It was based on respect and had different rules regarding communication with specific people. Their language included many proverbs. Proverbs were an essential part of Igbo culture. They provided valuable wisdom. The elders passed them down from generation to generation. For the Igbo, proverbs were as good as laws. One such proverb was “When the moon shines, the cripple hungers to walk (Achebe 10).” The beauty of the moon and nature gave the Igbo people the desire to live. The splendor of the moon is a symbol of strength; Igbos feel stronger when it shines. The Igbo had developed their own symbols before the arrival of the Europeans. The tribe also used proverbs to teach each other and exchange messages. They also had their own spoken language that included words and concepts. One of these words is nna ayi, meaning “our father” (Achebe 19), and one concept would be uri, the ceremony in which a dowry is paid (Achebe 110). The use of “folk stories” is an important part of the Igbo language (Achebe 96). In the novel Ezinma tells her daughter Ekwefi the story of a selfish turtle. The story includes songs and wordplay to reinforce and teach morals. An important part of Igbo communication is the drum, which beats during every significant event, from death to important messages and excitement. “The drums were…. persistent and immutable (Achebe 44)” the drums almost become the heartbeat of a village, they are the sign of novelty, or they move the