The Igbo vs. The Chewa

The Igbo tribe, who are located in southeastern Nigeria, and the Chewa tribe who are found in Malawi are both similar economically. The first similarity that both tribes’ posses is they both rely on farming a lot for food and to trade with other tribes. Every family in the Igbo tribe would help farm for the tribe. “After the Week of Peace every man and his family began to clear the bush to make new farms” (Achebe 32). The types of food that the Igbo grew were: yams, cassava, and taro, maize, melons, okra, pumpkins, and beans. Then the Chewa tribe heavily depended on farming and agriculture for their tribe. “Their economy is based mainly on shifting agriculture” (Chewa). The Chewa’s staple crop that they grew was maize. The next similarity that the Igbo and the Chewa tribes had was that they both hunted. In the book Things fall apart the main character Okonkwo gets really mad and demands someone to hand his gun to him so he can go hunting. “His anger thus satisfied, Okonkwo decided to go out hunting” (Achebe 38). The Chewa tribe not only depended on farming as a source of food and trade but they also hunted and fished. “Considerable hunting and fishing are done” (Chewa). The Igbo and the Chewa are both similar economically. They both farm, fish, and hunt for their food. Now how is this possible? Since both tribes farm and grow similar vegetables does that mean they have similar soil? Also since both of these tribes hunt is land where their tribe is located easy for animals to survive? Or did both of these tribes encounter each other during pre-colonial times and learned from each other the techniques to hunt and farm. These tribes are very similar economically because they both farm and hunt for food.



























Works Cited

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Print.
"Chewa." Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 Apr. 2011.