Introduction
Africa and African people have been a tempting subject of the extorting and analytical eyes of the high people in Europe. The ones with authority were attracted by the abundance of material resources to quench their uncontrollable thirst of luxury and the ones with pen in their hand stood against their own imperialism over Africa, but they painted African people as mere savages who were devoid of any trait of civilization.
But Things Fall Apart, which is written by a native African writer presents African people and their society like any other human society on the planet earth. They have a different sets of traditions and customs to celebrate. They worship their own gods. They have their own system of justice and government. They have families to support. All of this looks quite opposite to what is shown in Heart of Darkness. Things Fall Apart depicts the customs and traditions of the Igbo people. The novel paints both the good as well as the bad sides of the Igbo culture but also how it is shattered by the English missionaries.
Individuals and Families
Although almost every African Clan or Tribe is divided into different sub-tribes and villages, yet a family system is observed so that more children are produced. The concept of school education is unknown before the arrival of English missionaries. A male individual can become a fierce warrior, a wrestler and a farmer. Through the rise of Okonkwo, it is revealed that everyone can climb up the social ladder. But in order to acquire a good name as a man, he must marry more than two wives; he must throw a known and powerful wrestler (also determines the number of wives) and lastly, he should successfully harvest the crop yams.
Speaking of harvest, the Umofian people are fond of festivals and one of them is the Harvest Festival. This festival is celebrated in honour of their earth goddess and for the successful cultivation of the crops of yam. The festival is also characterized by the wrestling matches it holds as well as the marriages taking place in it.
Status of Women
It is difficult to estimate the comprehensive status of women in Umofian Society because of the prevailing contradictions. But for the most part, the status of women is not good. For the men of Umofia, the very term, 'woman' or 'Agbala' is the symbol of weakness and manly disgrace. A male person who is referred to as Agbala is considered as a person of lower significance. But it must be noted that women in Umofia are treated as the property of men than the women. They can be purchased through (bride money), they can be won by soldiers or Messengers (just like Okonkwo won a virgin when he was sent as a great messenger to Mbaino). A Umofian woman has to fulfil the basic duties of cooking the meal, taking care of her husband but the third one is quite interesting, to search for another wife for her husband. If there are two or more wives living in the same house, they live with mutual co-operation. Harming women is strictly prohibited during the Peace Week. That is why, Okonkwo is punished by the priest for beating his wife.
While women are reverend and adored in Umofia as well. Their grand goddess of earth and fertility is a woman as well. Thus, the status of women varies from the creature to the "benevolent".
Importance of Religion
Religion plays an important role in establishing the course of action for men. In simple words, Umofians believe that their actions are already determined by their chi or their personal god. But sacrificial of children is rather a dismal trait of their religion. As mentioned before, the Umofian people pay tribute to the earth goddess during the Harvest Festival. Their justice is put into motion through egwugwus, the masked spirits (basically, they are the highly respected people of the village).
Crumbling of Umofian Society
The novel not only showcases the climax of Umofian traditions, but also their downfall. Umofian society crumbles under the influence of white missionaries. People gradually convert to Christianity when missionaries remain unhurt during their one month stay in the Evil Forest. The Englishmen slowly and gradually divide the Umofian people and Novoye gets separated from Okonkwo as a result of converting to Christianity. The mission transitions into government. Mr. Smith, a dogmatic believer of Christianity commits the most "unforgivable" crime of blasphemy by unmasking one of the egwugwus. The natives are arrested and beaten up by kotmas for taking action against the blasphemy. The rule of the English is so strong and influential that the respected people of Umofia back out of Okonkwo's call of war. Okonkwo's friend Obierika appropriately asserts,
He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.
Conclusion
In documenting a realistic caricaturing of the social life of Igbo people, the novel helps achieve a more human approach towards the perception of the life of African people which was stained by the spot of primitiveness and savagery, especially levelled by Heart of Darkness
