Ibo Belief in the Afterlife

While reading Things Fall Apart, I did a little of my own research about the Ibo tribe's beliefs about the afterlife. As we saw with the Egwugwu, the Ibo culture places a huge emphasis on ancestor worship. They believe that their ancestors are always watching over and guarding them. Ancestors also help to control the living's futures and protect them during emergencies. As a sign of respect, the chief always makes sure that some food is put on the side at all tribal events as a symbolic tribute to the ancestors. To show their appreciation to their ancestors on a daily basis, at the start of every meal, one would take a bite out of his food, throw it to the ground, and then yell out to his ancestors.