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Throughout the novel, it became apparent that the African people had their own complex society before the Europeans colonized them. Centered on the customs and beliefs of the Ibo tribe, Umuofia had a very structured social order. Everything from the way one achieved rank in the village to the way people welcomed their guests defined this notion. By allotting titles to people in the village, the Ibo demonstrated that they had a hierarchy of sorts, much like Victorian Britain and present day America. Their use of titles made up a form of government. This evidence of government indicates that the English had previously been in contact with the Africans. As civilized people, the Ibo tribe attempted to resolve all their disputes in a peaceable manner. As Achebe pointed out, they believed that a "war of blame" was an unwarranted matter. Also the way they interacted with each other leads one to believe that they were not the "savages" the English had thought. The sharing of kola nut and palm wine between neighbors illustrated their mutual respect for each other. They had a deep feeling of kinship not only among their families, but also with the clan as a whole. .
Among all these traditions and beliefs of Umuofia society, religion was the most important. The Ibo tribe had various gods they worshipped, with Chukwu being the one supreme god. They also revered other gods such as the Oracle of the Hills, the sacred pythons, and each tribal member had a chi, a personal god. Religious belief dictated the way they nurtured their family, the way they governed, the way they interacted with each other, the way they decided on going to war and other issues, even in the way they farmed. However, there were weaknesses with this society - the superstitions. For example, on dark nights children were warned not even to whistle for fear that evil spirits would be near. Other superstitions included viewing the forest as evil and the birth of twins as a curse.
