MY CULTURAL IDENTITY

I am an African by birth. My ethnic group is called Igbo and the group inhabits southeastern Nigeria.The first language I ever used was Igbo language and the first friends I had were also from my ethnic group.My fundamental cultural identity is therefore the same with that many other Igbo people who like me, grew up in southeastern Nigeria.

Among the members of my ethnic group, culture and tradition are ways of life. These are rules and regulations that govern our day to day activities.These rules are not written down anywhere.But every one of us knows the rules like the palms of his or her hands. Again,there are no special policemen whose duties include effecting these rules of culture.Each of the members of my ethnic group is a policeman or policewoman in his or her own right.The sanctions associated with flouting the rules are also swift and severe.These traditions and cultures are too many to be exhausted in a write up such as this.I will write down just a few.

To begin with,among my native Igbo ethnic group,it is a taboo for a young unmarried girl to become pregnant.Such is considered as a reproach on not only the girl herself but the parents as well.Young persons are allowed to date only under the very watchfull eyes of parents on both sides.Additionally,such dating must have marriage as its goal.Of a truth,some young persons break this rule once in a long while.However, the consequences of breaking this rule are disastrous.The offending persons are ostracised by everyone.They also become the butt of bitter jokes as negative songs are composed with their names.These songs are used to ridicule them and also teach lessons to other unmarried persons.

Additonally,among the Igbo of South Eastern Nigeria,a man's family does not mean just himself, his wife and children only. The term stretches to include brothers,uncles,aunts,cousins and maternal relations.Each of these persons are treated like and given all the rights and privileges that go with the membership of a family.They also inherit all the responsibilities that go with it too.This is called the extended family system and is found not only among the Igbo but all over Africa.

Again,among the Igbo,relatives cannot either get married or have sexual relations of any kind.Persons within this prohibited degree of consanguinity include even very distant relations.There is the belief that if anyone flouts this tradition,such individual will spend his or her life in grief.The consequences of flouting this rule are so harsh that till date,everybody is afraid of testing the efficacy of the consequences.

To a large extent, these traditions have helped to shape my personality.I realized early in life that in all societies, there are always laws that must be obeyed.I also realized that breaking those laws would attract some form of punishment.As a resident of the United States therefore,it is much easier for me to adapt to the system of obeying the laws of the land.

I have never rebelled against the rules.Most of the traditions are compatible with simple morality. I therefore consider their existence in the community necessary for the guidance of all persons within the community.

It is my wish that future generations would continue to hold these traditons sacred.