Igbo Religious Beliefs

The Igbo, like many other cultures around the world, have a set tradition to medicine. In fact, “For thousands of years a majority of the world’s population had used and continues to use the traditional method of healing and medicine. Similarly, the African people have used methods of healing suited to Africa” (Osuji 95). This suggests that the Igbo tribe is among the many African tribes to use traditional medicine, as opposed to modern medicine, and they have used it for millennia. In addition, they incorporate multiple aspects of religion into medicine, for their spiritual beliefs act as the core to which their lives revolve. For instance, they refer to spirits as the source of power for common treatments, for “spirit forces energize medicine that individuals can conjure and deploy for strength, protection, or to harm enemies” (Arinze 4365). In addition, traditional doctors themselves play a major role in connecting patients to the spiritual worlds. As stated by Ali Arazeem Abdullahi, “Traditional

Achebe uses the tribe’s spirituality as a beacon of relation to the western reader. Often times, westerners believe that African culture and spirituality is riddled with mysticism and voodoo, however, Achebe describes it differently through the use of imagery. In this quote, Achebe explains The Feast of the New Yam, and its importance to the Umuofia people. “It was an occasion for giving thanks to Ani, the earth goddess and the source of all fertility. Ani played a greater part in the life of people than any other deity.” (Achebe 36). To the Umuofia, Ani was their explanation of where their vibrant crops and healthy lives arose

Due to pressure to hide their Yoruba religious beliefs, Practitioners of Santerίa resorted to concealing or fusing their faith with that of the Roman Catholic Church. Already in place in that Church was the concept of the immortality of the soul, which led to prayers and offerings made to the dead. The churches were full of carved and painted images of departed people who had been declared saints, but who could, if handled rightly, grant requests.

Throughout the reign of the Missionaries, the Igbo religion became lost. Clan members no longer worships their sacred gods and goddesses. “To abandon the gods of one’s father and go about with a lot of effeminate men clucking like old hens was the very depth of abomination,” (153; pt.2, ch.17) Okonkwo says in regards to his fellow clansmen converting to Christianity. At first, many members of the clan did not notice the changes around them. They became oblivious to the missionaries and what they had brought with them, “the white men has not only brought a religion, but also a government.” (155; pt.2, ch. 8) The changes brought by the white men, occur slowly and cautiously, until it becomes too late for the clan members to react. Members of

“These men must be mad, they said to themselves. How else could they say that Ani and Amadiora were harmless” (Achebe 146)? Even in the face of change, the Igbo held on to their religion and kept faith in their gods. Similarly, when the stories of Europeans were being passed from village to village, relations with them were rare, wary and considered foolish, shown on page 140 of Things Fall Apart, “‘Never kill a man who says nothing. Those men of Abame were fools’”.

The Igbo are one of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups. They are mainly found in the area of southeastern Nigeria and have a population of around 20 to 50 million people. It was created when. The Igbo’s religion “Odinani” is a vehicle, used by all of the people who practice it, to help better understand their world called “Uwa” (princeton.edu). Chukwu is the Almighty God of the Igbo religion. The Igbo people think that all things come from Chukwu. They think he controls everything on earth and the wind. He is the supreme deity and most powerful deity, as he encompasses everything in space. He is also the source of all of the other deities since he assigns them all their different tasks. These other spirits and forces exist in other parts of Igbo peoples’ beliefs and folklore (princeton.edu). Added to all of the other Igbo religious spirits and forces, the Igbo also have certain religious ceremonies and traditions, have certain sacred places, and they faced problems just like any other religion

Due to colonization many of the Igbo people were put in jail if they were found doing any type if rituals or traditions that pertained to their beliefs. As most know Europeans were Catholic’s and of course not fond of pagans. Religion was and still is very important to the Igbo people. They believe in are major god named “Chukwu Abiama” who is known “as the creator of everything.” They do not make sacrifices to him, but “he is seen as the ultimate receiver of sacrifices made to the minor gods.” The Igbo people would make sacrifices to the minor gods for help with things like fertility, growing crops, for rain and much more. Igbo people believed in number of different gods but due to the colonization by the Christian Europeans they would be

There is a belief that ancestors protect their living descendents and are responsible for rain, harvest , health and children. Shrines called Mbari, are made in honor of the earth spirits. The inhabitants of igboland were close to one another and were very good at adapting, which helped them maintain a secured society. One of the most valued traditions followed by the people of Igbo society is the sense of human dignity and sanctity of human life. It was a heinous crime to kill a clansman. The perpetrator is condemned if it is done on purpose, or goes into exile if it is unconsciously done. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man or women who committed it must flee from the land.

