Exploring the Vibrant Igbo Culture Through the Eyes of a Nigerian Immigrant

Abstract

Ethnographic Interview Assignment Introduction Understanding other cultures is essential. John Madu serves as the main interviewee in this ethnography. Madu is a Nigerian male aged 23 years and identifies himself as heterosexual. Madu resides in the United States with his family, who holds and treasures the Nigerian culture. He is a Christian who shares the Igbo culture with Jewish and traditional/deity worshippers. The interview took place in a library near my house. To this effect, this essay will provide a detailed analysis of Madras cultural belief to offer an understanding of how his culture views the nature of human existence among other factors, effects of cultural traditions, beliefs, and values to his life and challenges a social worker from another culture would encounter while interacting with Madu or any other person from his culture. Interview Madu belongs to the Igbo culture. It is among the most prominent cultures in Nigeria, with people sharing this culture residing in the southern parts of Nigeria. Madu confirmed that his culture does not entirely depend on doctors but rather on traditional/herbal medicines. Except for critical cases like surgery and complex illnesses, Madu argues that a hospital would be of no use to them as his people have vast knowledge in traditional methods of preventing and treating most of the short and long-term diseases. He prides on how his cultural acceptance and employment of herbal drugs have enhanced his and his people's response to covid-19 and Ebola. His culture believes in heterosexuality and straight marriages in line with God's purpose of creation. They treasure their customs and traditions, which demand a traditional marriage before any other form of marriage. The traditional wedding takes place at the bride's father or close male relatives' home, which comes with the bridal price. Concerning death, Madu argues that his culture believes in life after death. The end of a young soul below 69 years is mourned bitterly as considered a painful exit with a celebration of the life lived by those who die above 70years as considered glorious exit. Madu culture embraces and respects gender roles. Masculinity rules amongst his culture as Madu confirms that they believe that a man is the sole provider of his family and society. Man/husband should work more than woman/wife who works half of the time. Madu argues that he is expected to work harder and outshine his peers throughout his life. Another aspect of life transition of relevance to Madu culture is education. Madu confirms that his culture recognizes and practices two systems of learning: Schools and the apprentice system. Since there is no room for uneducated people in his culture, those who fail to go to school take apprenticeships where they learn to trade and maneuver as potential entrepreneurs in the long run. Madu expressed great interest in his culture's traditional approaches to preventing and treating diseases. Based on Madu, it is clear that herbalists within his culture do not take risks of testing their drugs on his people but are always sure of the best remedy for most diseases that prove a threat to the human race like flu and HIV. Based on Madu, the current pandemic, which proves a global threat, has not severely hit his people. Their immunity remains boosted by traditional medicines, which also proves essential in the fight against Ebola, another disease that proves a threat to the human race. However, Madu confirms that he is not enslaved to traditional medicine thus flexible to adapt to the American approaches of handling diseases/health matters. Though the Igbo culture is totally against feminism, Madu's perception is contrary to this belief. He values equality amongst gender. He does not believe in female inferiority and male superiority but rather advocates for consideration of both genders' strengths and weaknesses for a share responsibility life to become realized amongst his culture. Such a perception contradicts his cultural beliefs but living in a diversified nation like America has taught him the need for such a perception toward life. Madu promises to become a strong ambassador of gender equality within his culture to allow men to stop viewing and being viewed as superhuman, thus breaking the long-embraced stereotype that places Igbo women under their men’s feet at all times. Madu believes that men have feelings and are emotional; hence should be male enough to acknowledge and respect such characteristics without being glued to fake stereotypes. It is imperative to note that Madu expressed great satisfaction with most of his culture and traditions except for its approaches in defining the gender role, which he claimed calls for reconsideration. Connection to Social Work Practice Based on Madu, it is clear that the Igbo population is not the only tribe in Nigeria. There are over three hundred tribes in Nigeria, with Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa among the three major tribes. Paying close attention to the three main tribes in Nigeria, it is clear that they share different cultural traditions, beliefs, and values, which may hinder their interactions as each tribe demands recognition, respect, and value for its culture from the other. Arguing from such a point of view, it is clear that interaction between different cultures proves a challenge most especially when such cultures differ in most of their beliefs, traditions, and values which impacts even the relationship of professionals’ figures like social workers while relating with them (Pathak & Srivastava, 2020). Taking an example of an American social worker dealing with an Igbo culture client, it is evident that profound misunderstanding might remain encountered throughout the two parties' interacting process. For instance, let us consider a scenario where an American female psychologist has been assigned to attend a depressed Igbo woman or man for a two-month session. It is essential to start by analyzing the culture of the two parties under consideration. As Piga (2018) argues, a social worker is...