Probably the most obvious change towards culture in the last couple of years has been the manifestation of the term "change". We talk of changing our functions and means of doing things, how to add new methods, products, and tactics into a fast developing world, that can sometimes be resistant to improve whether it's good or bad. However when we refuse to give in to the impending surprise of modernity which is defined out to improve our well-established techniques conflict comes up. This conflict is being fought but countries across the world who are on the verge of dropping their deep rooted ideas, its culture to modernity or westernization.
Change or modernity can be used interchangeably they are simply be shown in two varieties it's either positive or negative. As a result of globalization some ethnicities and customs are been lost. When change emerges in such a way so it condemns your own traditions observing them as old and stale, such situations bring about conflicts like regarding Michael Obi. The actual fact that both modern methods and traditional ways are both important and valuable for our community cannot be over emphasized. The facts about tradition that makes it so important to the people, that even while the react to change they still don't want to part with it? We usually think of traditions as something that is passed on through the generations, they can even be began again by doing the same thing for 3 years in a row to positive feelings and thoughts of love. Practices today are our most prized property that stay the same it reminds and web links us to your past, our root base, and our family. Eventually once we yield to change we can only just come to the realization that modern methods and practices are both important to us, and by using our knowledge and experience we have gained over time we can confidently say a common earth can be set up on which modernity and tradition can coexist in such a way that this benefits the get-togethers involved.
Chinua Achebe's "Dead Men's Way" is a brief story, where the copy writer embellished the issues between modern and traditional culture of a society. For someone to understand this short report you have to dig deeper in to the plot, the turmoil, the people, and the whole setting itself to be able to fully understand what the writer is wanting to convey to the readers. This story will try to identify some areas of human character through the character of Michael Obi. Michael appears to have adopted the ways of the western world or the modern contemporary society. He has an extremely ambitious dream to "modernize" the school where he has been deployed. Mr. Michael Obi is a representation of how blind the human being head can be at times. His aspirations have got into his mind too much that he manages to lose respect of other cultures which he himself is from by virtue of his name "Obi" which can be an Ibo name. Obi's high aspirations have certainly infiltrated his brain so that in his conversation with the priest of "Ani" he condemns the traditions of the community when he says:
"The complete purpose of our school, " he said finally, "is to eliminate just such beliefs as that. Deceased men do not require footpaths. The whole idea is just fantastic. Our responsibility is to instruct your kids to chuckle at such ideas. "
Obi seems appalled at how their traditions "blot" the splendor of the institution that he operates. He is too engrossed over creating a good image of himself and the inspectors, that he seems the inhabitants and their "petty" customs are a huge obstacle to attaining his goal. Although the belief of the community people is apparently illogical and futile, any agent of change should be open-minded and respectful with their beliefs and practices. Michael Obi does not accept the types of cultures existing in his community, and by imposing what he thought is right he gets his "praise": an awful report from the federal government inspector. A man who couldn't think of a far more civilized way of achieving his dreams, thus, yielded to the bad affects of modernization and affecting the peaceful religious beliefs of the occupants in the community. In the type of Nancy, Michael Obi's partner we're able to see that she has fully used modern ways of doing thing. He character symbolizes the american influence. The school represents the try to separate custom from modernity, and on a greater scope eradicate superstitious idea completely from the near future. The institution is where young thoughts are molded and is also a perfect location to begin inserting ideas of change.
