Today's African Proverb(s), #1
Today's Proverb
"Ade etang eno nnukpo, etang eno njen unen."
- Anaang/Ibibio Proverb
Translation & Meaning
"When you talk to the hawk you also talk to the chick."
Like folk stories, proverbs have been a very important element of African social institutions. Precedents are set, values are imparted, hearts are lightened, the wise are identified, all with quality proverbs.
In fact, Africa's biggest literary export, Chinua Achebe, once said that "proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten."
The above proverb admonishes duality in conflict resolution, and most anything that have sides in life -- which is everything these days.
We believe you should scold the maid, but at least warn the son, also. Blame the corrupt politicians, and inspire the citizenry to full responsibility. It's such a beauty. It goes hand in hand. A wise person is one who can find a middle ground in between.
Humour Twist: I recall once as a kid there were six mangoes in the fridge, according to my mum who put them there. And there was instruction to not touch. But after mum went out and came in, she was looking for seven mangoes. Someone had taken one.
"But it was six, mum. Even you!, said that." My mum dismissed it, said it was a trap. Say what you want, that's not an unusual game for an African parent to play. Lol.
So my mum beat up my brother and I who had gone ahead to suspect one another. After a few lashes, my brother confessed. My mum didn't apologize to me. Instead she gathered us all (including my brother who wasn't home when it all happened) and admonished us all on the negatives of stealing.
For real, I felt like a chick being given the hawk's advice.
I hope you found it insightful: the dive into my culture. I will do this often. If you liked it, please upvote and resteem. I'm talking an upvote that can feed the oracle of the gods. 😂
💖
hey man that was a pretty devious mum there too though.
maybe worth it for the lesson learnt.
I remember I stole a postage stamp once, right off the envelope, just tore the corner off the envelope as if nobody would notice.
lol
'cause it was pretty and it was from overseas.
It was at the neighbours house, and If I had asked for it, I am willing to guarantee that they would have given it to me.
but I took it and it didn't take too much detective work to suspect the only mad stamp collecting kid in town.
lol, and my parents made me give it back, even though, after I said sorry, the neighbours wanted me to have it.
But my mum would also say no pudding unless you eat all your veges, and then after struggling for two hours she would say it took too long and no pudding anyway.
hey I am starting to realise my parents were hard.
lol
Hey Spain. I just can't stop laughing 😁😂😂. You sure were one hell of a kid. And your mum, such an angel. She even let you eat the veges. I think my mum starved me more times than I'll love to remember. And, hey! I didn't even steal stamps. 😁
Awe @misterakpan I'm sorry you got a lashing for something you didn't do. There are so many of us (I'm the 3rd of 9) in my family that we all got blamed a time or two for something we didn't do. How could mom remember with so many personalities running around creating a ruckus. I will however say, If mom realized she was wrong she would apologize and tell the sibling who did the act to apologize as well for letting us take the blame. She always found out some way or another...mothers intuition...or maybe we all snitched on each other...hahaha!
9 personalities you're trying to figure out. That's a lot. Your mum is a genius. Hahaha. Sure apologizing is the proper thing to do, but that generation of African mothers? You ain't getting nada 😂 If you sulk you get another round of lashing. We knew better.
buen post hermano saludos, espero tu apoyo en mi blog
Lol
Very African
Very @misterakpan
African parents sha
Dem nor get joy lol
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