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Introduction
The Igbo people, like many other African cultures, were an oral culture; they relied on the word of mouth as the only mode of communication. At that time, writing had not yet been introduced in this society. Their traditions, values, and conversations were therefore carried forward through songs, proverbs, and folktales. However, this was not the only function of such devices as they also served to summarize elaborate instances of wisdom in short artistic pieces thus advising recipients. They would be used to understand human behavior or to instill moral paradigms. These language devices also provided a simple way of understanding nature. Lastly, they were used to liven up speech or language.
Use of proverbs, folktales, and song
Proverbs were used in different scenarios and different settings throughout the novel. For example, in Chapter 13, it is asserted that “If one finger brought oil, it soiled all the others” (Achebe, p. 118). This was a proverb spoken by the elders as they were instating punishment for Okonkwo’s wrongs. They wanted to explain why they needed to carry out this responsibility. In their view, one man’s problem should be the whole community’s concern because if it is not arrested then it could spread everywhere else; this could lead to a morally degenerate society. The proverb, therefore, served as a guide for instilling moral conduct. It affirmed the need for the enforcement of discipline in society. Another proverb used by Okonkwo in Chapter 8 was “A child’s fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which his mother puts into its palm” (Achebe, p. 64). This proverb was used at a time when Okonkwo was justifying his actions for listening to what the Oracle said. The Oracle was a diviner and hence a symbol of the tribe’s belief in nature. In this particular instance, Okonkwo was trying to demonstrate the superiority of Mother Nature, so human judgment or thought processes could not understand its logic. Like a child who must unquestionably contend with its mother’s actions even when this seems odd, Okonkwo had to continue with his obligations to mother Earth even when they seemed contradictory. This proverb was used to explain human behavior.
Folktales are also another crucial feature of this rich oral culture. They have been used in the book to reinforce the heritage of the Ibo people. For instance, in Chapter 7, a folktale is told of the earth and the sky’s story which Nwoye was very fond of. In the story, the earth had been dry for very long and it decided to send the vulture as a messenger to the sky. The message was delivered and rain was placed in leaves underneath the Vulture’s wings. However, it carelessly tore up the leaves and too much rain fell that it caused the Vulture to fly to another location where it found a man and decided to warm itself near the fire. It was at this point that it ate entrails and continued to do so even up to the present day (Achebe, pp. 54-55). This folktale had three major purposes in the Umuofian culture; it was a route to social cohesiveness through entertainment and sharing, it taught people the importance of values such as obedience (the Vulture continues to eat entrails as punishment for disobedience), and explicated a natural phenomenon (eating habits of a wild bird). The use of folk tales in the Igbo culture, therefore, illustrates one of the informal ways in which children were educated. Social values were usually hidden in these kinds of approaches as they maintained the interest of the young ones but still instilled profound ideals. It is also clear that the latter society became closer because of these folktales as they had something to share besides the fireplace (Healey, p. 9).
Lastly, songs were also employed in the novel for different purposes. For instance, in Chapter 7, Ikemefuna remembers a particular song while he was busy walking (Achebe, p. 60). This song is written in the Igbo language and is not translated by the author. He sang it just before his painful demise and ironically thought that a close relative of his was dead. The song was reminiscent of his childhood where he would use it to predict something important. Children often did the same in his community and employed movements of parts of their bodies to reach certain outcomes. This particular piece demonstrates how people sought comfort in song. Ikemefuna was in a tight spot – he was uncertain about his fate amongst the elders and therefore decided to use singing as a way of getting through these tough moments. The use of song here demonstrates that members of this culture valued rhythm and could modify it to suit their particular circumstances.
Conclusion
The use of songs, proverbs, and folktales throughout the novel is critical in contrasting the Igbo language with that of the colonizers. It captures the complexity beauty, rhythm, and even the originality of the Umuofian people. These elements of language enable one to understand how views were expressed, ideas transmitted and values preserved in this culture. In other words, songs, folktales, and proverbs were a depiction of the political, social, and economic structures of the Igbo people. They easily summarized their worldviews and therefore distinctness as a community and people in their own right.
Works Cited
- Achebe, Chinua. Things fall apart. NY: Anchor books, 1994
- Healey, Joseph. Once upon a time in Africa. NY: Orbis books, 2004.
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