Chapter Twelve on this fascinating cultural novel focuses
on the wedding of Obierika's daughter and the way that the tribe of which Okonkwo is a
part celebrates weddings. One of the highlights comes towards the end of the chapter,
when night falls and the elders sit in a circle and musicians play for the girls of the
tribe to dance to. Initially, we are told that Obierika's daughter, the bride, is not
amongst the dancing girls, but it is her appearance that raises a cheer from the crowd.
Notice how she is introduced:
At first the bride was not among them. But when
she finally appeared holding a cock in her right hand, a loud cheer rose from the crowd.
All the other dancers made way for her. She presented the cock to the musicians and
began to dance. Her brass anklets rattled as she danced and her body gleamed with cam
wood in the soft yellow
light.
Thus the crowd cheers
when Obierika's daughter finally makes an entrance with the other girls and then offers
a cock to the musicians. The physical description that we are give on her makes her
appear incredibly attractive and beautiful, with details such as her body gleaming in
the light.
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