Jackal and Monkey

On March 14, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great Legends & TalesLeave a comment

EVERY evening Jackal went to the Man’s* kraal. He crept through the sliding door and stole a fat young lamb. This, clever Jackal did several times in succession. Man set a wip for him at the door. Jackal went again and zip-there he was caught around the body by the noose. He swung and swayed high in the air and couldn’t touch ground. The day began to dawn and Jackal became uneasy.

On a stone kopje, Monkey sat. When it became light he could see the whole affair, and descended hastily for the purpose of mocking Jackal. He went and sat on the wall. “Ha, ha, good morning. So there you are hanging now, eventually caught.”
“What? I, caught? I am simply swinging for my pleasure; it is enjoyable.”
“You fibber. You are caught in the wip.”
“If you but realized how nice it was to swing and sway like this, you wouldn’t hesitate. Come, try it a little. You feel so healthy and strong for the day, and you never tire afterwards.”
“No, I won’t. You are caught.”

After a while Jackal convinced Monkey. He sprang from the kraal wall, and freeing Jackal, adjusted the noose around his own body.
Jackal quickly let go and began to laugh, as Monkey was now swinging high in the air.
“Ha, ha, ha,” he laughed. “Now Monkey is in the wip.”
“Jackal, free me,” he screamed.
“There, Man is coming,” shouted Jackal.
“Jackal, free me of this, or I’ll break your playthings.”
“No, there Man is coming with his gun; you rest a while in the noose.”
“Jackal, quickly make me free.”
“No, here’s Man already, and he’s got his gun. Good morning.” And with these parting words he ran away as fast as he could. Man came and saw Monkey in the wip.
“So, so, Monkey, now you are caught. You are the fellow who has been stealing my lambs, hey? ”
“No, Man, no,” screamed Monkey, ” not I, but Jackal.”
“No, I know you; you aren’t too good for that.”
“No, Boer, no, not I, but Jackal,” Monkey stammered.
“Oh, I know you. Just wait a little,” and Man, raising his gun, aimed and shot poor Monkey dead.

South African Folk Tales, by James A. Honey, 1910, Baker & Taylor Company. (* I replaced ‘Boer’ by ‘Man’, for generality).

Proverbe Toma sur la prévoyance / Toma Proverb on foresightedness

On March 12, 2014March 12, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great WisdomLeave a comment

Ce n’est pas le jour du combat, qu’on aiguise sa lance (Proverbe Toma – Guinée Conakry).

It is not on the day of the battle, that one sharpens his spear (Toma Proverb – Guinea Conakry).

“The Black Woman” by Marcus Garvey

On March 10, 2014March 10, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great Literature2 Comments

8 March celebrates the International Women’s Day. I thought of sharing with you, this poem by the great panafricanist Marcus Garvey published on February 28, 1927. To Garvey, the African Woman is the Mother of all Women, the Mother of Beauty, the Mother of Health, the Mother of Wisdom. All can refer to her as “Mother.” And she is the African Man’s Wife. Enjoy!!!

===========

The Black Woman
By Marcus Garvey

Black queen of beauty, thou hast given color to the world!
Among other women thou art royal and the fairest!
Like the brightest of jewels in the regal diadem,
Shin’st thou, Goddess of Africa, Nature’s purest emblem!

Black men worship at thy virginal shrine of truest love,
Because in thine eyes are virtue’s steady and holy mark,
As we see in no other, clothed in silk or fine linen,
From ancient Venus, the Goddess, to mythical Helen.

When Africa stood at the head of the elder nations,
The Gods used to travel from foreign lands to look at thee
On couch of costly Eastern materials, all perfumed,
Reclined thee, as in thy path flow’rs were strewn-sweetest that bloomed.

Thy transcendent marvelous beauty made the whole world mad,
Bringing Solomon to tears as he viewed thy comeliness;
Anthony and the elder Ceasars wept at thy royal feet,
Preferring death than to leave thy presence, their foes to meet.

