Reflection on Things Fall Apart

Siti Amira Bt Sallehudin

• Based on your reading of “Things Fall Apart”, what aspects of the Igbo culture allow the British to take over? 

Based on my reading, I think the important aspect is the Igbo people can't accept fully their culture since their culture seems to be overboard. For example, the killing of the twins in the Evil Forest. One of the Igbo people that converted to Christianity is Nwoye - Okonkwo's son.

• Since Sarawak has also undergone colonisation, how has this affected aspects of culture in our society?

The colonisation has affected some aspects in the Sarawak's society. For example, the language they used. My friend told me that instead using 'bola' for ball, the Sarawak people use 'bol'. Besides that, during marriage ceremony, the bride will use dress and the groom will use coat instead using the traditional wedding attire.

• Are there any changes brought about in the lives of the indigenous tribes in Africa and Sarawak? 

There are changes in the lives of the indigeous in Africa and Sarawak after the colonisation. For example, they manage to improve their lifestyle since they have been colonised. For example, the Igbo feel at peace after converted to Christianity. Moreover, they feel that their previous custom were unreasonable. Besides that, the people acknowledge the colonisation as the steppingstone for them to modernise themselves. 

Ateeq Medina Bt. Mohd Maliki

1. Based on your reading of “Things Fall Apart”, what aspects of the Igbo culture allow the British to take over?

The traditions of their people which is cannot be accepted by some people. For example the dumping of twin babies in the Evil forest. Some people think that it is a mean thing to do. People who disagree of this thing also might not be agree with the concept of outcasts or bad luck that was practised by the Ibo people. In the novel we can see that Mr. Kiaga accepted osu or known as the outcasts and the woman who gave birth to twins into the church. He shaved the outcasts's hair which was feared to kill the outcasts if removed and soon enough they became the strongest adherents of the new faith. Nwoye, the son of Okonkwo also did the same when he started to questioned the killing of Ikemefuna whom he known as his brother and other horror things that Igbo people do. When the christianity came to  the village, it was like answering his questions. The 'imunity' of the Christians who built their church on the doomed land had proved that they are powerful to the villagers. It is because the Igbo people had taken that land which located in the Evil Forest to be an abominated land and they would not last for even a day but they did and even became stronger. From there, the villagers started to believe of what the missionaries said and later there were many man and children joined the new faith.

2. Since Sarawak has also undergone colonisation, how has this affected aspects of culture in our society

The coming of the British people had affected the lives of Sarawakian in many aspects,including the culture. Many Sarawak tribes had changed because of the colonisation. Firstly, it had changed the religion of most of the native Sarawak where they were originally anismist, religious worldview that natural physical entities including animals,plants, and even inanimate objects or phenomena to be Christian. Next, the names of the people also changed from the original native names to the christians names like Catherine, Joe and Darrel. Only minority of them kept their original name till now. the clothes are also modified as they dressed modernly now and only wore their traditional outfit for events and gatherings. Some of them even wear gown and tuxedos for wedding now. The values of traditionality slowly faded away.

3. Are there any changes brought about in the lives of the indigenous tribes in Africa and Sarawak?

It has brought many changes in Sarawak and Africa, the colonisation. . Before the coming of the British, the Sarawakian and the African only fed from their farming be it paddy or yams. they did not evolve but when the British came, they had brought progress with them. The building of school, hospital, church and also courthouse has made the people to be more advancing and modern. The people ought to have proper education, proper clothes and be more civilised than before. the creation of transportation also came from the coonisation when in the novel Things Fall Apart, the African was amazed by the "iron horse" which was a bicycle that they have never seen before. Then, they evolved.

Reflection on Things Fall Apart

Rosiah Binti Omar 

1) Based on your reading of "Things Fall Apart",what aspects of the Igbo culture allow the British to take over?

Based on “Things Fall Apart”, the aspects that I have found was the cleverness of the British to convince the people in the Igbo culture. They showed their good values so that the Igbo people will accept them. The British also tried to bring anything that makes the Igbo people impressed them, for example they use the bicycle, and people in Igbo culture didn’t know anything about development of the world sophistication. They assume that the British using the “iron horse” instead of calling it as bicycle. Besides that, Igbo culture also practices openness because they allowed other people to take advantage on them. For example, they let the British to disseminate Christianity.

