Who are the egwugwu?
The egwugwu are the masked ancestral spirits of Umuofia, who are comprised of the clan's most revered men. The nine masked egwugwu act as the village judges and preside over disputes throughout the community.
What is the function of the egwugwu in Chapter 10?
Achebe illustrates the function of the egwugwu in chapter 10 of the novel. The Evil Forest is the enigmatic, dark wilderness beyond the village. The Evil Forest is where social outcasts and diseased villagers are left to die.
What does egwugwu represent in Things Fall Apart?
Each of the nine egwugwu represents a village of the clan and their leader eas called Evil forest. In Things Fall Apart, these two things represented the Umoufian tradition and customs.
What is the significance of the Igbo egwugwu?
These masked ancestral spirits are enigmatic in nature and comprise of nine revered village elders, who ceremonially gather to administer justice. The nine masked egwugwu are respected and feared throughout the clan and symbolically represent the Igbo culture and Umuofia's independence.
Who are the Egwugwu Why are there nine of them?
Why are there nine of them? The egwugwu are masqueraders or impersonators who represent the gods of the villages. There are nine egwugwu to represent the nine villages of the clan.
What is Egwugwu in Igbo land?
The egwugwu are masked dancers that represent the nine ancestral spirits of Umuofia. These masked ancestral spirits are enigmatic in nature and comprise of nine revered village elders, who ceremonially gather to administer justice.
What are the Egwugwu quizlet?
Egwugwu are the nine elders. They wear giant masks to represent the spirits; they are anonymous to the community. The community goes to them to settle problems. They are trying to settle a wife beating case.
What is an Egwugwu ceremony?
The village holds a ceremonial gathering to administer justice. The clan's ancestral spirits, which are known as egwugwu, emerge from a secret house into which no woman is allowed to step. The egwugwu take the form of masked men, and everyone suspects that Okonkwo is among them.
Who is the leader of the Egwugwu?
Evil ForestEvil Forest, the leader of the egwugwu, calls the court to order.
What important function do the Egwugwu perform for the clan?
What function do the egwugwu serve in the ceremony presented in this chapter? They serve as a courting system of the Ibo culture. They will listen to each other, discuss, and consult with each other deciding who had won the argument.
Who unmasks one of the Egwugwu?
EnochOne such convert, Enoch, dares to unmask an egwugwu during the annual ceremony to honor the earth deity, an act equivalent to killing an ancestral spirit. The next day, the egwugwu burn Enoch's compound to the ground.
How do the Egwugwu settle disputes?
How do the egwugwu solve the dispute? Tell the man to bring the in-laws a pot of wine and beg for his wife once he does so the in laws should give back his wife.
What is the role of the Egwugwu?
They function as sort of a justice system in the community presiding over conflicts and judgments. The egwugwu are actually village elders who are supposedly possessed with the ancestral spirits of the clan. Interestingly, Okonkwo, the protagonist of Things Fall Apart, is also one of them (the one with the springy walk).
Who is the leader of the Igbo community?
Their leader is Evi Forest who represents Umeru, the eldest of the nine. This judicial system of the Igbo community was possibly put in by Achebe to show that the so called "barbaric" society of Africa did have its own intricate system of implementing law and enforcing punishment on violators.
What are the egwugwu?
The egwugwu are the masked ancestral spirits of Umuofia, who are comprised of the clan's most revered men. The nine masked egwugwu act as the village judges and preside over disputes throughout the community. They represent the knowledge of their ancestors, which gives them the authority to make important decisions.
What happens when you bring a suit to the Egwugwu?
Each person who brings a suit to the egwugwu gains a trial, during which both sides plead their cases, much like prosecutors and defenders in contemporary legal courts. After hearing the case, the judges will confer together, then decide the best course of action.
What is the evil forest?
The Evil Forest is where social outcasts and diseased villagers are left to die. Evil spirits are believed to inhabit the area, and the villagers decide to give the Christian missionaries a plot of land in the Evil Forest. The most menacing of the nine egwugwu is also given the name Evil Forest.
What chapter does Achebe explain the evil forest?
Achebe illustrates the function of the egwugwu in chapter 10 of the novel. The Evil Forest is the enigmatic, dark wilderness beyond the village.
