Colonization of the Igbo People in Things Fall Apart Essay

The Colonization of the Igbo People

In the past four centuries, European imperialism has been spreading all around the world. Though it has slowed down in recent years, at the beginning of the 20th century many African villages began to see missionary activities. Chinua Achebe, the author of Things Fall Apart, was exposed to both the traditional religion of Igbo people and the Christian faith while growing up in Africa. His father was an early convert to Christianity in his village and his uncle believed in the traditional values of the village. Chiuna Achebes experiences as a young man growing up in an evolving society greatly influenced his writing in Things Fall Apart. Achebe writes about the downfall of an African village by Christian missionaries.

In the beginning of Things Fall Apart, Achebe gives a realistic view of how life was growing up in an African village. He describes the Igbo people as having a very strong language; though, sometimes the meaning of words can be lost in translation. The European view of the Africans was believed that they had a simple undeveloped language. Achebe also states that it was not common for men to have multiple wives. The men were accustomed to giving their wives harsh beatings. In an westernized country, these actions would not be tolerated. Another way Achebe describes the Igbo people was that they believed in many gods. Igbo people believed in a group of ancestral spirits called egwugwu. The way the Igbo people lived their lives maybe contrary to what the Europeans believe; however, they had a system that worked for them.

The Igbo people were generally peaceful and only acted in violence when they were in fear. For example, the first time we read about any outsiders was when Obierika mentioned the Abame clan. A white man had showed up on an iron horse (bicycle). Out of fear and miscommunication of language, the Abame people killed the foreigners. Not being accustomed to the bicycle, the tied it up to a sacred tree in fear of telling the mans friends. Eventually the white mans companions came back and killed the all of the village people. This event foreshadows what would come of the Ibo people.

Throughout the story, it is evident that colonization was affecting the Ibo people traditions and values. Achebe states, The Christians tell the Igbo that they are all brothers and sons of God, replacing the literal ties of kinship with a metaphorical kinship structure through God. This is a clear contrast of what the Igbo people have believed for centuries. When Okonkwo was living in Mbanta because he was exiled from Umuofia, their leaders allowed the missionaries to build a church in the evil forest (which was believed to have powers of darkness) even after the fact that the missionaries criticized the religious view. The Igbo people believed that there gods will kill the foreigners within 28 days. I believe that Achebe wanted to match up the religious views of the Christians and those of the Igbo people. After no one was killed, it put doubt into the Igbo people and the beliefs of their gods. The church, receiving many converts, eventually started to split the Mbanta village. It seems as if the missionaries were able to easily influence the villagers. As a result, the missionaries weakened the strength of the village as a whole.

After Okonkwos return to Umuofia, many problems had developed between the Igbo people and the European colonizers. The white men subject the villagers to their judicial system and rules of government. The church was able to receive many converts including Nwoye, Okonkwos son. The more converts the church received, the weaker the leaders of Umuofias power became. The character of Mr. Brown, the churchs early leader, encourages the villagers to send their kids to school because he knows the literate foreigners will come and rule them. Achebe knew that the more knowledge the villagers possessed, the better chance they had for keeping their land. The villagers always seem to have communication problems with the white men. For example, Enoch, an Umuofia convert, killed an egwugwu spirit. This eventually led to the burning of Enochs house and the Church. The leaders believed that it would cleanse the village of his sins; however, the missionaries took is as an act of disrespect. The missionaries had gained too much strength and were basically in control of village. For instance, the Igbo people called a meeting to figure out how they were going to deal with the foreigners; however, the missionaries sent messengers to stop the meeting before it hardly began. It was too late for the Ibo people to defend their own land. The suicide of Okonkwo represents the death of the Ibo values.

Throughout Things Fall Apart, Achebe shows the slow but obvious affect the European colonizers have on the Igbo people. The Christian missionaries tore apart villagers and even families. Although many people were not entirely unhappy with the white mans influence on the economy of the community, the money was going to the church. I believe that if you have knowledge, then you have a voice. Maybe the Igbo people would have been able to keep their own values.