Although, in the novel Things Fall Apart by Achebe, he combats that idea through various examples of stories from the Igbo culture to show that the African people are much more complex than how the Europeans sees them as. From their language to their beliefs, the African people prove to be a real society with real thoughts oppose to the European’s idea of them. One of the first things we are introduced to the Igbo culture and their people is their language. European perceives Africans as people of silence because they would not know how to speak or talk. But instead, Achebe shows us that the people of the Igbo culture speak a very complex language that includes many literary devices.
Whether you look extensively back into ancient times, or into 21st century art, you can find examples of people using their bodies as a means of artistic expression by body art, body ornamentation, and body modification. Two specific cultures that adorn body ornamentation and body art are the Padaung women of Northern Thailand and also the Mursi tribe of the Omo Valley in Ethiopia, Africa. Both cultures unique in their modifications of the body, are described in further detail forthwith. A Look Further into Body Art and Ornamentation Currently, the practice of tattooing and body piercing is found in almost every area of Western culture and also throughout the world. Tattooing is the insertion into the skin of coloring materials that leave a permanent mark.
The secret rituals performed in the “shrines” is so mysterious and time consuming in their cultureas well. I was heartbroken when I read how the children were scared of going to the temple because the were afraid they would die there. Could this culture really be so willing to give up their health and well being of their children for the sake of being treated by a medicine man? Another startling discovery was how the Nacirema devoted themslevles to the pain and agony they received from the prestige specialists they call ‘holy mouth men.” I questioned over and over again, Why? Then I recognized the routines the Nacirema displayed and discovered our own American culture is so very similar.Americans deem the body as ugly.
Every heritage in one way or another has been exposed and leveraged by body art. Body art and ornamentation are more than just the newest Trends. As far as researcher can notify body art has been around since the starting civilization. Body art and ornamentation are visually based, so to understand the art one must know the symbolic meanings from the heritage offered in the art work. Focusing on different heritages in the world and matching a locality of each other’s body art there are some huge dissimilarities and likenesses.
On top of this, the Ibo seemed to not have a true government, but instead clansmen who dressed up in masks with smoke coming out of their faces known as egwugwu. It was these egwugwu who ran the tribe and based on how the people feared them it seemed as though the Ibo believed that the egwugwu were their gods. With the strange customs of the Ibo, their religion was even stranger. One of the things the Ibo seemed to believe in was the killing of babies. The Ibo did not kill all babies of course, but for some reason twin babies and babies known as obanje children always received a fate of murder and maiming.
Sibley 1 Kajsa Sibley Mrs. Choe American Lit. December 2, 2014 The Shield of Violence During the course of American history, African Americans have faced many forms of oppression, such as slavery and having other inalienable rights denied. To face their oppressors, they either had to fight them with brute force or with uncooperative behavior. In chapter 19 from The Autobiography of Malcolm X , Malcolm X’s views of an effective response to injustice is violence if no other options gave a direct solution. His belief was that if nonviolence led to a nonsolution, and cruelty still surfaced in the community, then you should defend yourself by using any means necessary.
For others, it is a personal expression of uniqueness. Humans are tribal creatures, and tattoos provide a sense of belonging and connection to that their “tribe”. Body art practices have spanned the globe, evidencing themselves among the Greeks, Germans, Britons, and Romans. After the advent of Christianity, it was forbidden in Europe but persisted in the Middle East, Far East, and tribal cultures. The reason for the
The topic that I am going to propose in my book is about tattoo stereotypes in our current world. People with tattoos are often stereotyped and judged with discrimination. I chose this topic as tattoo stereotype is a burning issue these days. Some people may consider tattooing as a strong form of body art and expression. However, there is still a part of society that believes in many tattoo stereotypes.
To do this, I will discuss the difference in cross cultures and in the United States as it pertains to ornamentation and body art. By ornamenting one’s own body either temporarily (clothing), permanently (tattooing), or somewhere in between (piercing), that individual is using an extension of her or his genes (via behavior) to increase that person’s ability to stand out in a sea of possible mates. (Carmen, Guitar, Dillon, 2012) Tattooing and piercing are referred to by anthropologist as “scarification. “ These scarifications have existed in the diversity and the unity of cultures all around the world. The representation of each unique belief, and custom give meaning to a specific identity.
The inequality between men and women is clearly notable, and it is reflected in the mutilation and ablation of women. It is important to say, that this do not happen only in Africa but in Egypt and the Middle East too. Women that are told to maintain their families and communities, have no right to study, to medicine or to decide what they would like to become in life. Instead, their problems, such as malnutrition, are punished with the ablation previously mentioned. In African culture, to show pain is seemed as debility.