Post on 05-Apr-2018
transcript
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FAMILY TREE
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY
AND SOCIAL HIERARCHIES
Siti Amira
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UNOKAUNNAMED
WOMAN
OKONKWO
Unnamed 1st wife(1ST WIFE)
EKWEFI(2ND WIFE)
OJIUGO
(3RD WIFE)
NWOYE
OBIAGELI
EZINMA NKECHI
IKEMEFUNA
(ADOPTED SON)
MARRIED
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IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY
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Igbo Family
Family is extremely
important
Married life is normalcondition
Polygamy is ideal for
men. It can be
considered a sign of
status in the tribe
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Polygamy
Someone who practices polygamy takes morethan ONE spouse
Polygamy was practiced in Igbo society
It had a big influence on the family ranking
e.g. Okonkwo has three wives
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The role of family
All family structures have designated roles for
the different members:
i) Husband
ii)wives
iii) children
iv) extended family
v) seniority in age in the village
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1.Role of Men (Husband)
The oldest man was the head of each household
Responsible for all the members in his household
Responsibilities include:
Settling family disputes
Controlling the communication with the
ancestors
Building his obi and huts for wives
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2.Wives
Ranked according to order in which they married thehusband
Were responsible for:
Giving birth to many sonsYounger wives were expected to help older wives
Caring for children and head of house
As wives aged, they spent more time outside the
household ( farming, craft making)
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3.Children
Required to be obedientto all adults
Never contradictparents
Children are not equal
Sons & daughters are
ranked with the wives(i.e.) first son of first wife
is highest
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4.Extended Family
Grandparents, uncles, aunts,nephews, and nieces, and in- laws
Always welcome to unannouncedvisits to the nuclear family
Extended family is created uponmarriage
Expected to gives a bride- price tobrides family upon Union
Lose importance after marriage
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5.Seniority in Age in the Village
In the Igbo village,seniority in ageregulates social
placement in thevillage.
In the family, being theoldest child brings greatresponsibility, as well asimportant socialpositions in the family.
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SOCIAL HIERARCHIES
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Igbo Family Structure
Compounds contained one
domestic group, or family.
The head of a compound in
a village is generally the
oldest male of the
compound.
The head of each
compound is responsible foreach of its members.
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Igbo Family Structure
Igbo families generally
live in compounds.
Compounds are tinyclusters of huts built in
the same area.
Groups of compounds
are what make up a
village.
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Marriage and Polygamy in the Village
In an Igbo village,married life is thenormal condition for
adults.
Polygamy is very idealfor the men in thevillage.
Polygamy is also animportant indication ofstatus.
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Marriage and Polygamy in the Village
The wives of thecommon husband wereranked in the order in
which they weremarried.
The children of thewives were also rankedaccording to theirmothers rank, as wellas their seniority in age.
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Elders are generally respected as leaders of the village.
A man with titles, such as the title of Ozo, are seen to be better respected
leaders who are more likely to be followed.
The basic unit of life for the Igbo was the village group
The head of the village would settle the disputes and also controlled all
communication with other villages
The government of the society was usually the oldest members of
particular families
Respect is given to elders and males
The value of a man is measured by the number of yams and wives he has
Children must greet their elders before anyone else in a social meeting of
any kind
The Igbo people value personal/individual achievements
This culture values their dead ancestors
Before Europeans influenced the Igbos, they practiced their normal
worship to ancestors in order to feel successful
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Family Structure people of the same lineage, and, accordingly, from the same village, are
forbidden to marry or to engage in sexual activity The entire family village raises the children.
If the child is orphaned, they are still taken care of by everyone else the
way they always were
Women are primarily responsible for raising the children.
Marriage is not a two-people commitment--it's the joining of twoextended families. (e.g. the daughters ofObiereka, Akueke get married
with Ibe, the son of Ukegbu )
Elders of both families negotiate the terms of the wedding.
The groom's family pays the bride's family.
Polygamy is traditionally acceptable. (e.g. Okonkwo, Ogbuefi Ezudu)
Often a man will have to consult with his first wife before get marry with
another woman.
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Children begin working at a young age.
Women care for the home: cooking, cleaning, education,children, etc.
Elders are a major priority.
The wives of the common husband were ranked in the
order in which they were married. The children of the wives were also ranked according to
their mothers rank, as well as their seniority in age