Spirits of the ancestors of the Nigerian tribes
One of the egwugwu was unmasked, killing the egwugwu.
Enoch, a Christian convert, unmasks an egwugwu, killing it.
The egwugwu are ancestral spirits that take on physical form and serve as the judges of the community in "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe. They embody the laws and traditions of the tribe, and their identities are kept secret to maintain their authority. The egwugwu play a significant role in maintaining order and enforcing justice within the village.
"Egwugwu" is used in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe to represent the gods.
Okonkwo did play the role of an egwugwu in the egwugwu court.
Each egwugwu represents a village of the clan. There are nine villages in the clan.
The egwugwu gather for several reasons:FestivalsCourtFuneralsRevenging the death of one of their own.
Enoch's unmasking of the egwugwu enrages the clan, and forces them into option.
When Enoch unmasked an egwugwu in Chinua Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart," it was seen as a great offense because the egwugwu represented powerful ancestral spirits. The unmasking disrupted the traditional order and caused outrage among the clan members, leading to serious consequences for Enoch and his family.
The egwugwu act as the embodiment of ancestral spirits and serve as judges in the Igbo community, resolving disputes and upholding traditional beliefs and customs. They are also a way to maintain order and ensure justice within the society.
It is Okonkwo who says that it is not bravery when a man fights with a woman in "Things Fall Apart." He believes that combat between a man and a woman is unequal and dishonorable, not displaying true courage.
Egwugwu were present in many ceremonies in the Igbo culture. They were present at funerals of honoured men, to pay homage to dead warriors. There was also an egwugwu court, where they would preside over cases among mortals.