My Thought on Things Fall Apart

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

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

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

Based on my reading on Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, I think the aspect of the Igbo culture allows the British to take over is in term of belief. The missionaries brought over the new belief – Christianity to the Umuofia ad spread the belief among the villagers. The arrival of Christianity has caused the Umuofians to divide among them. In my opinion, the reason why the Igbos allows the changes to happen is because they themselves want the changes to happen. For example, the majority of the Christian-converts are from the low class people – people that the Umuofian considered as no position in the society – the marginalized group. These people wish the equality to store to them and to be treated better and not been discriminated. Most the converts also disagree with some of the Igbo’s cultures. Take for example of Nwoye, he often questioned the logical reasons behind the killings of the twins in the Evil Forest. He also questioned his father’s treatment and the killings of Ikemefuna.

Since Sarawak has also undergone colonisation, there many aspects of culture in our society are affected. We begin to accept the changes that been brought by the colonials. We are no longer confined to our traditions and culture anymore as we begin to learn that some of the western cultures are indeed will help to develop ourselves and our society. The colonization in our land has caused us to develop our nationalism where we are no longer differentiate others by their races or ethnicity but rather recognized everyone as the same that is  - A Malaysian. At the same time, we also developed our own internationalism spirit where the knowledge that we obtained did not only confined our nation but beyond the nation itself. The good values and cultures that the westerners brought to our country made we realized that we cannot too ethnocentrism about other cultures because what might be accepted in our culture might be acceptable in others and vice versa. Because our nation is consists of multiracial, we begin to adapt our own native culture to the other races’ culture as a way for us to live in harmony and peace. We are able to identify ourselves as one Malaysia where there are no differences between us as we respect each other in the society.  

            There are many changes that occurred in Sarawak Since it has undergone colonisation especially in the culture in term of language, belief, clothing and education. In term of language, the Sarawakians especially the native began to adapt the foreign language as the medium of instruction to communicate with the colonials or the immigrants. The adaptation of foreign language into the native language became the catalyst of changes that occurred in Sarawak.  Since the arrival of the colonials, the belief among the Sarawakians also changed due to the missionaries’ influences. Take example of the Native Dayak, their belief is changing from Paganism to Christianity. The changes occurred in order to adapt themselves in the society and they are interested to learn more about the religion.

 In term of education, the Sarawakians begin to receive formal education in the form of schooling system by the colonials. As we know that most native Sarawakians are receiving informal form of education prior to the arrival of British, their educations are primarily based on the experiences rather than theories and only the privilege people  - aristocrats, riches and officers are able to receive the formal education. The formal education changes the people social status. The changes of social status caused the clothing aspect to change too. Our clothing has been evolved from traditional clothing to the modern western clothing. We begin to wear pants, coat, shirt, short and many others western clothing replacing the traditional clothes – Baju Melayu, samfu, Sirat, Ngepan and so on. Overall the changes that occurred among the Sarawakians are due to the people try to adapt and receive the changes that been brought by the colonials.

~Gloria Jarau~