Reflection Week 5

1. Based on your reading on “Things Fall Apart” what aspects of the Igbo culture allow the British to take over.

In my opinion, the main aspects of the Igbo culture that allow the British to take over is their belief. In Igbo culture, they practiced sacrificial ceremony to cleanse their land and as an offering to their God. For example, the killing of Ikemefuna who was sacrificed in order to bring peace after the war. Besides that, the scarifies of the twins who was considered as an abomination. This indirectly has caused many people who silently disagree with the culture. However, because they were forced to abide by their belief, they cannot rebel against it. However, when Christianity came to their village, they began to see hope in it and thus voluntarily join it. This can be seen when those who have been alienated from the Igbo actually accept the Christianity brought by the British. They have seen hope and opportunity to live a better life in Christianity. Thus, the conversion of the Igbo society to Christianity has indirectly made the British to take over the belief of the Igbo society.

2. Since Sarawak also has undergone colonization, how has this affected aspect of culture in our society? (Muhammad Nazmi Bin Rosli)

Colonialism, I believe, is a practice by which a powerful country controls another country or other countries. Here, Sarawak, my birthplace, also used to be colonized. It was probably in the time of our great, great grandparents. Luckily, they managed to give birth to my grandparents during the dark time. This happened a lot of time throughout the centuries in many countries. And this had affected the native culture. It also happened in Sarawakian’s culture. But what is culture? It is the custom and beliefs, art, way life and social organization of a particular group. What can I observed is that, colonialism really has affected the aspects of culture in Sarawakian society. It brought many changes, for example, most of them now received education where if you can see, those grandpas able to speak English fluently. This will decrease the usage of their native language in their daily life. Since the colonialism, people were converted to Christianity by European missionaries. Absolutely, it had affected their original culture and taboo. Lastly, people were united. Overall, I can see that the coming of the colonist to Sarawak which began the 18th century until the 19th century, basically it is intended to monopolize the wealth of the land here, the British especially.
 One of the effect of the colonization towards the culture is the 'Penubuhan Gagasan Malaysia' by the Tunku Abdul Rahman. This helps the Sarawakian to avoid the accomodation of the Communist inside the culture of Sarawak people. During the time, the influence of the Kalimantan Communist Party that brought Karl Marx ideology was spread everywhere. But the colonization help Sarawakian emerge and build Malaysia so that the ideology doesn't assimilate with the culture. 

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

My answer is, YES. This is because the British has brought a lot of changes in the lives of tribes in Africa as well as in Sarawak. In the novel Things Fall Apart itself, we can see how the British colonist has changed the African lives. The British builds the school for the African whereas they can attend it for free without any fees. They even bring the teachers who are actually paid by the British government itself. All that the African have to do are spending their time in this school. The British also create the law system in this society. Things that were allowed before in the Africa society such as killing the twin is no longer permitted. According to the British law, this is considered to be a very serious crime. They build the Magistrate which they can use to judge and identify the suitable punishment for the one who committed crime. Aside from this, they also influences the Sarawak Language. For example, the words like "Frying Pan" is used in the local language and other like "Go eastern". These shows that the British influences Sarawak in many aspects.

While for the tribes in Sarawak, there were quite changes happened to be there. But unlike the Africa, Sarawak’s school is not build by the British government. Basically, it was the idea of the Sarawakian itself. The scholar and the leader contribute their own ideas and effort in order to give a suitable education to their people. Because of this, each person got an equal chances to learn in school. At this stage, they focused more towards the children and the teenagers. British didn’t want them to be educated and united because they want to keep a hold of the land. While for the law, the tribes in Sarawak already have their own society rules and regulation. However, whenever the British came, they begun to change the law according to their own ways. So overall, the British has brought changes towards the indigenous tribes of Africa and Sarawak.

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?

