Week 5

Based on your reading of things fall apart, what aspects of Igbo culture allow British to take over?

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

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

There are so many aspects of Igbo culture that allow British to take over. Firstly, they were ignorant of the capabilities of others. They thought that they were the best among all and did not think of the abilities of the missionaries to have come and invade them. That’s what happened when British came with the bicycle that the Igbo people called it ‘iron horse’ and they were so amazed with it and then let the British come and live with them. They thought the British will die after living in the Evil Forest but they turned out to be perfectly fine and even managed to build a church there. That incident had advanced the Igbo people to embrace Christianity.

Firstly, the religion of the people here changed. Majority of the tribes here are Christian after the colonisation when before, many of them were atheist or practiced the religion of their ancestors. The changes brought here, in Sarawak and Africa, the changes brought doesn’t seem to be much different. The systems are changed. The colonisation had brought so many administrations to be followed by the commoners. There were courts, schools and hospitals that were introduced by the British to help advancing the life of the people. Thus the education system, the health and the rules and safety of the people are getting better because of the colonisation.

The social life of the people also changed after the colonisation. The wedding of the people in Serawak and Africa has been western-like where they started to wear suits and wedding gowns during the ceremony and not their traditional wear anymore. Even when they wear their traditional outfit, the women will match it with high heels. Somehow the originality has gone. There are, however few left who still wear it. The way of eating also had changed, as the Sarawakian started to eat using fork and spoon and no longer use their hands like they used to. One by one the culture of the people starting to fade away.

by : Ateeq Medina

week 4

              

Perfect Character A Delusion or Reality

In the novel Animal Farm, the hope for a better world remains unattainable. Even with the change of governance, the animals are eventually mistreated. How is it possible that the longing for good can turn awry when the person is in power for long?

It is possible if the intention of the governance changed. At first it might be honesty that drives him along but as time goes by, he might found another interest such as money or power. When this happens, the longer the person is in charge, then the more awful the people get treated. To find such a good leader with excellent qualities are indeed hard but if the people had known of the true intention of the leader, they must act against him. The people must play their role to get the good instead of only longing for it to come by itself.

In the case of Okonkwo, he is not painted as someone who is without fault. In fact, he is in many ways a tragic hero. Neither is he a person who is evil despite his part in killing Ikemefuna. Based on your understanding of him in the novel, reflect on the following questions:

•             How has Okonkwo been a figure of inspiration and disappointment to his people?

Okonkwo had once known as ‘The Roaring Flame’ for his courage, strength and power. He had defeated Amainze,the cat who was a tough fighter from the other village to make his people grant him that title. He was inspiring the people by that sense and plus when he grew up, he married three wives, got children and own his own yam field. It was symbol of a successful man in Umofia. He was considered a respected man before he was casted away from his village for accidentally killed a young boy. When he returned to Umofia, he was shocked to find that the missionaries already affected the village and the people in it. He tried to fight back and do all his might to rebel. He was disappointed with his kinsmen whom he adored so much as they had turned feminine for not fighting the missionaries. At last, he acted by killing one of the messenger abruptly in the market in front of his people and that had brought questions to them, wondering why did he commit such an act. Okonkwo later felt so depressed by the villagers and there were nothing more he could do to save his people, he decided to take his own life by hanging himself on a tree. And that is considered a taboo for Ibo tribe, to kill own life. In the end, his people disappointed in him and could not even touch him to get him buried properly although he was once a great man.

•             What are the characteristics of Okonkwo that you can find in your nation’s leader?

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, is the former prime minister of my nation and he is indeed a great man, just like Okonkwo. The characteristics of Okonkwo which is strong, intelligent and dependent are reflected in Tun Mahathir’s personality. He had never quit to make Malaysia a great country and did his best to protect her from any harm. The same goes to Okonkwo when he tried to protect Umofia from the missionaries. Okonkwo wanted his children to be successful and Unoka, his son to respectable be like him and Tun Mahathir wanted the same for his children. The only difference they have is Okonkwo died in such not pleasant way but Tun Mahathir retired respectably after performing his duties as Prime Minister of Malaysia for 20 years.

by : Ateeq Medina

week 3

 Religions and superstitions

Karl Marx once commented that 'religion is the opium of the people'. Do you agree with him? In the case of Umuofia, do you think their native religion stunts their development? Is the 'new' religion seen as a way of bringing development to Umuofia?

Apart from religion, superstitions play an important part in the Ibo culture. Do you have your own sets of superstitions which you find difficult to discard?

The following points can help you as you write your reflective post on the role of religion and superstition in the novel and in your life:

•             Analyse how superstitions and religions play in the life described in the novel.

•             Do superstitious beliefs and religion affect the development of a country? How?

•             How does one's beliefs affect the nation in terms of politics and culture?

Yes I do agree with him  as ‘religion is the opium of people’ or more to the need of the people. People or humans ought to lean or rely to the greater power themselves thus religion plays that part well. superstitious belief was practised by all the Ibo tribe in the novel Things Fall Apart and they do take it seriously.The Umofia’s religion had restricted some rules for the native as there are few rules that are fatal or considered not appropriate such as the killing of the twin babies because they are considered bad omens. That example reflected that the native doesn’t develop in the sense of science because they did not aware of the fact that twins are formed because of genetic and have nothing to do with bad omens.  Their beliefs that are sometimes too superstitious which is believing that evil forest contains evil spirits and no living things could live there because that is the place where they vanish the sick people to die and cast evil spirits to and leave the twin babies to die. But then when the ‘new’ religion stayed there later, they managed to live and even built a church there. This has opened the eyes of some of the natives there about their superstitions. They slowly developed to become the more civilised native.

In my race which is Malay, there are some sets of superstitions that were introduced by our ancestors. It was told to have been a guide for the people since a long time ago. For example, cutting the nails at night are not allowed because it is feared for us to die at the young age. The rational explanation of this superstition belief is that during the time of our ancestors, there was no electricity so they could not see well at night thus cutting the nails would be dangerous because they can injured themselves. Nevertheless, I personally does not have any superstitions that I find difficult to discard because as for me, everything have a reason for them to happen and we just need to find just that.

by: Ateeq Medina

week 2 question

ATEEQ MEDINA BT MOHD MALIKI

Women in Things Fall Apart

 How are the women treated in the novel? Do all members in the community agree with the status quo? Why?

Woman are inferior in the tribe and men are superior than them. Man can marry up to he could support but woman could not do so. In this aspect,it seems that the society receives it well because there are so many men with titles got to marry women to the sum of twelve. There are so many mistreatment that woman receives including have to take beatings from their husband if they do something wrong. Like what happened to Ekwefi who had been beaten by Okonkwo because of not preparing food to her children and go braid her hair elsewhere. Okonkwo’s son, Nwoye is the one who questioned the custom of his own tribe because he did not understand why such things have to happen.

What contributions are made by the Igbo women to the survival of their culture?

They accept the rule well and never protest it. Although some of them are quite harsh and mean for us nowadays but they still follow it. They obey their husbands, prepare food for the family, accept polygamy and work for their family well. Not even once that the case of woman against their husband arise. It helps to maintain the culture of Igbo tribe eventhough sometimes they are sad because their twin baby that they carried had to be killed because of the custom. They manage to hold it together until the arrival of the commissioner.

What are the changes in women’s roles in this present world?

As we living in the world of globalisation, women role had change drastically as there are women who are the breadwinner in the family instead of men. The term househusband is also relevant in the present world. Women no longer required to stay at home,cook and look after the children. Woman can be as successful as she wanted to be. They can study until the level of their wish and work anywhere they want. Nobody have the right to stop them.

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.