Things Fall Apart Background Notes

Question 1

Nigerian history dates back to what?

Answer 1

Nok culture of 400 BC

Question 2

The Igbo (ee-bow) come from ________ Nigeria?

Answer 2

Southeastern (SE)

Question 3

Nigeria population today?

Answer 3

> 200M people

Question 4

Center of ________ _____ _____ for a while

Answer 4

European slave trade

Question 5

1st Europeans to contact the Igbo were the _________ in ____ century

Answer 5

Portuguese in 15th century

Question 6

_______ colonized Nigeria during Imperialism (18th - 19th centuries)

Answer 6

Great Britain

Question 7

Birth & Death Details of Chinua Achebe

Answer 7

Born: 1930, Nigeria
Died: March 21st, 2013

Question 8

What does Chinua Achebe write about?

Answer 8

The breakdown of African Culture due to European colonization in 1800s

Question 9

What did he want to educate other Nigerians about?

Answer 9

Their culture

Question 10

How was he raised?

Answer 10

As a devout Christian

Question 11

Occupation of his father?

Answer 11

Was a teacher in missionary school

Question 12

How did Achebe’s family think of non-Christians?

Answer 12

His family thought lower of them

Question 13

How did Achebe react?

Answer 13

He did not follow through with it

Question 14

Type of Society of Igbo

Answer 14

Traditionally patriarchal

Question 15

Leader System of Igbo

Answer 15

No single leader: council of male elders lead tribes

Question 16

How is authority distributed?

Answer 16

It is earned (merit-based), not inherited

Question 17

Who do women go to live with?

Answer 17

Their husbands

Question 18

About how many wives do prosperous men have?

Answer 18

2-3 wives

Question 19

Housing Situation for the Wives?

Answer 19

A hut for each wife in the family compound

Question 20

Who is Chukwu?

Answer 20

The supreme god, creator of the world

Question 21

What is Chi?

Answer 21

Spiritual other half of a person, affects one’s destiny

Question 22

Who is Ala/Ani?

Answer 22

Earth goddess, goddess of fertility & creativity

Question 23

How can gods be reached?

Answer 23

By consulting the Oracle

Question 24

Disobeying the Oracle means

Answer 24

Disobeying the Earth goddess

Question 25

Who are the egwugwu?

Answer 25

Important men of the village who allow the ancestral spirits to speak through them

Question 26

How do they remain anonymous?

Answer 26

They use masks

Question 27

When do they appear?

Answer 27

During certain rituals

Question 28

What are they responsible for?

Answer 28

For administering justice to the people

Question 29

Yam production =

Answer 29

Hard labor = Symbol of Masculinity

Question 30

Men grow ____, women grow _____ _____

Answer 30

Men grow yams, women grow other crops

Question 31

Yams increase _______ _______ and ____ the family

Answer 31

Yams increase family wealth, and feed the family

Question 32

When is the New Yam Festival held?

Answer 32

At the end of the rainy season (Early August)

Question 33

Why is it held?

Answer 33

To give thanks to the gods for a good crop

Question 34

What is done the night before of the festival?

Answer 34

All old yams are eaten/discarded

Question 35

What are done to the yams firstly?

Answer 35

They are dedicated to the gods for blessings, and then eaten by the tribe's eldest man

Question 36

________ & _____ are sacrificed to gods

Answer 36

Chickens and yams

Question 37

Yams = ________ & ________

Answer 37

Wealth & renewal

Question 38

Kola nut is the fruit of the ____ ____

Answer 38

Kola tree

Question 39

Kola nut has high _______

Answer 39

Caffeine

Question 40

Kola nut is a symbol of ______, ____, ________, ______

Answer 40

hospitality, life, friendship, respect

Question 41

When/where is it given?

Answer 41

At social events (weddings, etc.)

Question 42

Breaking the nut has _______ _______

Answer 42

Spiritual significance

Question 43

Wrestling is a symbol of _____, ______, ______

Answer 43

Skill, strength, courage

Question 44

Wrestling allowed men to earn ______

Answer 44

Titles

Question 45

Strength, skill, wealth determined _____

Answer 45

titles (power)

Question 46

How was wrestling used?

Answer 46

To settle village conflicts, to decide marriage disputes, and for entertainment in events

Question 47

Strong belief that (dead) ancestors _______ _______ ____ the living

Answer 47

Watched closely over

Question 48

Illegal to _____ ______ of a spirit

Answer 48

Speak badly

Question 49

Funerals are _________ (especially for important elders)

Answer 49

Elaborate

Question 50

Who are Ndichi/Ndichie?

Answer 50

Reincarnated ancestors

Question 51

People who die _______ ______ aren't given burial rights, they are simply discarded

Answer 51

Shameful deaths

Question 52

List examples of shameful deaths.

Answer 52

Women who die in labor Children who die before they have teeth Suicide Those who die in the sacred month Multiple births (twins, etc.) Children who were born with teeth Babies born feet first Leprosy

Question 53

Cowry shells =

Answer 53

Igbo currency

Question 54

What is an Obi?

Answer 54

Hut/family compound

Question 55

What did multiple wives correlate to, housing-wise?

Answer 55

Larger compound (power)