You, in all ages, have attracted the adoring world,
And caused many a bloody banner to be unfurled
You have sat upon exalted and lofty eminence,
To see a world fight in your ancient African defense.

Today you have been dethroned, through the weakness of your men,
While, in frenzy, those who of yore craved your smiles and your hand-
Those who were all monsters and could not with love approach you-
Have insulted your pride and now attack your good virtue.

Because of disunion you became mother of the world,
Giving tinge of robust color to five continents,
Making a greater world of millions of colored races,
Whose claim to beauty is reflected through our black faces.

From the handsome Indian to European brunette,
There is a claim for that credit of their sunny beauty
That no one can e’er to take from thee, 0 Queen of all women
Who have borne trials and troubles and racial burden.

Once more we shall, in Africa, fight and conquer for you,
Restoring the pearly crown that proud Queen Sheba did wear
Yea, it may mean blood, it may mean death; but still we shall fight,
Bearing our banners to Vict’ry, men of Africa’s might.

Superior Angels look like you in Heaven above,
For thou art fairest, queen of the seasons, queen of our love
No condition shall make us ever in life desert thee,
Sweet Goddess of the ever green land and placid blue sea.

Africans at the 2014 Academy Awards (The Oscars)

On February 28, 2014February 28, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great Moments7 Comments

The Oscars

I couldn’t help but notice the number of Africans or actors of African origin represented at this year’s Academy Awards. So I decided to give you an overview, before Sunday March 2nd. I think this is the most we have ever had Africans nominated in such key roles, and who could possibly win key awards.

For starters, in the ‘Best actor’ category, our Nigerian-British brother Chiwetel Ejiofor has been nominated for his outstanding performance as Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave, for which he won a Golden Globe nomination, and a BAFTA award for best actor. Ejiofor faces fierce competition against Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street), Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club), Christian Bale (American Hustle), and Bruce Dern (Nebraska) in the Best Actor category. Whatever the outcome, I am extremely proud for this actor I have seen growing on screen since his first big appearance in the Steven Spielberg movie Amistad, to his great performance in Spike Lee‘s Inside Man playing alongside Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster.

In the ‘Best actor in a supporting role’ category, Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi has been nominated for his performance in Captain Phillips, which is his first cinematic work. His performance as a ship hijacker and pirate leader won him several nominations from the Screen Guild, and Golden Globe awards; he has also won a BAFTA award for best supporting actor for this performance. We wish him the very best against Bradley Cooper (American Hustle), Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street), and Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club).

In the ‘Best Actress in a Supporting Role’ category comes the stunning Kenyan Lupita Nyong’o nominated for her portrayal of Patsey in 12 Years a Slave. A Yale graduate, and a Kenyan actress (in the Kenyan series Shuga) and producer (of a documentary on the albino population in Kenya), 12 Years a Slave is Lupita’s first American film debut, and has already garnered her a Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Lupita won the Screen Actors Guild and Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for this performance. Imagine my joy when I will see a pure African beauty walk the red carpet on Sunday! No matter the outcome, I am just so proud of this gorgeous sister who will face fierce competition from Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine), Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle), Julia Roberts (August: Osage County), and June Squibb (Nebraska) on Sunday. I must admit that she just reminds of a pure Luo (or Massai) beauty when she wears her hair really short!

Other Africans represented are Egyptians director Jehane Noujaim and producer Karim Amer for the documentary The Square on the manifestations at Tahrir Square. This film was released on Netflix, thereby giving Netflix its first Oscar nomination.

I am just extremely proud of our brothers and sisters who are raising the African flag high at this year’s academy awards. Our prayers go with them, and we wish them the very best. We, Africans, have actors and actresses worthy of the greatest cinematographic accolade in the world!!!

