Igbo Mythology in Things Fall Apart

While reading Achebe's novel, I found the philosophical and religious teaching of the Igbo people to be fascinating. Odinani is Igbo cosmology and is a powerful belief system that connects the divinity of the self to the universe around it through an all encompassing god and various deities and spirits which manifest themselves through earthly elements. 

By following dualism, Igbo mythology emphasises the way in which Chi or god, exists only in a dynamic relationship between one's own essence and the essence of the universe external to their being. I found this concept to be constructive in uniting ones sense of identity and self, something which plagues Western culture both in philosophy and practice. 

Western delineations of Manichean and Cartesian philosophies draw a divide which underpins the basis of colonisation. The simplistic delineations between mind/matter and heaven/hell, are absent from the Igbo mythology which see the interconnectedness of god and the self, and the ghostly realm as being among us. Achebe comments of Reverend Smith that, 'he saw things as black and white. and black was evil' (p. 134).

The Igbo people put a lot of emphasis on understanding and navigating the dynamics of the human essence, and how one navigates life with a sense of purpose and an interconnectedness with the earth.

This interconnectedness extends to interpersonal bonds within the tribe, which, when severed by the missionaries, an unnamed Igbo elder comments, 'But i fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship. You do not know what it is to speak with one voice' (p. 122). This ability to speak with one voice reflects the fundamental oneness that underpins the Igbo philosophy, whereby everything connects back to an essence that can be found within the self.

The human soul, according to Igbo spirituality, has 4 chambers; Chi, Eke, Onyeuwa and Mmuo. These four chambers are represented in the native Kola nut which is divided into four segments.

Chi is the the god within us, and what makes humans a microcosm of the universe, which in turn also has a Chi- the Chuku or Supreme Chi. Thus, Igbo spirituality emphasises that attempts to understand god are best served by understanding our Chi or the 'universe within you'. By understanding our Chi, we may understand our oneness with all things. When moving closer to your Chi, you will find that energy fills you when you're pursuing your true passions, and equally moving away from Chi will connect you with ill fortune. 

The chamber of Eke refers to the part of the soul that has a physical manifestation on earth. Unlike many philosophical and religious systems that focus on disconnecting from this world, and believe that the human spirit belongs elsewhere, Igbo spirituality believes that half of the human essence or 'soul' belongs to this world and the other half belongs elsewhere. In this sense, the dualistic state is equally awarded by acknowledging creations and the creator. One fascinating thing about Eke and the Igbo philosophy as a whole, is that Eke celebrates the exploration of science, and a scientific outlook of the world is believed to be a part of the divine thought system. In this sense, science and spirituality can coexist and be celebrated simultaneously. 

The chamber of Oneuwya is the part of your soul which returns to the earth and reincarnates after death. This part is the one that has the mission; the thing you were put on earth to do but to which you are unaware. The only hint you will get of your mission is from the constant pull towards it that Oneuwya provides, where certain things will resonate with you that lead you down the footpath it guides for you. One form of Oneuwya is Agu, and this is a far more forceful communication form of the Oneuwya. If the Oneuwya is neglected, this will lead to depression, and similarly if the Agu is neglected, this will lead to schizophrenia. 

The final chamber of the human soul is the Mmuo. This chamber belongs to the realm of spirits, the ghostly, and is the realm that you are most familiar with within yourself. For example, it holds memories, feelings and events of your life. Some spirits remain on earth after death if they have a specific purpose that has not yet been met. For example, to send a message for completion of things on earth. The main purpose of Mmuo is a means of communicating with spirits of ancestors in the realm of the unliving, and often manifests itself in dreams and rituals.

I find Igbo mythology to be philosophically accepting in a way that Christianity lacks. Ironically, when Okonkwo asks  'Does the white man understand our custom about land?' Obierika replies, 'How can he when he does not even speak our tongue'.