One of such similar situations was an incident that happened a long time ago in my local land. The name of my town is "amokwe" this means inside our community which is called "ibuzor" there were many villagers who had been pagans. This traditional worship have been in existence even after the missionary came up in and built a chapel. Most of these traditionalists subsequently became parishioners at St Patrick's Catholic Chapel. A number of the villagers denounced their beliefs and accepted Christianity and some swung both ways they still stick to their traditional values and Christianity. Throughout a certain period the parish acquired a fresh priest who openly preached about how diabolical the traditional beliefs were and exactly how they hindered the improvement of people. The teachings of the priest infuriated some parishioners. They presented a gathering with other associates of the city and came up with a remedy. The made a decision to strip him of his cloths and make him walk along with his boxers across the village. Usually public disgrace was the highest form of consequence you could face. It in essence entailed you had to walk around the town without cloths and palm fronds were linked on your waist and head while people used you at the rear and sang melodies and flogged you once in a while. This been the punishment that the conference concluded. Some days later early in day the villagers attempt to the property of the priest and subjected him to the aforementioned explained consequence. This went on for some hours till they come to the local authorities mind quarters called UDI were through the advert of some policemen the priest was speared and released. The situation was reported to the bishop of Enugu diocese. The bishop arrived in and got the priest combined with the Blessed Sacrament. The take action of taking the Blessed Sacrament intended that masses could not be celebrated at that parish. For one year the city was without Sunday service. After some time some elders came up to an agreement and went back again and plead with the bishop to reinstate a priest to rejoice Sunday services and have the Blessed Sacrament retuned. Though the bishop agreed a meeting happened with the whole community was a bottom line was drawn. This solution was just what the priest of "Ani" said. "Let the hawk perch and allow eagle perch" which fundamentally means let's let everyone live. This meant that whoever chose to adhere to their traditional perception was still left to do what they wished as long as they didn't mix or condemn each other's techniques. They basically were required to figure out how to coexist in peacefulness and tranquility. This coexistence was finally achieved with time and things little by little returned back again to normal. Although today I can say 90% of the villagers are now Christians but there are still the rest of the 10% that still practice these traditional religions.
Traditions are extremely important however when these traditions begin to affect us adversely its best we get rid of the bad facet of it or try to enhance it into something positive. Inside our lives today we can only posses maturity when we're able admiration the various values of people around us; even if, we think it is absurd. These testimonies explained above re quite simply reminding us that custom and modernity should not can be found as exclusive entities; alternatively they should enhance each other. It is necessary for Traditions to progress with modernity, yet it should not be destroy days gone by as was portrayed by Michael Obi when he said, "Our duty is to teach your kids to have a good laugh at such ideas. " We'll indeed must look at the history with reverence than with disgust because no matter how modern one maybe our tradition makes us complete. There should always be a great mixture of modernity and notion each individual posses. The story however is slightly unfinished for full understanding it'll depend on what the readers' creativeness may perceive.
Every now and then humans become overwhelmed with joy that we forget that there are people all around us who may be damaged by our careless activities. Michael Obi is a foreigner compared to that place similar to the priest but as a mind principal or general population figure he should have noticed their culture rather than impose his own way. Given the incorrect education, the students may be detrimental to society, just as that Mr. Obi has been damaging to the town people.
In our world today, the younger generations are too busy trying to progress their everyday routine with everything explained medically. They have a tendency to neglect the values of the ancestors. However, the destruction of the school created a turning point for the visitors to agree to that "the beliefs of the ancestors are as powerful as the inventions of the girl. Regardless of how powerful a structure may appear to be if its components are unfilled on the inside, there is pretty much no doubt that it will disintegrate. The blockage of this avenue could imply that education in Africa becomes not really a real education of impartial learning but a shrouded way of reaping of the people of their heritage and wealth. The school's purpose becomes never to coach but to create wealth for the colonial masters. The school is symbolic of oppression to the people of Africa where they are really mocked in the face by being known as some crude, backward and illiterate people, since they lack the optimism and contemporary thoughts of their colonial experts or the lady.
Sources
Gusfield, Joseph R. "Tradition and Modernity: misplaced Polarities in the analysis of Sociable Change. "American Journal of Mindset 72. 4 (1967): 351-62. Jstor, Web. <http://http://www. mnstate. edu/robertsb/380/tradandmodernity. pdf>.
Liscombe, Rhodri Windsor. "Modernism in Late Imperial British West Africa: THE TASK of Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew, 1946-56. " Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 65. 2 (June 2006): 188-215. JSTOR. Web. <http://www. jstor. org/stable/25068264>.
