1. An Introduction to Colonialism and Igbo Culture
Things Fall Apart
An Introduction to Colonialism and Igbo Culture

2. Colonialism
Colonialism: the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.
Slave trade ended 1805, replaced by other trade including trade of raw materials
European powers engaged in a “Scramble for Africa” starting in the 1870s. By 1890,most of Africa came under European control.

3. European Motives For Colonization European Nationalism
Source for
Raw
Materials
Missionary Activity
Industrial
Revolution
European
Motives
For Colonization
Markets for Finished Goods
Military & Naval Bases
Places to Dump Unwanted/ Excess Popul.
Soc. & Eco. Opportunities

4. Ideology of African Colonialism
Bringing civilization to “savages”
Benefiting natives
Taught superiority of European way of life, backwardness of African
Christian missionaries arrived in Nigeria in the mid-1800s, and by the end of the century had begun a strong conversion campaign. They wanted the African people to embrace Christianity.

5. The major European powers to acquire African territories were Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, and Italy.

6. private estate. Natives that did not supply enough rubber had
King Leopold, the king
of Belgium, ruled
the Congo like his own
private estate. Natives
that did not supply
enough rubber had
their hands cut off. While
the king profited, the
people of the Belgian
Congo suffered greatly.

7. The British
established
colonies
in West Africa
and along the
length of
most of East
Africa from
Egypt to
South Africa.

8. Things Fall Apart is set during a period of British colonial rule of Nigeria in the late 1800s.
Nigeria became a British colony in 1886.
Nigeria did not gain their independence from the UK until October 1960.

9. Europeans divided Africa and ignored
the tribal, ethnic, and cultural boundaries
of the African people. This has led to
tribal conflicts in many African nations
that continue to this day.

10. Igbo people, land, and culture
You will see a variety of pictures. On your paper take notes of what you see and create one or two questions about what you want to know based on what you see.

15. Igbo Village
An Igbo village was part of a clan network made up of about five thousand people that were led by a council of men that made decisions democratically and shared a common market and meeting place

16. Igbo Wedding and Marriage
In the Igbo society, polygyny is not merely tolerated, it is encouraged and accepted, still monogamous marriages very greatly outnumber polygynous ones. The normal age for marriage is for the man and from 14 to 18 for the girl.

17. Yams
The Igbo were subsistence farmers, which means they grew crops to survive.
Men grew the important yam crop. Women grew other crops.

18. Sacred Statue
The ikenga statue is found in sacred shrines of the Igbo-speaking people of southeastern Nigeria. The ikenga is believed to possess a protective spirit and provides success and achievement. The word "ikenga" translates to "man's life force" or "place of strength."