Jonathan DiCamillo

English 12H
10/22/13
Igbo Life Before and After Imperialism
The Igbo had a great culture that dates back to centuries, but destroyed when the British
stormed in during the colonization of Africa. The Igbo were always a well-developed society
with a system that worked. They had marriages, ceremonies, and a religion. Most customs of that
time were quite similar to those of the ancient Greeks. The Igbo even established their own
working form of government and would even engage in war with other tribes. However, during
the age of new imperialism, the British moved in and took over much of the Igbo changed their
customs, and imposed christianity on them. This shaped them to become the people that are
today.
Before British involvement in Africa, the Igbo had a very effective and functional system
of government of their own. Unlike most societies or cultures, the Igbo people did not have a
monarchy or president. Instead they were a clan who were ruled by their elder or clan members
holding high titles. When a member of a clan held titles it showed that the individual had made
certain advances in the clan. For example, in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, a
character named Okonkwo tries his best to become nothing like his lousy father and wants to
earn the highest titles so he can become one of the leaders of the clan. The titles would show the
other members that he has done outstanding involvement towards the clan and would prove
himself worthy of leadership. An important role of the clan leaders is to decide whether or not to
go to war with other clans or people. In the novel, a mans wife is murdered by an enemy clan
member and the leaders made the decision to take a virgin to become the mans new wife. They
also took a young boy, who after a few years, was sacrificed. The people had to wait for the clan
leaders to decide what was to be the outcome of the enemy clans crime. Only men though, could
become clan leaders which could be considered sexist.
Just like most cultures which are male dominated, the Igbo were no exception. The men
of the Igbo tribe would be responsible for building up their families, working on their farms, and
participating in government. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo would not let his daughter help
him with something that would be considered a mans job which leads him wishing that she
was a son. She is more of a son then his real son. Men were supposed to support their families
and show they have control and dominance over their wives. The women were to take care of the
children and cook for their husbands. There is a part in the novel where Okonkwo actually gets
mad and beats his wife because she did not have dinner ready for him. Typically men had more
than one wife because of their polygamist which would represent wealth.
According to an article on Wikipedia, marriages were "not just between spouses but also
their parent, extended family and villages. The custom worked by having the potential groom
would ask the partner of choice to marry him. If the potential partner agrees then the groom
would pay another visit back to her establishment with his father. When they would arrive, the
father of the groom would introduce himself and his would explain the reason of the why they
were there to the brides father. Then the father would confirm with the bride to make sure the
she actually knows the groom. If she agrees, then her confirmation shows that she agrees with
the proposal (igboguide). If however, she denies she knows the groom then she will not marry
the groom and the marriage would be off. When the bride agrees, the groom and his father will
come back another time to settle on a pride price. The bride price is the cost that the father would
ask or accept in order for the groom to marry his daughter. During the day of the negotiation of
the bride price, [the groom would] bring wine and kola nuts for the brides father (igboguide).
Then the negotiation would start, and if an agreement was met, the couple would be able to
marry. When a couple becomes married and have kids, the children immediately belong to the
husband. Therefore, if the wife wanted to get a divorce, she would have to give up her children
to her ex-husband before moving on. Marriage was an important part of Igbo culture, just as their
spiritual superstitions and ceremonies were.
Spiritual ceremonies used to be an important part of Igbo culture until christianity took
over. Just as it was in the Greek culture, the Igbo people worshiped many different gods and the
spirits of their ancestors. For example, in Things Fall Apart, during certain celebrations, the
presence of the Egwugwu would arise from the ground. They were masked men used to
represent the ancestors of the clan. They were so sacred to the point where it was unheard of to
take the mask of an Egwugwu. During the month of harvest, the Igbo people would pray to the
Earth goddess to bring them good soil and aid in the growth of the future harvest. Also like the
Greeks the had a strong belief in oracles to prophesize what people should do, or the outcome
that should happen during a situation. In Things Fall Apart, it was because of an oracle that they
decided to kill a character three years later as a sacrifice. If it wasnt for the oracle, that character
would have still lived.
While the Igbo people had a Greek like and civilized culture or way of the life, the period
of new imperialism happened. Soon later the colonization of Africa started by the British and
they and moved in to the towns of the Igbo people. According to Things Fall Apart the British
not only brought a themselves, but a church and their own form of government. During the
colonization of Africa, the British were spreading the religion of Christianity. Therefore, many of
the Igbo people started to convert from their traditional beliefs and became Christians, which is
why many Igbo descendants today are Christian. When the British settled in Igbo territory, they
started to build their church and establish their government as well as the British court system.
Shortly after, the British started making the natives follow their laws and would when send them
to the British court to determine if they were guilty or not.
The British, after their settlement in Nigeria, started participating and profiting in the
Atlantic slave trade. During this time, the Igbo people were taken away from their land to be sold
as slaves. According to Wikipedia, the majority of the Igbo slaves were either debtors or
criminals, according to British law. It is unknown but the Igbo women were highly sought after
during the slave trade. Sources have also recorded that the Igbo were highly rebellious to their
slave owners and did not go easily.
The Igbo were very civilized with a working government whose society and culture was
wiped out during the colonization of Africa. They were made into slaves and were forced to
convert to a foreign religion. Many were killed or shipped for profit, leaving Igbo descents all
over the Atlantic area. The Igbo are permanently changed from their standard traditions.