African Igbo Culture In Things Fall Apart, By Chinua Achebe

Works of Fiction are very valuable in the study of the African Igbo history since they help us learn more about the different aspects of culture in their society. These aspects are what make every culture different and unique. Some examples include women’s role in the society, the significance of the Igbo cultural beliefs, and the importance of friends and family to the people who live there. Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, is a very well-written book which lets readers know more about the African culture. Achebe wrote it because he believed that “today, things have changed a lot, but it would be foolish to pretend that we have fully recovered from the traumatic effects of our first confrontation with Europe”(The Novelist as a Teacher

While the Ibo culture, similar to many other cultures, promotes men dominance, women also have some rights and are given a role, no matter how small, in their society. As stated in the Headstrong Historian, women were not allowed to play any kind of sport, especially wrestling. When Nwambga’s father found out that his daughter was very strong, and had the capacity to overtake her brother, he immediately “had to warn those who saw this not to let anyone outside the compound know that a girl had thrown a boy.”(Headstrong Historian pg 1) This was something that he almost feared about, and he didn’t want others to know since he viewed it as almost a shame. However, women were not completely unidentified, and they did have their own Women’s Council. This is also further explained in the Headstrong Historian, and when Nwambga has a problem with Obeirika’s two cousins, she immediately went to the Women’s Council, and “twenty women went at night to Okafo’s and Okoye’s homes, brandishing pestles, warning them to leave Nwamgba alone”(Adichie 3). This shows the power that the women had in their society, and they weren’t completely looked down

In the book, Things Fall Apart, the priestess is the one who most of the town fears, since she’s the one who serves the Oracle of The Hills and Caves. Their fear plays a big role in the way they act, which proves how much importance they give to their culture. Women were also healers and were responsible for taking care of their children, especially when they were ill. Even though the women weren’t completely ignored in their community, they were certainly looked down upon. Also in the book Things Fall Apart, it is stated that the term “agbala” was not only another name for a woman, it could also mean a man who has taken no title” (Things Fall Apart 13). In their culture, a man who had taken no title was often laughed at on the streets and was described as a coward, failure, and loafer. By also comparing him to a woman, they also view women as equal to that, which proves how much of male dominance there is in their society. There were no actions done or choices made those lead women to be women, so the disrespect that they gain in their society is a great shame and says a lot about the mindsets of the