Constructions of Belonging: Igbo Communities and the Nigerian State in the Twentieth Century
2007; Boston University; Volume: 40; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2326-3016
Autores Tópico(s)African history and culture analysis
ResumoConstructions of Belonging: Igbo Communities and Nigerian State in Twentieth Century. By Axel Harneit-Sievers. Rochester, NY: Rochester University Press. Pp. x, 388; 15 figures, 10 maps, 2 tables. $75.00. The polyethnic zone that extends from Bight of Benin and Bight of Biafra beyond Benue and Cross Rivers into Adamawa and northeast Cameroon is in its cultural and linguistic complexity an anthropological and historical puzzle that repeatedly tempts scholars to propose reductionist solutions. The great variety of forms of social organization; state, absent or hidden or foreshadowed in trading networks or spiritual hegemonies; diversity of languages; significant involvement in slave trade; and absence of both common narratives and conventional paths of consolidation and political development, challenge established models. Despite many efforts to find answers, questions about social and political structure of this zone continue to be challenging. Harneit-Sievers's study of the Igbo is a cunent example of such an effort at bringing complex material under control; it is revealing of diversity found in Igbo communities. His use of multidisciplinary sources for an encyclopedic review of ideas and beliefs that have bound Igbo communities together is masterful. His critique of Igbo historiography is particularly valuable. This book will become a standard and a baseline for Igbo studies. The book has four parts, each focusing on different dimensions of creation of community: an examination of literature, outside forces, internal dynamics, and three case studies. It ranges from question of Igbo identity to institutions of solidarity and daily practices of discrimination in village communities. In Igboland, first part, he examines intellectual history of scholarship on Igbo community and Nri and Arochukwu hegemonic hypotheses. In Creating Community from Outside, he turns to colonialism, Christianity (major denominations, not new syncretic churches), postcolonial state and Biafran war, and creation of ideas of Igbo ethnicity, which he notes accurately begins with labeling by others in areas of contact; i.e., outside of Igboland. In Creating Community from Within, he turns to town unions, traditional rulers and autonomous communities and local histories. This latter section, which is a very instructive discussion of an important genre, and fourth section, composed of three case histories, are most valuable and original parts of this book. The three local histories are of Umuopara and Ohuhu for politics of colonial reorganization, Enugwu-Ukwu (Umunri clan) for local life and politics of historical and symbolic precedence, and Nike for post-slavery conditions and continuing inequality. Nike is near northern Igbo borderland and a likely area for moving slaves from non-Igbo areas inland and to coast through trading networks. This latter chapter may be most valuable in bringing a topic of cunent interest to a wide audience. Here his close study of evasions and euphemisms of local histories is particularly instructive. …
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