I will not be able to truly define the importance of "Things Fall Apart" in the African culture and especially the Ibo culture. Reading after reading, you get to embrace more the real context of the book. Chinua Achebe had accomplished a brilliant portrait of the traditional Africa. It is also true that without a preliminary introduction to the principles of the tradition one would be lost. That is where "Muntu", from Janheinz Jahn, particularly helps. It introduces the cultural elements of a traditional tribe such as: Nommo, Magara, ancestral presences and Muntu. In "Things Fall Apart", these terms are present; probably not explicitly but through the rituals, sacrifices and characters, those terms live. In the following pages, I am going to try to share with you what I discovered and how I interpreted the principles of "Muntu" in "Things Fall Apart". I am going to browse some important situations; I think will illustrate those principles and put my thought on the matter.
In the first few pages, we are exposed to the relation between Okonkwo and its father, Unoka. As different they appear to be, there lives crossed the same path; dying without burial. Unoka is a peaceful man, and likes to play music and instruments. Also he is a great talker, somewhat always getting what he is seeking. But as well, he is as lazy and debtful as a man can be. On the other hand, his son, Okonkwo, is a real strong man. His life is driven by fear and anger. Fear, because he is working hard not to become like his father; anger, because all he inherited from his father is debts; no barns, no yam-seeds and on top he had, from an early age, to work to feed his family and his mother who implies as well his father: a woman could not eat if her husband was starving. It probably would explain why Okonkwo did not grow as mentally as he grew physically. I mean that despite the living of Unoka, he had a very strong Nommo (power of the word).