Exploring Africa

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe A Study In: Character Conflict Culture

Examining Culture Markers of Culture –Gender roles Marriage and the family –Celebrations –Customs –Government –Agriculture Explore these “signs” of culture. –Click on the following link to explore culture: d/fil/pages/samafricael.ht ml Use this link through slide # 9.

Examine the Following Aspects of African Culture: Kanga History and Writings African Stories African Folktales African Art, People, Culture ml

Kanga History create a word document--name it Response to Africa VFT What are kangas? In what area of Africa did they originate? What tribe? What is their purpose? What do American students wear that might be considered kangas? ml

Goldweights As Proverbs Goldweights were small bronze figures, historically used for comparing the weight of gold dust. In Akan oral literature, they represented a story or proverb that spoke a philosophy. Keep this in mind in your exploration of Kanga writing. ml

Kanga Writings From the list of 143 proverbs, select 5 that apply to any situation in the first five chapters of Things Fall Apart. Record both the literal translation and the most common meaning. How is the advice accepted or rejected in the novel? By whom and in what situation? cael.html cael.html

African Stories Click on African Stories. Choose two animal stories. Read and respond in your word document. d/fil/pages/samafricael.ht ml

African Folktales Click on African folktales. Choose two folktales. Read and respond in your word document. Summarize the tale. What is the purpose of each folktale? d/fil/pages/samafricael.ht ml

Some African Art

African Art Click on National Museum of African Art. Enjoy exploring this site; in the search on the left, check out “face masks from Nigeria” Check out one other item in the choices--example--toys or weapons. Report on them in the word document; –What did you find interesting? –What have you already noticed in your reading of the novel?

African People and Culture Click on African People and Culture –Explore the Igbo tribe by reading about its location, language, and daily life. –How does Achebe illustrate these characteristics in Okonkwo’s village? –Record examples and page numbers in your word document. –Next, take a look at the Yoruba tribe. –Record location, language, and daily life in your word document.

African Music Click on About African Music What are the major characteristics of African music? Make a list of some instruments. Click on History of African Music. –Read one of the three sections, according to your interest. –Take notes in your word document; we will have a seminar discussion about African music. –Do you have any examples of music that you can trace back to African roots?

More About African Music Click on this and enjoy: (This page is currently under construction, but should prove to be exciting to the students.)

Sites for Further Investigation mosaic.com/ecom/tribal-music.htmhttp:// mosaic.com/ecom/tribal-music.htm

About Chinua Achebe "I would be quite satisfied if my novels (especially the ones I set in the past) did no more than teach my readers that their past - with all its imperfections - was not one long night of savagery from which the first Europeans acting on God's behalf delivered them" (from Morning Yet on Creation Day, 1975)

More Works by Achebe No Longer at Ease, 1960 The Sacrificial Egg and Other Stories, 1962 Arrow of God, 1964 Chike and the River, 1966 Beware Soul Brother, 1971 How the Leopard Got His Claws, 1972 The Drum, 1977 The Flute, 1977 Anthills of the Savanna, 1987