Some examples of Ibo words are egwugwu, which are spirits that walk the earth ; nso-ani, which is the breaking of the week of peace; and ilo, or the village playground. Knowing about the Ibo language becomes even more important when you think about the visiting missionaries.
What is the Ibo in things fall apart?
Things Fall Apart is the debut novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, first published in 1958. ... The novel follows the life of Okonkwo , an Igbo (“Ibo” in the novel) man and local wrestling champion in the fictional Nigerian clan of Umuofia.
What is the Igbo word for a man’s personal god?
chi a significant cultural concept and belief meaning one’s personal deity; also one’s destiny or fate. Chielo the name of the current priestess of Agbala, the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves. Chukwu the leading god in the Igbo hierarchy of gods.
What is the Ibo term used for a worthless man?
efulefu : worthless man. egwugwu: a masquerader who impersonates one of the ancestral spirits of the village.
What are some examples of Ibo words in Things Fall Apart *?
- agadi-nwayi. old woman.
- agbala. woman; also used of a man who has taken no title.
- chi. personal god.
- efulefu. worthless man.
- egwugwu. a masquerader who impersonates one of the ancestral spirits of the village.
- ekwe. a musical instrument; a type of drum made from wood.
- eneke-nti-oba. a kind of bird.
- iba. fever.
What is an example of a female Ochu in things fall apart?
Uchendu (Okonkwo’s mother’s younger brother who took him and his family in) is relieved to learn that this murder is a female ochu, which means that it was an accident, therefore he must be exiled to the women’s side of his family.
Is Agbala male or female?
In Igbo culture, women are considered weaker than the men and thus it’s an insult to men to be called an agbala. Okonkwo is acutely aware of what it means to be a man in the Igbo tribe and is ashamed that someone might call him or his male relations agbala.
What is the main theme of Things Fall Apart?
The Struggle Between Change and Tradition
As a story about a culture on the verge of change, Things Fall Apart deals with how the prospect and reality of change affect various characters. The tension about whether change should be privileged over tradition often involves questions of personal status.
What causes things to fall apart in the novel?
Things Fall Apart is Okonkwo, the protagonist of the novel. By studying and comparing his conducts, before and after killing Ikemefona it reveals that his mortal sin parts him beyond the limits of his cultural conventions , in the process of gaining his individual purposes, which later leads to his downfall.
What Okonkwo fears most?
Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness . ... Instead, Okonkwo suffers from the existential fear that he will not succeed in life and thus end up like his unremarkable father.
What is a Ndichie?
New Word Suggestion . elders . originally from African Language (The elders or ndichie, met to hear a report of Okonkwo’s mission,Things Fall Apart a novel by Chinua Ahebe p24. Picador 1988 )
Why did Unoka have bad chi?
‘ Unoka actually brings about his own misfortune by spending his days drinking and relaxing rather than working. Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s second wife is also said to have a bad chi is because she has given birth to many children, but only one has survived .
What is an Egwugwu?
The clan’s ancestral spirits , which are known as egwugwu, emerge from a secret house into which no woman is allowed to step. The egwugwu take the form of masked men, and everyone suspects that Okonkwo is among them.
What are the four titles in Things Fall Apart?
Symbols of honor (titles) Indicators of wealth (yams, cowries) Marriage customs (more than one wife) The reckoning of time (markets, a week of four days)
Why is Okonkwo so hard on nwoye?
Okonkwo is frustrated by Nwoye because he reminds him so much of his own father, Unoka . Okonkwo is disappointed that Nwoye resembles Unoka in that he’s sensitive and often lazy. Okonkwo views these as signs of femininity which he believes is one of the most disgraceful traits an Ibo man can display.
Is Okonkwo an Egwugwu?
Okonkwo has obviously risen to a lofty position of village leadership if he has indeed been selected as the egwugwu representative for his village. The egwugwu has similarities to a jury led by a foreman or judge.
