtaposition presented between cultural rejection and cultural acceptance of Nigerian culture by Nigerians which is depicted by contrasting characters like Papa Eugene, a product of colonialism, and Papa Nnukwu, a traditionalist. Adichie manipulates culture throughout the novel in order to emphasize its importance to personal identity and one’s authenticity, highlight the dangers of cultural intolerance and ignorance, and expose the implicit misconception of the superiority of Western civilization.
The Ibo’s government is administered by the nine egwugwu who are ancestral spirits that represent each village of the clan. As large crowds of the Ibo tribe would gather on the village