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:


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

    First, Okonkwo is being the source of inspiration for being a man who had defeated Amalinze the Cat. Thus, he has earn his respect from the people and proved to be more worthy than his father Unoka. Besides that he is also being the source of inspiration for his bravery in upholding their beliefs. For example is the killing of Ikemefuna. Although Okonkwo began to feel Ikemefuna as his own son, he still priorities his culture and tradition by maintaining the ritual of sacrificing Ikemefuna. On the other hand, Okonkwo is also a figure of disappointment to his people when he actually breaks the tradition during the “Week of Peace”. During that week, one must never commit any violence. However Okonkwo happened to beat his wife Ojiego for not preparing food for him. This has indirectly made him as a figure of disappointment. Besides that, at the end of the novel, Okonkwo was appeared to be a disappointment when he actually raised his machete and cut the head messenger of the Commissioner. All the other people started to whisper among them about his action because his action has indirectly cause a severe consequence, which is declaring war between the Igbo society and the Commissioner. 

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

    One of the characteristics of Okonkwo that I can find in my previous nation’s leader, YAB Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman is good sense of leadership. One of the main principles in becoming a leader is to uphold the culture and tradition above everything. YAB Allayarham Tunku Abdul Rahman, he was the first Malaysian Prime Minister.For example, in his party (UMNO), he protects and preserves the right of Malay people during the British colonisation. This can also be seen in Okonkwo where he priorities his culture and belief by sacrificing Ikemefuna though he began to consider Ikemefuna as his own son. Besides that, the second characteristic is bravery to fight for freedom. YAB Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman is also known as the “Father of Independence”.  He fought for the nation’s independence and protecting his people from being colonized by the British through peaceful negotiation. This is similar to Okonkwo who tries to protect his people from being colonized by the British and influenced by the Christianity.  The only thing that differs between both of them is that Okonkwo tried to protect his people through violence while YAB Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman tried to free his people through peaceful negotiation. 

Reflection Question 2

Karl Marx, one commented that "religion is the opium of the people". Do you agree with him? In the case 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:

• ·         Analyze 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 do one's beliefs affect the nation in terms of politics and culture?

          Karl Marx said that religion is the opium of the people. Is that true? For me, its question me back. Opium is a kind of drug that actually an extraction of a plant called poppy. And this kind of drug can be used in a good way, for example, in the industry of medicine, this powerful juices help people to reduce pain and sleep. But in the wrong way, people can use it to get ‘high’ and addicted to it. So, its questioned me back whether Marx said state that ‘religion is a good thing for people’ or ‘religion is a bad thing for people’. For me, religion is a good thing for people but culture sometime can be a bad thing for people. Religion and culture is not the same. Religion is the belief in the existence of god or gods ad activities that are connected to worship them. While culture is simply customs, beliefs and way of life that are not connected to the god.

           I believe that the native religion able to stunts their development. With the gender differences mind set and the people-killing taboo, of course the society won't develop. And Christianity is what I believe, the savior of the people at that particular time. With the changes they brought in, people will live in harmony where blood spilling is no longer allowed and women can also help men in planting yam. Besides, in Christian, no one will be neglected or outcasted, twins are allowed to live and sick people can die peacefully on their bed, not in the forest.

         For me, my religions and my culture did not offer any sets of superstitions which I find difficult to discard. And I am happy to live with it. Superstitions and religions play important roles in the life that described in the novel probably because people at that time is not exposed to the media mass compare with us today. Media mass able to act as agent that fuels us to do things without the limitation of religions and culture.

Reflection Question 1

Based on your reading (gender differences), reflect on how these women are treated in the novel. The following questions can help you as you write your reflective piece:

• How are the women treated in the novel? Do all members in the community agree with the status quo? Why?
• What contributions are made by the Igbo women to the survival of their culture?
• What are the changes in the women's roles in this present world?

Based on the novel we discussed entitled ‘Things Fall Apart’, by ‘Chinua Achebe’, I discovered how women are treated. They are treated like they are owned by a man. Once you able to ‘buy’ or afford a woman, then it's all yours. You can even beat them if they are making mistakes to show that a man possessed a greater power over a woman. In this novel, Okonkwo beats up his third wife, Ojiugo for being late to prepare meal. Probably, not all of his members in the community agree with the status quo because it is unfair to receive such treatment. But women mostly decided just to follow the mindset of the people at that time and just obey the their culture. But still some women possessed a higher position in the society such as Ezeani, the priest of the goddess of earth. Even Okonkwo, the great warrior bow to her. In order to preserve the survival of the culture, the women tend to just follow the every rule and taboos inside the culture itself. Even it crushed their dreams. For example is the twin killing. Women prefer just to do what they are asked to do without complaining.

