How the Igbos lived in Africa before the arrival of white
men
The Igbo people, an ethnic group in present-day Nigeria, had
a rich and active culture before European conquerors arrived in Africa. They
followed a range of economic, social, and religious practices and lived in
small villages.
Though they had trade and social activities that brought them
together the communities lived apart from themselves and hardly interfered in
the activities of others. Communal living was prevalent as everyone knew
everyone and in most cases were related by blood.
Before the introduction of the white men, the following were
important components of Igbo life;
Social Organization: Small, decentralized, devolved units
known as villages made up the Igbo society. A council of elders led each
community, and decisions were reached by consensus. Extended families served as
the cornerstone of Igbo civilization, and lineage and kinship played important
roles in social structure of Igbo communities.
Economic Activities: The Igbo people participated in a wide variety
of economic activities. Their primary source of income was agriculture, and
they raised products like yam, cassava, palm fruit, and vegetables. Igbo
farmers engaged in both subsistence and commercial agriculture.
The pre-colonial Igbo's way of life was centered on tilling
the land to produce food for consumption and to make money. Their economy also
depended heavily on trade, and long-distance trading networks had been built
throughout the area.
Governance: Igbo communities have unique native political
structures. The majority of the time, choices were decided democratically by
the community's members after deliberations and consensus-building. The elder
council was crucial in keeping things in check and resolving conflicts.
Religion: A typical Igbo settlement had an intricate
religious belief system which relied on a supreme deity referred to as Chineke
or Chukwu. Deities and ancestral spirits known as Alusi and Ndi-ichie were also
worshipped and revered.
Regular sacrifices, rituals and prayers were often made to
these ancestors to honour them as they played crucial roles in the continuous existence
of the people.
Arts and Culture: Igbo communities were rich in cultural and
art works that depicted their lifestyle. They carved traditional sculptures. Pottery,
wood carvings and weaving were popular craft well in some communities metal
works were performed using local ingenuity.
The appearance of masquerades also known as Mmanwu was
common in Igbo communities. These Mmanwu which usually had supernatural powers
were an integral part of cultural festivals and ceremonies.
Story telling was one of the channels through which elders
communicated wisdom to the younger ones. Music and dance also formed important
aspects of Igbo communities prior to the incursion of the white man.
Women Participation: Igbo society had clear gender roles and labor divisions.
Women were essential in farming, trading, and household management while men
were generally in charge of farming, hunting, and communal leadership. Within the community, women occupied positions of
responsibility and influenced decision-making.
It's critical to remember that Igbo society changed over
time and among different groups. Igbo culture, economy, and social structures
were greatly impacted by European invaders' presence in Africa starting in the
late 19th century, which caused modifications and adaptations in their way of life.
Impact of colonization on Igbo communities
The Igbo people and their villages were significantly and
widely affected by colonization. The Igbo were a vigorous and diversified
ethnic community in modern-day Nigeria before European colonization, with a
rich cultural past and a decentralized political and social system. But the
19th-century entry of European powers, especially the British, fundamentally
affected the Igbo way of life and had long-lasting effects.
Political system upheaval: The Igbo had a decentralized
political system based on independent village groups and freely elected
representatives. Colonial powers established indirect governance by designating
traditional leaders as middlemen. As a result, the traditional Igbo forms of
government were undermined, and community conflicts were raised.
Economic exploitation: After colonization, European forces
began to plunder Igbo lands and resources. Subsistence farming was replaced
with cash-crop agriculture brought in by the British, first groundnuts and then
palm oil, which altered the economic climate. Local economies were thrown off
balance, and the Igbo were forced to depend more on trade with Europe.
Social and Religious Disruption: The Igbo have a rich
cultural legacy with a variety of creative forms, religious rites, and oral
traditions. Traditional Igbo culture was weakened by the imposition of Western
religion, education, and language by colonial authorities. Igbo identity and
societal cohesion were thus significantly impacted by the advent of
Christianity and English language.
Social Stratification and Division: The colonial government
established a hierarchical social structure that gave some groups more
privilege than others, which caused social tensions and conflicts within Igbo
communities. Western education and Christianity brought into the picture a new
class of educated elites who frequently separated themselves from conventional
behaviors, further dividing society.
Loss of Political Autonomy: British colonization finally
resulted in the creation of a single colonial Nigeria, which weakened the Igbo
people's political autonomy. The colonial authorities frequently ignored the
needs and ambitions of the Igbo in favor of the British Empire's interests.
This exclusion nurtured resentment and mistrust among the
various ethnic groups that make up the country. This eventually led to ethnic
rivalry and the raise of political movements and upheavals.
Legacy of Ethnic Conflict: Ethnic tensions are still present
today as a result of the British colonial administration's preference for some
ethnic groups over others. Conflicts between the Igbo and other ethnic groups
ensued from this, particularly during the war for Nigeria's independence and
the later Biafra breakaway campaign.
But it's important to remember that colonization had some
positive effects as well. Additionally, it brought about the building of
certain infrastructure, including roads, schools, and medical facilities.
On the other side, colonization had significant long-term
effects on the Igbo people and their communities, causing cultural disruption,
economic exploitation, social splits, and more.
Some consider the impact of colonization as an ill that brought
about the degrading of Igbo culture, traditions and lifestyle. One can only
however take a cursory look at the present state of Igbo land to ascertain if indeed
colonization was impactful.
Lets know what you think by leaving a comment below.
