Ibo Vs Western Culture

Ibo vs Western Culture The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of the scramble for Africa European nations
s desperate and violent endeavors to colonize and exploit the resources of the African nations. Upon meeting the Westerners, the Africans immediately recognized the differences between them. The way they worshipped and functioned as a society in general were vastly different and all too much to reconcile with. The biggest clash was possibly the introduction of a monotheistic faith into a polytheistic society. However that did not mean that there were no similarities. There was a heavy presence of patriarchy and sexism in both societies. However, as seen in Achebes novel Things Fall Apart, the differences greatly outweighed the similarities. One of the incentives for the British to invade Ibo land was to convert the people to Christianity. It was most likely a great shock for the Ibo people to accept a monotheistic religion after being raised in a polytheistic society (Achebe). The god in Christianity emphasized His oneness and transcendent and omnipotent nature (ReligionFacts). The gods in Ibo religion were usually a manifestation of nature and revolved around the Ibo agricultural lifestyle and customs. For example, Ani was the god that people pray to for good harvest (Achebe 17). Chukwu was an almighty entity that governed the Ibo people and controlled their fate and affairs (179). In a sense, Chukwu was very similar to the idea of an almighty god in Christianity, except that there were many other gods associated with Chukwu. Religious rituals were also vastly different between the two peoples. Christianity called for a weekly service in a church lead by a priest. The Ibo religion did not rely on a priest as often. Instead, each individual had a personal god called chi that they
supplicated to in times of hardship or consulted for daily decisions (27). Religion was so deeply embedded into the Ibo culture and acted as an adhesive in the community that promoted strong kinship. Except for a few like men with no titles and the outcasts who saw no benefit in their religion, it was very difficult for most to convert to Christianity. Although religion was one fundamental difference, there were some shared group values between the Westerners and the Ibo people. For example, there was a prominent presence of patriarchy in both societies. It was a common belief that women were the inferior sex and were expected to be submissive. When Okonkonkwo felt like his wife was pestering him with questions, he silenced her by saying, Do what you are told, woman (14). He also frequently beat his wives, which was often dismissed by the clan. In a similar way, Western women in the 19th century were subjected to sexism. A woman was not able to inherit, own land, or conduct business without the consent of her father or husband (Norwegian National Commission). This archaic social structure was maintained through religious propagandas such as the ruling that if man and woman were equal under God, and one was to be the lawyer for the both, it would be the husband (Brown). Women in both societies were seen as subservient second-class citizens who did not and should not contribute to society in ways other than what was deemed appropriate for them. A similarity in social customs was the celebration of New Yam Festival by the Ibos and Thanksgiving by the Westerners. Both were centered around the harvest season and used to express gratitude and prepare for the next year. During the New Yam Festival, the Ibos thanked the gods for a successful farming year and thus threw away all the old yams in order to signify a fresh new start (Achebe 36). It was an occasion for joy throughout Umoifia (37). Western Thanksgiving in the 19th century was created to
promote union in the much divided United States (GCVM). Its purpose was to celebrate the harvest, unify the family, and an occasion where the noise and tumult of worldliness may be exchanged for the laughter of happy children, the glad greetings of family reunion, and the humble gratitude of Christian heart (Ibid). Both events had an agricultural, social, and religious significance. Another similarity in social custom was role of a town crier. In Things Fall Apart, the town crier piercing the still night air with a steel instrument called an ogene to call a town meeting or address an important issue (Achebe 9). Similarly, when a newspaper published an Extra, a piece of considerably important news separate from the daily newspaper, paperboys in the West yelled out, Extra! Extra! Read all about it! on the streets to call the readers attention. These are just a few of the many similarities of the two cultures that were often overlooked due to animosity. When two different groups of people interact for the first time, the initial thing they notice is their differences. Not only were the differences between the Western and Ibo people very obvious, but they were also detrimental to both parties. But perhaps it was because they both met each other in a hostile setting and attitude. If the missionaries had been a little more understanding and respectful, or if the Ibos resorted to better ways than violence, then perhaps the ending to Things Fall Apart would not have been as tragic. This novel highlighted the differences between social, religious, and group values between the Ibos and Westerners, but when closely examined, they were not all that different from each other. WORKS CITED
Bloom, Harold. Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Chelsea House Pub, 2009.
Brown, Jasine. "Women in 19th Century Norway." n.d. Clark Education. 20 April 2013 <http://web.clark.edu/afisher/HIST253/lecture_text/WomenMiddleClass_19c_Eur ope.pdf>.
Norwegian National Commission. "Women's Role in Cultural Life in Norway." 2006. Unesdoc. 20 April 2013
ReligionFacts. "The Christian God." n.d. Regligion Facts. 19 April 2013 <http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/beliefs/god.htm>.
TV Tropes Foundation, LLC . "Extra! Extra! Read All About It!" n.d. TV Tropes. 19 April 2013 <http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ExtraExtraReadAllAboutIt>.

Ibo Vs Western Culture

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What were some of the major religious differences between the Ibo and Western cultures?

What were some similarities in social customs between the two cultures?

Ibo vs Western Culture The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of the scramble for Africa European nations

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