Now, women have changed. They no longer sit under the pressure of men and culture. They are free to do or to choose whatever they wanted to do. Compared to the Igbo’s time, only men allowed to plant because it represents the manliness and manhood. Today, women can plant anything they like in their backyard. Besides, in the Igbo’s culture, when Okonkwo accidentally killed a kid, it was mentioned that "The crime [of killing Ezeudu's son] was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years." We can see here that they even have gender differentiation in Igbo classification of crimes.  Okonkwo fled to the land of his mother, Mbanta, because a man finds refuge with his mother. And the last point is that Okonkwo and his family are required to go to his motherland. Why motherland? It is because they believe that if you are happy, you must go to your fatherland, but if you sad or sorrow, you must go to your motherland. It's just similar to what happened to a child, when they happy and proud of something, they will do and share with his father. But if they are happened to be bullied there, they intend to go and tell their mother. Now a day, whether you are happy or mad, you can go anywhere and no one would even care.

Reflection on the Effect of Colonialism from the Perspectives of Culture in Africa and Sarawak

1. Based on your reading on “Things Fall Apart” what aspects of the Igbo culture allow the British to take over.

In my opinion, the main aspects of the Igbo culture that allow the British to take over is their belief. In Igbo culture, they practiced sacrificial ceremony to cleanse their land and as a offering to their God. For example, the killing of Ikemefuna who was sacrificed in order to bring peace after the war. Besides that, the scarifies of the twins who was considered as an abomination. This indirectly has caused many people who are silently disagree with the culture. This can be seen when those who have been alienated by the Igbo society because of they have offended their belief, actually accept the Christianity brought by the British. They have seen hope and opportunity to live a better live in Christianity. Thus, the conversion of the Igbo society to Christianity has indirectly made the British to take over the belief of the Igbo society.

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

Colonialism, I believe, is a practice by which a powerful country controls another country or other countries. Here, Sarawak, my birthplace, also used to be colonized. It was probably in the time of our great, great grandparents. Luckily, they managed to give birth to my grandparents during the dark time. This happened a lot of time throughout the centuries in many countries. And this had affected the native’s culture. It also happened in Sarawakian’s culture. But what is culture? It is the custom and beliefs, art, way life and social organization of a particular group. What can I observed is that, colonialism really has affected the aspects of culture in Sarawakian society. It brought many changes, for example, most of them now received education where if you can see, those grandpas able to speak English fluently. This will decrease the usage of their native language in their daily life. Since the colonialism, people were converted to Christian by European missionaries. Absolutely, it had affected their original culture and taboo. Lastly, people were united. Overall, I can see that the coming of the colonist to Sarawak which began the 18th century until the 19th century, basically it is intended to monopolize the wealth of the land here, the British especially.

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

My answer is, YES. This is because the British has brought a lot of changes in the lives of tribes in Africa as well as in Sarawak. In the novel Things Fall Apart itself, we can see how the British colonist has changed the African lives. The British builds the school for the African whereas they can attend it for free without any fees. They even bring the teachers who are actually paid by the British government itself. All that the African have to do are spending their time in this school. The British also create the law system in this society. Things that were allowed before in the Africa society such as killing the twin is no longer permitted. According to the British law, this is considered to be a very serious crime. They build the Magistrate which they can use to judge and identify the suitable punishment for the one who committed crime.

While for the tribes in Sarawak, there were quite changes happened to be there. But unlike the Africa, Sarawak’s school is not build by the British government. Basically, it was the idea of the Sarawakian itself. The scholar and the leader contribute their own ideas and effort in order to give a suitable education to their people. At this stage, they focused more towards the children and the teenagers. This is because the British didn’t want them to be educated and united. While for the law, the tribes in Sarawak already have their own society rules and regulation. However, whenever the British came, they begun to change the law according to their own ways. So overall, the British has brought changes towards the indigenous tribes of Africa and Sarawak.