Many African cultures have hundreds of years of tradition, the cradle of humanity is found on this continent that welcomes the heirs of very ancient societies, so in African sayings we find a sample of all this accumulated wisdom.
Much of the African proverb has given way to choirs or aphorisms in cultures on other continents, which is not surprising, many of them are beautiful and deep, have a charming naturalness and a logic that dazzles.
- “Until lions have their own historians.
- Hunting stories will always glorify the hunter.
- “African Proverb from Nigeria?.
Today we want to bring you a selection of these ancient Africans, who deal with different topics, but always with the same objective: to serve as a guide for life, they are simple, but not because they are light, on the contrary: to breathe depth. Here are ten of the great lessons.
Many African proverbs speak of hunting, because many cultures on this continent live with a fierce nature. This Nigerian proverb, for example, appreciates the importance of being alert: “The hunter does not rub with fat and fall asleep by fire. “
This is a beautiful metaphor: “The hunter chasing an elephant does not stop to throw stones at the birds. “This is one of the African sayings Uganda. Se can interpret in two ways: first, when we fight for a great goal, we should not be distracted by small battles; another, that those with great objectives are forced, in a way, to move forward non-stop.
This other proverb is a good teaching: “A tiger does not have to proclaim its ferocity. “This refers to the fact that someone who is really strong does not need to prove that he is strong, like the tiger, who only shows his claws. when necessary, on the contrary, it is the weak and insecure who seek the approval of each of their actions.
In almost all ancestral cultures, caution/caution is highly appreciated. For primitive man, almost everything was unknown, surprising and virtually threatening. That’s why many of Africa’s oldest sayings speak of caution. This, for example, says: “A man does not stray from the place where the corn is roasted. “
Likewise, this other proverb of Swahili culture says: “If you don’t fill in the gaps, you’ll have to rebuild the walls. This and the previous one talk about the importance of taking care of what we already have.
Another African proverb says: “Evil penetrates like a needle and then it’s like an oak tree. “It has a poetic tone and this time the warning focuses on the spiritual world. This shows that the negative elements are, at first, very subtle and very subtle. almost imperceptible, but when allowed to grow, they become resistant as viruses, difficult to eradicate.
In Burundi, this proverb is very popular: “You cannot hide smoke if a fire is lit. “This indicates that actions always have visible consequences, even if we try to hide them. Each act leaves an impression, however discreet. Maybe.
This other proverb warns of the effects of getting carried away by uncontrolled emotions: “Passion and hatred are children of drunk drinks. “This is very true and realistic. Extreme feelings and passions eventually take over the will when we let them grow freely. There is a senseless satisfaction that drives us to nurture these impulses.
But, like many other African sayings intended to warn of risks or bad feelings, there are also others that call us to cultivate hope. This, for example, is very nice: “Remember, if there is a storm, there will be a rainbow It is true that after difficult times, others also come to rest. This one is also very encouraging:” The river fills with small rivers. It is striking that great victories are made up of small successes.
All African sayings are really beautiful. They are statements that are repeated from generation to generation and that educate entire communities, are undoubtedly an important legacy from which we can all learn and be fascinated again and again.