Portrayal of African Cultural Tradition in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

that involve food and drink, such as the “breaking of the kola nut”. More than fulfilling an elementary need, food represents man’s connection with the fertile earth and with nature in general.

It is part of the integrative view of the universe that the Igbo people entertain. For the Igbo, the rituals and festivals that involve food also provide a connection with the world of the dead. The respect and celebration of the dead emphasizes the people’s belief in continuity from the past to the present and from death to life:

“It was an occasion for giving thanks to Ani, the earth goddess and the source of all fertility. Ani played a greater part in the life of the people than any other deity. She was the ultimate judge of morality and conduct. And what was more, she was in close communion with the departed fathers of the clan whose bodies had been committed to earth.” (Achebe 72)

Therefore, for the Igbo, food represents a connection with the earth and implicitly both with life symbolized by the fertility of nature, and with death, because of the dead bodies that are buried in the earth. The same symbolisms appear in one of the central rituals of Igbo culture. The breaking of the kola nut is the ritual used before the all traditional public events, such as weddings, meetings or political gatherings. Again, there is particular emphasis of food as a means of communion among the spirits of the living and those of the dead:

“The kola nut is broken and shared among the visible men (human beings) and the invisible men (spirit

beings), after which the wine is served. The kola is eaten and the wine drunk as a sign of the spiritual communion and unity that is intended to bring life and prosperity to the people. The ritual must also precede all traditional Igbo public events, including weddings, naming ceremonies, meetings, and political gatherings.”(Ogbaa, 107)

Moreover, eating food in can also have moral implications for the community. Throughout the novel, there are certain indications that associate food practices with ethical principles. For example, eating eggs is considered wrong, especially for children, as it is said to prompt stealing: “Ekwefi even gave her such delicacies as eggs, which children were rarely allowed to eat because such food tempted them to steal” (Achebe 111). Moreover, the Igbo culture is replete with proverbs and myths that emphasize food.

For instance, in the myth of the tortoise, which is meant to explain while the tortoise shell is not smooth, the act of eating is associated with greed and injustice. The tortoise king falls from the sky after a heavy meal and breaks its shell to pieces: “But before they left each took back the feather he had lent to Tortoise. And there he stood in his hard shell full of food and wine but without any wings to fly home” (Achebe 124).

The oral culture of the Igbo is certainly the most important part of their tradition, and their praise of proverbs and the telling of folk stories implies the respect for their own ancestry: “Among the Igbo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten”(Achebe 10).