25 Akan proverbs-gctid161980

[Kala Kambon]

http://www.preppyonline.org/pages/akan-proverbs

Notes on these 25 Akan proverbs
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1. Okoto nwo anomaLiterally: The crab does not give birth to a bird.
This used to acknowledge the resemblance between a child and his parent. This could be resemblance in physical features or resemblance in character. It is similar to the English saying that "the apple does not fall far from the tree."

2. Obanyansofoo yebu no be, yennka no asem
Literally: The wise is spoken to in proverbs, not plain language.There seems to be great reluctance to being direct in Akan culture, especially in speech. It is not clear why this is so but in many instances where the uninitiated may not see the need, it is the preferred mode of address.
This proverb is also used to indicate that one is expected to learn from his circumstances and the experiences of others.
It is also used to mean that we don't need to belabour a point for the wise to understand. A few words of exhortation should be fine. In that sense, it is similar to the English proverb, "A word to the wise is enough."

3. Se obi fom kum a, yenfom nnwa
Literally: If someone kills by mistake, we do not dissect by mistake.In Akan culture, it is a taboo to kill or eat some animals. If that is the case for an animal, then after someone kills it by mistake, we should not worsen the mistake by dissecting or eating that animal. In this sense, this proverb is similar to the English proverb, "Two wrongs do not make a right."

4. Se wohu se wo yonko abodwese rehye a na wasa nsuo asi wo dee ho.
Literally: If you see your neighbour's beard burning, fetch water by yours.One is supposed to learn from the experiences and circumstances of others.

5. Tootoote tootoote, yerenom nsa na yerefa adwen.
Literally: Little by little, little by little, as we drink we make plans.We can transact serious business while relaxing (over drinks).
Also, even in a seemingly light moment, we can slowly make progress on other more important issues.

6. Dua a enya wo a ebewo w'ani no, yetu asee; yensensene ano
Literally: One does not sharpen the stick that would like to pierce his eye. Instead, he uproots it.This speaks to the attitude or practice of getting rid of potential dangers early, rather than encouraging them to grow.

7. Obaa to tuo a etwere barima dan mu
Literally: When a woman buys a gun, it lies in a man's room.In Akan culture, women usually have a lower status in society than men. Thus, if a woman is married and she acquires property, it is as if she has done it on behalf of her husband.
Another (less popular) interpretation of this proverb describes the relationship between the owner of a thing and the user or operator of that thing. Even if you are wealthy enough to buy an equipment or gadget, the one who operates it has more say in how it is used because he has the know-how and you don't.

8. Baanu so a emmia
Literally: When two carry, it does not hurt.The load is lighter when two persons carry it—two are better than one.

9. Nyansapo wosane no badwemma
Literally: Wise knots are loosened by wise men.This could also be interpreted as "Knots tied by wise men are loosened by wise men." Not anybody can handle any matter. Delicate matters require the attention of wise men to untangle.
This proverb is the motto of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana.

10. Ahunu-bi-pen nti na aserewa regyegye ne ba agoro a na wayi n'ani ato nkyen
Literally: It is because of "I have seen some before" that when the aserewa is entertaining its young it looks away.Ahunu-bi-pen is the state of having seen something before. It connotes learning by first-hand experience. This proverb says that the aserewa (a small bird) has had a bad experience by looking on while entertaining its young so it has decided not to do that again. It has decided to look away because of that experience.

11. Abaa a yede bo Takyi no yede bebo Baa
Literally: The stick that is used to hit Takyi is also used to hit Baa.
12. Yetu wo fo na wanntie a, woko Anteade
Literally: If you do not heed advice, you go to Anteade (the town for those who don't heed advice)
13. Eda a aponkyerene bewu na yebehunu ne tenten
Literally: It is the day that the frog dies that we will know its length.
14. Hwimhwim adee ko srosro
Literally: What comes easily goes easily.
15. Abofra a omma ne maame nna no, bentoa mpa ne to da
Literally: For the child who does not let his mother sleep, the enema will never depart from his bottom.
16. Nwansena nni hwee koraa oposa ne nsam
Literally: Even if the housefly does not have anything, it rubs its hands together.
17. Nea owo aka no pen no suro sonsono
Literally: The one who has been bitten by a snake before is afraid of a worm.Though the worm is small and harmless compared with the large and harmful snake, the bitter experience one learns from a snake bite is enough to instill such caution that anything that looks like a snake is feared. This proverb is used when one takes extra precaution because of a previous experience and is similar to the Engish proverb "Once bitten, twice shy."

18. Agya bi wu a, agya bi te ase
Literally: When one father dies, another father lives.The raising of children is a communal activity in Akan societies. With such an arrangement, a child could have many fathers, where a father is an older male who takes some responsibility for raising the child. In such a situation, if one's biological father dies or is absent, there are many others to collectively play his role.
It is also used when a substitute is found for something valuable or someone important.

19. Nea owoo kwasea ammre se nea otetee no
Literally: The one who gave birth to a fool did not suffer as much as the one who raised him (the foolish child).This means that producing children, a relatively easy task, is completely different from raising them, which is a much harder task.

20. Odehyeeba de ne mogya na egoro.
Literally: A royal plays with his blood.This could mean a royal has the luxury or the power or the wherewithal to do what others cannot afford to do. Royals in Akan culture, much like other cultures, are pampered with privileges that others could only dream of.

21. Asem ye den se den ara a yenfa sekan ntwa.
Literally: No matter how difficult a matter is, we do not cut it with a knife.Perhaps, a better literal translation of this is: No matter how difficult a matter is, it is not with a knife that we cut it. In other words, we may cut it but definitely not with a knife. Presumably, we use a mouth or a tongue. This proverb reveals the preference among the Akans to settle matters in a community amicably in order to maintain harmony, rather than resorting to violence. This is no trivial observation. Indeed, this culture is so prized that it may be playing no small part in the perception that Ghanaians (more than 40% of who are Akans) love a lot of talk without action.

22. Nea wayera no na onim nea ote
Literally: It is the one who is missing who knows where he is hiding.Probably, this means that the one who has gone missing may be hiding after all. If he is hiding, then it may be very hard to find him though if he has lost his way, someone may randomly bump into him somewhere.
This could mean that it is futile to search for a missing person if he is not actually missing but only hiding.

23. Nsuo a edo wo na eko w'ahina mu
Literally: It is the water (river) that loves you that enters your pot.This may refer to water entering into a pot when one uses it to fetch water from a river or stream. Presumably, if the water does not love you it will not enter your pot.
In reference to lovers, this could mean that if someone loves you he would propose to you or that if someone loves you he will come to you or be involved in your affairs.

24. Se wotena dufokyee so di boofre a wo to fo, w'ano nso fo
Literally: If you sit on rotten wood to eat pawpaw (papaya), your bottom gets wet and your mouth also gets wet.The rotten wood is a comfortable place to sit and the pawpaw is a nice fruit to eat. Hence, this proverbs describes two activities that are pleasant to do but it reminds us that they still come at a cost—your bottom gets wet and your mouth also gets wet—so we can't always have all things being rosy.

25. Dua kontonkyikuronkyi na ema yehunu odwomfo
Literally: It is the crooked wood (or stick) that reveals who the true sculptor is.Any sculptor may be able to work with good wood. But it would take a great sculptor to make something out of crooked and unworkable wood.
This proverb could be used to someone in explaining the extent of his accomplishments, especially if he feels he began from a difficult place and had to overcome many setbacks and disadvantages that may not be obvious to others.