"Talking About Tribe" Africa: "Tribe" Background Paper, 1 Date distributed (ymd): 971221 APIC Document APIC Background Paper 010 (November 1997) Talking about "Tribe": Moving from Stereotypes to Analysis November, 1997 For most people in Western countries, Africa immediately calls up the word "tribe. " Yet today most scholars who study African states and societies--both African and non-African--agree that the idea of tribe promotes misleading stereotypes.
In this paper we argue that anyone concerned with truth and accuracy should avoid the term "tribe" in characterizing African ethnic groups or cultures. Most scholars already prefer other terms to "tribe. " What's Wrong With "Tribe? " Tribe has no coherent meaning. What is a tribe? Tribe is used for groups who trace their heritage to great kingdoms. Tribe promotes a myth of primitive African timelessness, obscuring history and change. The general sense of tribe as most people understand it is associated with primitiveness.
But Why Not Use "Tribe? " This is true. The Story of Africa| BBC World Service. Nigeria profile. 27 November 2013Last updated at 05:29 ET After lurching from one military coup to another, Nigeria now has an elected leadership. But the government faces the growing challenge of preventing Africa's most populous country from breaking apart along ethnic and religious lines.
Political liberalisation ushered in by the return to civilian rule in 1999 has allowed militants from religious and ethnic groups to pursue their demands through violence. Thousands of people have died over the past few years in communal attacks led by the al-Qaeda ally Boko Haram. Separatist aspirations have also been growing, prompting reminders of the bitter civil war over the breakaway Biafran republic in the late 1960s.
Continue reading the main story Politics: People's Democratic Party (PDP) has dominated since the return to civilian rule in 1999. Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring The imposition of Islamic law in several northern states has embedded divisions and caused thousands of Christians to flee. Igbo Webpage. (collated by Uzoma Onyemaechi, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) Title Men Obi/Eze Functions The political arrangements for the purpose of administration varied. Obi is the name of the head of the family in the Igbo areas. In old Owerri and Umuahia provinces, the word chief or Eze is commonly used, representing the majority of the state.
The members of the eze's cabinet are called the Nze. They are the Chiefs' or Eze's councilors. Among Onitsha Igbos, the majesty's councilors are called Ndichie, meaning chiefs. The functions of Ndichie in the community generally, irrespective of grade, are: first, to act as the Obi's representatives and play the role of public relations officers in the interest of the ruling Obi; second, to maintain law and order; third, to uphold the property of religious and customary practices; fourth, to dispense justice according to equity and the law of the land; fifth, to promote social welfare; and, lastly, to defend the land against aggression.
Bibliography. Igbo People. Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: Teaching Through the Novel. Activity 1. Mapping the Changing Face of Africa through History: Pre-Colonial, European Colonization, and Independent Nations In his essay "Issues in African History", located on the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Art and Life in Africa Online, Professor James Giblin of the University of Iowa Department of History writes about the European "Scramble for Africa" (1880-1910) and the Berlin Act of 1885, which created a set of European-controlled nation-states that arbitrarily combined into one country diverse African ethnic groups, on one hand, and divided linguistic and ethnic communities, on the other: "Africa's integration into a European-dominated economy has shaped its history since the 1880s. During the last quarter of the 19th century, Europe became increasing interested in exerting direct control over the Africa's raw materials and markets.
European heads of state laid down ground rules for the colonial conquest of Africa at the Congress of Berlin in 1884-5. Activity 2. Activity 3. Book Summary. Things Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of the protagonist, Okonkwo, and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a respected and influential leader within the Igbo community of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. He first earns personal fame and distinction, and brings honor to his village, when he defeats Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling contest. Okonkwo determines to gain titles for himself and become a powerful and wealthy man in spite of his father's weaknesses. Okonkwo's father, Unoka, was a lazy and wasteful man. He often borrowed money and then squandered it on palm-wine and merrymaking with friends. Consequently, his wife and children often went hungry.
Okonkwo despises and resents his father's gentle and idle ways. Because Okonkwo is a leader of his community, he is asked to care for a young boy named Ikemefuna, who is given to the village as a peace offering by neighboring Mbaino to avoid war with Umuofia. A public trial is held on the village commons. After Mr.
Things Fall Apart. Village of Umuofia.