The timing of this passage falls in between a thorough account of Igbo customs and the conversion of many Igbo people to Christianity. This transition seems to indicate that there is a representative attitude of doubt and discontentment within Umuofia (and later indicated to be similar in Mbanta). Customs such as throwing away twins and human sacrifice were troubling and no justification could be found within their own religious doctrine. The timeliness of Christianity allowed it to spread because it was the only available option to turn to. The villagers needed answers to explain the uncertainties they were feeling and Christianity was the only plausible option. This attitude is again characterized by Nwoye while he is in Mbanta:

Traditions and customs serve importance here because if you hold a position of a women in the tribe you have specifics mannerism to men like Okonkwo. Rules on how to address one another, gods and spirits are all different and hold meaning in the culture and symbolizes identity amongst tribe members. On the other hand, the British christians require an interpreter who is not from the Umuofia clan and has translated words that are not to clear to the native people. Furthermore, the schools which are built in the African land are also a factor to the receding rich Igbo language. These schools with christian missionaries that institute english customs and values bring despair to the traditions of the Igbo people and this is clearly shown in Okonkwo and his friends reaction to the British people. As a result of the colonization the language of both native people are lost in meaning and significance. A overbearing power instituting its own language upon another's is demeaning in many ways. When one takes another languages for granted important history can be lost. Important concepts and essence is lost in the

The Igbo people highly regarded the importance of language and conversation. Achebe was able to prove this through the language he uses in the novel. There was a lot of proverbs used that conveyed the wisdom of the people. Moreover, Achebe showed how the Igbo people believed in something greater than themselves. They worshiped the gods, their personal god, and honored their ancestral spirits.

This article starts off my questioning the readers “does the white man understand our customs about land?” this paper also talks about struggles between family, personal beliefs and customs, these customs are confronted by the white missionaries. This paper also talks about the important aspects in the traditional Igbo culture, the white man’s inability to speak the people’s language. This article will help me articulate my points better on my view of the tradition of the Igbo people and better understand why the changes was hard for the Africans. Also by understanding their tradition I will be able to see how drastic of a change the missionaries did.

The Igbo have a system of folk beliefs that explains how everything in the world came into being. It explains what functions the heavenly and earthly bodies have and offers guidance on how to behave toward gods, spirits, and one’s ancestors.

The disintegration of Igbo society and culture is the central to Chinua Achebe’s novel- ‘Things Fall Apart’ and Okonkwo’s family is one of the first victims. As the christian missionaries started persuading people to join their god instead of gods made out of wood and stone, “Okonkwo’s latter son, Nwoye, was among the missionaries in Umuofia.” (p.119) As the missionaries came in, Nwoye decided to heal his parched soul by converting to christianity. This angered Okonkwo because it made him look weak and he hence disowned Nwoye, making things fall apart between them. But, Okonkwo wasn’t the only person for whom things weren’t going that well, traditional Igbo cultures were also threatened by the existence of the foreigners. Traditional Igbo practises

This paper reflects the novel “Things Fall Apart” written by Chinua Achebe in 1958. Achebe gives an overview of pre-colonialism and post-colonialism on Igbo, detailing how local traditions and cultural practices can “fall apart” in some scenarios through some introduced, externally created hassles elevated because of colonization. The protagonist named Okonkwo mentioned in the story is a proof showing the lifestyle of the tribe. My main objective and focus is to lay emphasis on Africa specifically the Igbo society, before and after the arrival of the Europeans in Umuofia community; the results of their arrival concerning Igbo culture, thus leading to the clash of cultures between the two categories. I will also draw on post-colonialism with respect to globalization.