Cultural Influence in Things Fall Apart Essay

The Cultural and Religious Beliefs of the Ibo People

In Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart, the characters are showing how their culture and religion play a vital role in their daily lives. Throughout the book, the numerous and diverse characters living in Umuofia all have the same unity in their beliefs. The cultural beliefs such as The Feast of the New Yam, the religious worshipping of gods and the womens roles all play a major part of the day-to-day lives of the Ibo people.

The Ibo tribe holds The Feast of the New Yam yearly, and to the people of Umuofia it is a remarkable event in their culture. The Feast came and the village of Umuofia became incredibly ecstatic. The purpose is to honor and give thanks to Ani, the earth goddess, and the source of all fertility(31). Often the cultures of a tribe will hold elaborate vents to admire and give tribute to their gods and goddesses. Since it was such a colossal event, the families took special care of their huts and land. As a result, to Okonkwos family itseemed to be a bigger event(32). There is no doubt that some families in the village take extraordinary actions to please the gods. Along with the feasting and the music, another massive event was the wrestling. To the Ibo people it was hard to say which was more enjoyable, the feastingor the wrestling(34). In other words, the cultural celebration of the New Yam was clearly an entertaining time of the year. All in all, even the celebrations that occur once a year, affect the people of Umuofia daily.

Worship and religious beliefs were a very unique and serious custom to the Ibo people that they used day to day. Every clan and village has their gods and beliefs, and to the people of Umuofia suicide is against the gods. So when Okonkwo made the decision to break that custom it results in an abomination (178). When he commits suicide and shatters a custom of the gods, he is a disgrace to the tribe. Indeed the Ibo people were polytheistic, having a beliefs in more than one god. The Ibos presume that their god Chukwu made gods of wood to be smaller gods (154). In fact, even this belief of gods plays a huge role in the daily lives of the Umuofia tribe. Often a clan of people have an oracle they go to for knowledge, wisdom or prophecy. If the Ibos disobeyed the oracle bad things would happen (10). Clearly obeying the oracle in the village of Umuofia was an imperative thing to do, or ghastly things could take place. In the light of the Ibo peoples lives, it is easy to see that the worship and religious beliefs were followed daily.

According to Ibo custom, women in Umuofia have a very substantial role in their village, and their families. Day-to-day, the women had the important responsibility to prepare and serve the meals to their families and their spouse. Okonkwo says prepare my afternoon meal (98). Certainly the females hold a enormous involvement in the daily lives of the Ibo people. On the other hands of making the food, the females also were expected to bear numerous children for their husbands. Okonkwos wife Enzimna had, born 10 children, and 9 of them had died in infancy(67). Point in fact that the women go through much trouble and pain trying to please their husbands by bearing children. Agbala the priestess was very authoritative, powerful and wise. She is represented with the power of her god, and greatly feared.(14). This proves that not only do the men in this village hold power, but the women have a special place too. Thus shows that the women of the Umuofia village have a very significant task in their village.

The traditional activities like The Feast of the New Yam, the religious worship, and womens actions all play a key part in the lives of the Ibos. Truly the little things from worship and women, to huge elaborate events and festivities all play roles in the Umuofia peoples lives. Nevertheless, cultural beliefs have a serious effect on the women, men, and children of Umuofia greatly.