A Heritage of wisdom: rich proverbs, and rich allegories.
Si on te vante les pâturages d’un pays, continue à faire paître le tien (proverbe Maure – Mauritanie, Algerie, Mali, Niger, Maroc, Tunisie, Sahara Occidental).
If someone brags about the pastures of a country, continue to graze yours (Moor proverb – Mauritania, Algeria, Mali, Niger, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara).
C’est en voyage qu’on trouve la sagesse (Proverbe Bantou).
It is on a journey that wisdom is found (Bantu proverb).
“We are not racists. We are fundamentally and deeply against any kind of racism. Even when people are subjected to racism we are against racism from those who have been oppressed by it. In our opinion – not from dreaming but from a deep analysis of the real condition of the existence of mankind and the division of societies – racism is a result of certain circumstances. It is not eternal in any latitude in the world. It is the result of historical and economic conditions. And we cannot answer racism with racism. It is not possible. In our country, despite some racist manifestations by the Portuguese, we are not fighting against the Portuguese people or whites. We are fighting for the freedom of our people – to free our people and to allow them to be able to love any kind of human being. You cannot love when you are a slave… In combating racism we don’t make progress if we combat the people themselves. We have to combat the causes of racism. If a bandit comes into my house and I have a gun I cannot shoot the shadow of this bandit. I have to shoot the bandit. Many people lose energy and effort, and make sacrifices combating shadows.”
Amilcar Cabral, 20 October 1972, New York, Pambazuka
L’éléphant naît avec ses chaussures (Proverbe Ambundu – Angola).- Le fils d’un homme riche est riche dès sa naissance.
The elephant is born with his shoes (Ambundu proverb – Angola). – The son of a rich man is born rich from birth.
“Don’t let anyone define you from what you live through and everything that they think you stand for. Just be proud of who you are.” Angélique Kidjo
Offre un sourire à un inconnu, l’inconnu te sourira (proverbe Maure – Mauritanie, Algerie, Maroc, Tunisie, Niger, Mali, Sahara Occidental).
Smile to a stranger, the stranger will smile back (Moor proverb – Mauritania, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Niger, Mali, Western Sahara).
Si vous portez un panier d’oeufs, ne dansez pas (Proverbe Ambede – Gabon).
If you carry a basket of eggs, do not dance (Ambede proverb – Gabon).
Que le singe qui quitte son arbre fasse attention (Proverbe Xhosa – Afrique du Sud). – Qui part à la chasse perd sa place.
May the monkey who leaves its tree be careful (Xhosa proverb – South Africa). – Move your feet, lose your seat.
Ce qui a été mouillé par la pluie, ne saurait plus l’être par la brume (proverb Ovimbundu – Angola). – Le vieillard peut faire seul ce dont le jeune est incapable.
What has been wet by the rain, can no longer be made wet by the fog (Ovimbundu proverb – Angola). – The old man can do alone what the young one cannot.
Le léopard qui veut vous attaquer ne fait pas de bruit (Proverbe Ngbaka – RDC). – Méfiez-vous des gens qui ne disent rien.
The leopard who wants to attack does not make any noise (Ngbaka proverb – DRC). – Beware of people who say nothing.
African Heritage 