Igbo Culture Essay

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Every civilization since the beginning of time has had its own unique culture, language, and religion. In Nigeria, the Igbo tribe follows this trend. The culture of the Igbo’s has evolved to include a social hierarchy, unique customs, and an appreciation for achievement. Their language has developed to include not only words, but concepts as well. The Igbo people developed a unique religion including many gods and methods of worship. Set in the 1890s, the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe clearly proves that before the arrival of the Europeans, the people of Umuofia in Africa had their own language, religion, and culture. In Things fall Apart, Achebe clearly demonstrates that the Igbos had their own culture before the arrival of …show more content…

It was based upon respect, and had different rules as to communication with specific people. Their language included many proverbs. Proverbs were an essential part of the Igbo culture. They provided valuable wisdom. The elders passed them down from generation to generation. Proverbs were as good as laws to the Igbo people. One such proverb was “When the moon is shining the cripple becomes hungry for a walk (Achebe 10)” The beauty of the moon and nature gave the Igbo people the desire to live. The shining of the moon is a symbol of strength; the Igbo feel stronger when it is shining. The Igbo’s had developed their own symbols prior to the arrival of Europeans. The tribe also used proverbs to teach and give each other messages. They also had their own spoken language including words and concepts. One such word is nna ayi, meaning “our father” (Achebe 19), and a concept would be uri, the ceremony when a dowry is paid (Achebe 110). The use of “folk stories” is a major part of the Igbo language (Achebe 96). In the novel Ezinma tells her daughter Ekwefi a story about a selfish tortoise. The story includes songs, and puns to reinforce and teach the moral. An important part of Igbo communication is the drum, it beats during any significant event, from death to important messages and excitement. “The drums were…. persistent and unchanging (Achebe 44)” the drums almost become the heartbeat of a village, they are the sign of news, or they moved the

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