How the Igbos lived in Africa before the arrival of white
men
The Igbo people, an ethnic group in present-day Nigeria, had
a rich and active culture before European conquerors arrived in Africa. They
followed a range of economic, social, and religious practices and lived in
small villages.
Though they had trade and social activities that brought them
together the communities lived apart from themselves and hardly interfered in
the activities of others. Communal living was prevalent as everyone knew
everyone and in most cases were related by blood.
Before the introduction of the white men, the following were
important components of Igbo life;
Social Organization: Small, decentralized, devolved units
known as villages made up the Igbo society. A council of elders led each
community, and decisions were reached by consensus. Extended families served as
the cornerstone of Igbo civilization, and lineage and kinship played important
roles in social structure of Igbo communities.
Economic Activities: The Igbo people participated in a wide variety
of economic activities. Their primary source of income was agriculture, and
they raised products like yam, cassava, palm fruit, and vegetables. Igbo
farmers engaged in both subsistence and commercial agriculture.
The pre-colonial Igbo's way of life was centered on tilling
the land to produce food for consumption and to make money. Their economy also
depended heavily on trade, and long-distance trading networks had been built
throughout the area.
Governance: Igbo communities have unique native political
structures. The majority of the time, choices were decided democratically by
the community's members after deliberations and consensus-building. The elder
council was crucial in keeping things in check and resolving conflicts.
Religion: A typical Igbo settlement had an intricate
religious belief system which relied on a supreme deity referred to as Chineke
or Chukwu. Deities and ancestral spirits known as Alusi and Ndi-ichie were also
worshipped and revered.
Regular sacrifices, rituals and prayers were often made to
these ancestors to honour them as they played crucial roles in the continuous existence
of the people.
Arts and Culture: Igbo communities were rich in cultural and
art works that depicted their lifestyle. They carved traditional sculptures. Pottery,
wood carvings and weaving were popular craft well in some communities metal
works were performed using local ingenuity.
The appearance of masquerades also known as Mmanwu was
common in Igbo communities. These Mmanwu which usually had supernatural powers
were an integral part of cultural festivals and ceremonies.
Story telling was one of the channels through which elders
communicated wisdom to the younger ones. Music and dance also formed important
aspects of Igbo communities prior to the incursion of the white man.
Women Participation: Igbo society had clear gender roles and labor divisions. Women were essential in farming, trading, and household management while men were generally in charge of farming, hunting, and communal leadership. Within the community, women occupied positions of responsibility and influenced decision-making.
It's critical to remember that Igbo society changed over
time and among different groups. Igbo culture, economy, and social structures
were greatly impacted by European invaders' presence in Africa starting in the
late 19th century, which caused modifications and adaptations in their way of life.
Impact of colonization on Igbo communities
The Igbo people and their villages were significantly and
widely affected by colonization. The Igbo were a vigorous and diversified
ethnic community in modern-day Nigeria before European colonization, with a
rich cultural past and a decentralized political and social system. But the
19th-century entry of European powers, especially the British, fundamentally
affected the Igbo way of life and had long-lasting effects.
Political system upheaval: The Igbo had a decentralized
political system based on independent village groups and freely elected
representatives. Colonial powers established indirect governance by designating
traditional leaders as middlemen. As a result, the traditional Igbo forms of
government were undermined, and community conflicts were raised.
Economic exploitation: After colonization, European forces
began to plunder Igbo lands and resources. Subsistence farming was replaced
with cash-crop agriculture brought in by the British, first groundnuts and then
palm oil, which altered the economic climate. Local economies were thrown off
balance, and the Igbo were forced to depend more on trade with Europe.
Social and Religious Disruption: The Igbo have a rich
cultural legacy with a variety of creative forms, religious rites, and oral
traditions. Traditional Igbo culture was weakened by the imposition of Western
religion, education, and language by colonial authorities. Igbo identity and
societal cohesion were thus significantly impacted by the advent of
Christianity and English language.
Social Stratification and Division: The colonial government
established a hierarchical social structure that gave some groups more
privilege than others, which caused social tensions and conflicts within Igbo
communities. Western education and Christianity brought into the picture a new
class of educated elites who frequently separated themselves from conventional
behaviors, further dividing society.
Loss of Political Autonomy: British colonization finally
resulted in the creation of a single colonial Nigeria, which weakened the Igbo
people's political autonomy. The colonial authorities frequently ignored the
needs and ambitions of the Igbo in favor of the British Empire's interests.
This exclusion nurtured resentment and mistrust among the
various ethnic groups that make up the country. This eventually led to ethnic
rivalry and the raise of political movements and upheavals.
Legacy of Ethnic Conflict: Ethnic tensions are still present
today as a result of the British colonial administration's preference for some
ethnic groups over others. Conflicts between the Igbo and other ethnic groups
ensued from this, particularly during the war for Nigeria's independence and
the later Biafra breakaway campaign.
But it's important to remember that colonization had some
positive effects as well. Additionally, it brought about the building of
certain infrastructure, including roads, schools, and medical facilities.
On the other side, colonization had significant long-term
effects on the Igbo people and their communities, causing cultural disruption,
economic exploitation, social splits, and more.
Some consider the impact of colonization as an ill that brought
about the degrading of Igbo culture, traditions and lifestyle. One can only
however take a cursory look at the present state of Igbo land to ascertain if indeed
colonization was impactful.
Lets know what you think by leaving a comment below.