Proverbe Mongo sur l’irrévocabilité / Mongo Proverb on Irrevocability

On February 26, 2014February 26, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great Wisdom1 Comment

Chutes de la Lobe (Cameroun) / Lobe Falls (Cameroon) - afrolegends.com — Chutes de la Lobe (Kribi – Cameroun) / Lobe Falls (Kribi – Cameroon)

L’eau d’en aval ne retourne pas en amont (Proverbe Mongo – République Démocratique du Congo). – Ce qui est fait reste fait.

Downstream water will never go back upstream (Mongo Proverb – Democratic Republic of Congo). – What is done stays done.

The Hunt of Lion and Jackal

On February 24, 2014February 24, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great Legends & TalesLeave a comment

LION and Jackal, it is said, were one day lying in wait for Eland. Lion shot (with a bow) and missed, but Jackal hit and sang out, “Hah! hah!”

Lion said, “No, you did not shoot anything. It was I who hit.”

Jackal answered, “Yea, my father, thou hast hit.”

Then they went home in order to return when the eland was dead, and cut it up. Jackal, however, turned back, unknown to Lion, hit his nose so that the blood ran on the spoor of the eland, and followed their track thus, in order to cheat Lion. When he had gone some distance, he returned by another way to the dead eland, and creeping into its carcass, cut out all the fat. Meanwhile Lion followed the blood-stained spoor of Jackal, thinking that it was eland blood, and only when he had gone some distance did he find out that he had been deceived. He then returned on Jackal’s spoor, and reached the dead eland, where, finding Jackal in its carcass, he seized him by his tail and drew him out with a swing.

Lion upbraided Jackal with these words: “Why do you cheat me?”

Jackal answered: “No, my father, I do not cheat you; you may know it, I think. I prepared this fat for you, father.”

Lion said: “Then take the fat and carry it to your mother ” (the Lioness) ; and he gave him the lungs to take to his own wife and children.

When Jackal arrived, he did not give the fat to Lion’s wife, but to his own wife and children; he gave, however, the lungs to Lion’s wife, and he pelted Lion’s little children with the lungs, saying: “You children of the big-pawed one! You big-pawed ones!”

He said to Lioness, “I go to help my father (the Lion);” but he went far away with his wife and children.

South African Folktales, J.A. Honey, 1910, Baker and Taylor Company.

Proverbe Douala sur le Respect du Chef / Duala Proverb on the Respect of the King

On February 20, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great Wisdom3 Comments

Même si l’éléphant est maigre, il reste le roi de la forêt (Proverbe Douala – Cameroun). Il faut respecter les chefs malgré tout.

Even if an elephant is thin, he still remains the king of the jungle (Duala Proverb – Cameroon). Kings should be respected despite all.

Why the name: Liberia?

On February 18, 2014May 14, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great Trivia1 Comment

What comes to mind when you hear the name of the country Liberia? … Liberty, freedom?

Exactly, the colony of Liberia was started by the American Colonization Society (ACS) in 1820 which repatriated free slaves from the United States to Liberia. Why exactly was that territory chosen versus any other is a mystery. I suspect that it was just a replica of what the British were doing, as they had started repatriating free slaves from Nova Scotia (Canada) to Sierra Leone as early as 1792. It is therefore no surprise that Liberia is a neighboring country to Sierra Leone. On July 26, 1847, the free slave settlers issued a Declaration of independence (modeled after that of the US), and created the Republic of Liberia, with its capital Monrovia named after the American president James Monroe, one of the supporters of the ACS.

However, before the arrival of the 500+ free slaves from America, modern-day Liberia was located in an area known as the Pepper Coast or Grain Coast (La côte des graines) or Melegueta Coast in honor of the grains of paradise or melegueta pepper, a very common in West African cuisines. The Portuguese actually named it Costa da Pimenta, meaning Pepper Coast, in the 1500s. The area was inhabited by Mende people, Dei, Bassa (not to be confused with the Bassa people of Cameroon), Kru, Gola, and Kissi people. The Pepper Coast has been inhabited at least as far back as the 12th century and perhaps earlier.