2) Since Sarawak has also undergone colonisation, how has this affected aspects of culture in our society?

After British colonised Sarawak, there are many effects that we can see until today. One aspect that obviously affected the culture is religion. British has brought the Christianity to Sarawak that makes the religion has the highest adherent. There is so many churches build in Sarawak. Besides that, English language is the main important aspects that have being brought by British to Sarawak. Most of Sarawak people can speak fluent English.

3) Are there any changes brought about in the lives of the indigenous tribes in Africa and Sarawak?

Yes, there are many changes brought in the lives of the indigenous tribes in Africa and Sarawak. In Africa, the Christianity spread and most of the Igbo people converted to Christian. They don’t believe in Agbala anymore because they found the new religion that is better. We can see the changes after they converted to Christian, for example, they became independent and gain many knowledge.

Changes in Sarawak that we can see is the people became more knowledgeable and develop because they are using an international language. Besides, the British also make the changes in administration system. Sarawak used the resident instead of district office. 

Reflection on Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Siti Noor Amira binti Mohammad Johari

1) Based on your reading of "Things Fall Apart",what aspects of the Igbo culture allow the British to take over?

Based on my understanding, one aspect of Igbo culture that allows the British to take over is when the missionaries try to persuade the Igbo people by using many strategies, and they are easily fall to it. In this novel, we can see missionaries try to convince by giving them the "iron horse" or bicycle and the other is the use of rhythmic singing and clapping to draw attention to their message. These show that their allegiance towards their belief are not totally strong. Besides, one of the villagers that is converted to Christianity is Nwoye, Okonkwo's son. Okonkwo is not satisfied with Nwoye's attitude. He is always complaining about Nwoye who is not possesses manliness as he is. So, Nwoye feels he is not belongs to his father and he also questions himself about the killing of Ikemefuna and the twins. These make Nwoye converts to Christianity which this religion teaches them that everyone is brothers and sisters. Other than that, Igbo people also believe on the Evil Forest is filling with evil spirit which men that kill themselves, ogbanje and twins. Then, when the missionaries come the village, they give the forest for them to build a church. They believe when the missionaries build up a church there, they will be destroyed. Unfortunately, their belief is wrong meanwhile the church makes the British more powerful as they can spread their religion easily. 

2) Since Sarawak has also undergone colonisation, how has this affected aspects of culture in our society?

In Sarawak society, there are some aspects from colonisation of British that affected in this culture. One of them is their language which still maintaining the English language. As I know, the older still use English words in their daily communication. Such as, ball is 'bola' but they still call 'bol' and also resident is  'pejabat daerah' and they still call 'residen'. Other than that, in that time majority of Sarawakian are influenced by the attire of British. I can see in the picture of the wedding of my parents's friend is they use coat,necktie,gown,and etc as their wedding attire rather than use traditional dress. This shows how British has influenced them indirectly. Besides, in that time way of life of Malay-Muslim community began to be absorbed by the Western elements. For instance, they built many entertainment center such as Kampung Tanjung Kesenangan Club (1926), Sarawak Malay Tennis 
Club (1929), Sinjan Music Club, dan Surabaya Jolly Minstrels (Zulkiple Abdul 
Gani & Juanda Jaya, 2003:643).

3) Are there any changes brought about in the lives of the indigenous tribes in Africa and Sarawak ?

There are many changes that occur in the lives of the indigenous tribes in Africa such as they are not consulting Agbala when they have problems. They convert to Christianity and this makes Jesus as their god. Besides, I think there is development in their life. They will go through modernisation as the missionaries will help them in developing themselves. It can be seen in the novel, when the Igbo people don't know the bicycle but they call it 'iron horse'. When the missionaries come, they will modernised the people there. Other than that, they also will believe that everyone is the same. There is no more rank among them. 

Meanwhile in Sarawak, there are many changes that we can notice here. When there is a colonisation in a country,it makes the country starts to be strong to fight for their right. They will arise to protect their own land and not only see it taken by other parties. Thus,this spirit makes them stronger and good enough to fight on. Besides, the colonisation also makes them to be thrived in the technology as well as highly moral standard. When the colonisation takes place, they will introduce new technology and as they go back to their own country, they will leave the knowledge to residents. So, in indirectly we can go through  modernisation by their help. So, we can see from this aspect, not all colonisation will cause bad effects but they also give us some advantages.