Mme President — President of Liberia: Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

There was actually a clash between the free African Americans who came to identify themselves as Americo-Liberian, and the local indigenous people. The Americo-Liberians developed a culture based around American notions of superiority and racial supremacy: they felt superior to the indigenous people. This was probably at the root of the Liberian civil wars which lasted several years. As Liberia struggles to heal the wounds of war, it is making big steps toward democracy, peace, and freedom. It was also the first country in Africa to elect a woman president: Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Today, as you enjoy the video below on Liberia, I would like to ask a question: with all the wars and political instabilities seen in Liberia, has the country’s name affected its history or destiny? Has its name been a curse or a blessing?

“Je Serai Avec Toi” de Michael Dei Anang / ” I’ll be with Thee” by Michael Dei Anang

On February 14, 2014February 17, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great LiteratureLeave a comment

A box of Valentine's day chocolate — A box of Valentine’s day chocolate

Michael Jackson once asked in his great song “Will You Be There?” Well, Ghanaian author Michael Dei Anang replied by his poem: ” I’ll be with thee.” The poem is truly about deep and everlasting love, the one that will always be there shine or freeze, no matter what happens in life. So, whether you are in a relationship or not, whether you are thinking about love the Valentine’s way, or just looking for a friendship, think of this poem as what you should aspire to be for that other person: always there! Enjoy! Since I could not find the original English version, I translated it to English to share with all (French version from Anthologie Négro-Africaine by L. Kesteloot, P. 264, Edicef 1987; English translation by Dr. Y. Afrolegends.com).

Je serai avec toi

Quand les étoiles scintillent dans le ciel,

Et que la lune baigne la Mer

Du flux d’argent de sa lumière

Je serai avec toi

Qu’il fasse jour ou nuit;

Que les cieux

Soient déchirés en deux

Et que les larmes embrument nos yeux

Je serai avec toi

Quand les orages

soulèvent les vagues

Et ploient le seuil jusqu’au sol

Je serai avec toi

Dans la fournaise ou dans la tornade

Je serai avec toi

Qu’il fasse clair ou sombre,

Le jour ou la nuit,

Quand s’appesantit l’angoisse

Que tu sois loin,

Ou que tu sois près ,

je serai avec toi.

Quoique nous soyons séparés

Pour des jours,

Ou que nous allions

Ne laisses pas les peines de la vie

Mordre ton cœur.

Je serai avec toi.

A travers la gloire ou la calomnie

Je serai avec toi

Lorsque le dernier souffle de vie

S’échappera de mon corps, vieille carcasse

Condamnée à pourrir après un mortel combat;

Quand nous aurons fini notre temps

Et traversé la rivière de la vie

Laissant derrière nous notre or et notre argent

Parents, amis et regrets,

Pour rejoindre le souterrain bercail

Je t’attendrai encore

Je serai avec toi.

I’ll Be With Thee

When the stars twinkle in the sky,

And the moon bathes the Sea

The flow of money from its light

I’ll be with thee

Day or night;

Whether the skies

are torn in two

And tears fog our eyes

I’ll be with thee

When storms

Raise waves

And bend and break up the soil

I’ll be with thee

In the furnace or in the tornado

I’ll be with thee

Whether light or dark

Day or night

When dwells anxiety

Whether you are far,

Or whether you are near,

I’ll be with thee.

Though we are apart

For days,

Wherever we go

Do not let life’s troubles

Bite your heart.

I’ll be with thee.

Through glory or slander

I’ll be with thee

When the last breath of life

Will escape my body, old carcass

Condemned to rot after a deadly combat;

When we will have ended our times

And crossed the river of life

Leaving behind us our gold and our silver

Parents, friends, and regrets,

To join the underground fold

I’ll wait again for you

I’ll be with thee.

Proverbe Burundais sur l’Amour / Burundi Proverb on Love

On February 13, 2014 By Dr. Y.In Great Wisdom2 Comments

Il ne fait jamais nuit là où on s’aime (Proverbe du Burundi).

It never gets dark where there is love (Burundi Proverb).

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: