Yoruba proverb and meaning pdf

It is a commendable output, which makes pronouncements that further rekindles hope and sustained interest in african cultural studies generally. Philosophical issues in yoruba proverbs adegboyega oyekunle. But nevertheless, we still have the dominant tribes which are the hausas, yorubas, and igbo. This proverb tells about either thing or person that is good for nothing. University of nebraska press, lincoln and london, 2005. The leopards stealthy gait is not a result of cowardice. This is because when you give you add more blessings into your life. Yoruba has over fifteen dialects and standard yoruba is the written form of the language and the standard variety learnt in school. It means necessity is mother of invention, creativity is often achieved after overcoming many difficulties. The owe yoruba series is designed to help yorubas worldwide learn the proverbs that have been handed down from one generation. This yoruba proverb that means that you should desire to give than to receive. Yoruba proverbs i love them embracing spirituality. The use of a yoruba proverb by a younger person is prohibited in the presence of an older person, without prior permission to do so. Isu eni it is a mans yam in the process of being eaten and ni kowo eni bo epo that pushes his hand into the palmoil 38.

Online edition of the fist section of proverbs collected, translated and explained by dr. According to the applied proverb chain the poet selects or the proverb is selected according to context. Image source yoruba is a west african spirituality that some anthropologists estimate is 10,000 years old. Even though most of them came to existence long ago, they are still applicable in the modern world. Culture, literature and language are interwoven and cannot be totally separated. This definitive source book on yoruba proverbs is the first to give such detailed, systematic classification and analysis alongside a careful assessment of the risks and. In yorb society, proverb occur in almost every discourse and its meaning cannot be known solely on the basis of the aggregate meaning of the words that constitute each of them but the context in which it. Owe ile yoruba some lovely yoruba proverbs and their meanings. When a kings palace burns down, the rebuilt palace is more beautiful.

The paper discusses some of these hidden beauties of yoruba proverbs. Aug, 2019 every culture and country has proverbs unique to their society, and africa is no different. Owe yoruba yoruba proverbs, its usages, english meanings and lessons best article so i present to you this interesting topic on yoruba proverbsowe yoruba, indeed the nigerian culture is very much vast and wide with each tribes having its own laws and traditions. Meaning and translation of yoruba proverbs with pronunciations and pictures. For each proverb, there is a video containing an improvised skit intended to reflect the meaning of the proverb. Sep 30, 2010 it is called a yoruba proverb so where is the yoruba. Resort to proverbs, writes professor owomoyela in his introduction to this impressive book, is the most important and most effective strategy the yoruba have devised to optimize the efficaciousness of speech. Aseju ni irun aya, irun abe tito hairy chest is oversabi, pubic hair is enough. Yoruba proverbs is a mammoth collection of yoruba owe the english idea of a proverb apparently being a fair approximation of that concept. Hence, proverb must be analysed in each of its unique social contexts. A proverb is the horse that can carry one swiftly to the discovery of ideas. According to the applied proverb chain the poet selects or the proverb is selected according to. Isiro loko dido calculation is the master of bleeping. This yoruba proverb post is written both in yoruba and english.

A divine journey to the inner self and god consciousness. So i present to you this interesting topic on yoruba proverbsowe yoruba, indeed the nigerian culture is very much vast and wide with each tribes having its own laws and traditions. Proverbs help to dispel the belief that african people are barbaric and uneducated african proverbs offer wisdom and poetry in just one sentence. First one is the article of augustine agwuele, a repertoire of yoruba hand and face gestures. Proverbs play an important part in african cultures all across the continent. Literal meaning one only nut does not miss in the fire real meaning the fewer things we have the more careful we are about them ibo proverb ihere ad. This is the collection of yoruba proverbs for yoruba people only. So some yoruba proverbs and idioms should be found on every social media page of a nigerian person as it shows wisdom. The basics of yoruba an african spiritual tradition metal. In other words, the proverbs of a community or nation is in a real sense an ethnography of. Two masters cannot ride one boat two incompatible people cannot live or work together. The vast majority of this population is from nigeria, where the yoruba make up 16% of the countrys population, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in africa. As long as there are lice in the seams of the garment there must be.

Yoruba proverbs and their meaning eera ko fe poroporo denu. This is why the yorb people regard the accurate use of proverbs in the society as a sign of wisdom. Moja mosa laa mo akinkanju loju ogun discretion is a better part of valour. African proverbs not only provide guidance and wisdom like proverbs from other places, but they also provide outsiders with a view of life in the various african tribes. The wisdom of african proverbs get inspired from 300 african proverbs from all around african continent heres a list of african proverbs from around african the continent. Nigerian proverbs are funny, but the majority are usually very deep and said in native dialects. Along with the video is a wordforword transcription of the skit, a glossary for difficult words or phrases, and a set of. Most yoruba people speak the yoruba language, which is.

The worlds of the elders do not lock all the doors. The yoruba great fathers in the past composed these proverbs based on their wisdom, deep. Apr 29, 2011 yoruba proverbs and their meaning eera ko fe poroporo denu. But yoruba proverbs relating to health matters can do more. The head of an old man is bald because he has taken on so much trouble on his head in his lifetime. Moja mosa laa mo akinkanju loju ogundiscretion is a better part of valour. This is a very recommended read for all the people who want to get into the details of gestures. Hence, proverb must be analysed in each of its unique social contextsv. A digital project of the electronic text center of unl libraries. The ori holds the bodys knowledge and is its destiny. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.

Seeks to propagate yoruba proverbs and increase their usage thereby preserving the yoruba language and the wisdom of the yoruba people for posterity. Washing ones hands before meals is both a health requirement and a mark of social grace. As the world celebrates valentines day chocolate day the day of love, most of us naturally begin to think about what love really means. Some proverbs are not even unique to nigeria, they are part of the many funny african proverbs said across the continent. The pot cannot contain both the palm fruit and water at the same time. Heres a bunch of yoruba proverbs off the top of my head. Philosophical issues in yoruba proverbs adegboyega. Aseju ni irun aya, irun abe titohairy chest is oversabi, pubic hair is enough 3. The yoruba constitute about 44 million people in total. This is done by taking as a foil a content analysis of some of yoruba proverbs, particularly the proverbs whose subject matter is centered on developmentrelated themes such as care for others and cooperation, leadership qualities, advice, reproach and punishment, conflict resolution and warning.

Where you will sit when you are old shows where you stood in youth. It is in the spirit of african culture that we left some of them uninterpreted to enable you enjoy their richness and wisdom. These proverbs describe everything from the nature around the tribes to everyday. Look for a dark goat first in the daytime because you may not find it. This is translated to mean that proverb is the vehicle of words, if words get lost. This means when things suddenly turn bad, or if you begin to experience bad things, often times one behind each other, something evil is at play. Owe yoruba yoruba proverbs, meaning and explanation.

Every setting in yorubahas a proverb attached to it. Proverb as a moderating potency in yoruba dressing rabiu iyanda osun state university, nigeria introduction it is commonly assumed, not without reason that literature is the total patterning of a culture. Owe yoruba yoruba proverbs, meaning and explanation, ileife, nigeria. Iran yoruba are an ethnic group that inhabits western africa, mainly nigeria and benin.

Owe ile yoruba some lovely yoruba proverbs and their. To utter is to alter because in a country like nigeria a poet cannot afford not to be political. African proverbs, especially yoruba proverbs have always struck us with their deep meaning. The understand of yoruba proverbs language of the play. The yoruba proverb and by implication eco proverb in particularly, evolves and draws its aesthetic form and cultural relevance from the rich store house of the yoruba oral tradition. African proverbs 300 inspirational proverbs and quotes. Yoruba proverbs are wise sayings passed through generations to teach historical lessons, highlight good morals, and instil social values. The beauty of proverbs is the universality of their meaning, everyone can relate to them in some way and on some level. The basics of yoruba an african spiritual tradition. The diagramme below beautifully illustrates the points. It means everyone looks the same on the outside but everyone has problems that are invisible to outsiders. It comprises the beliefs of the yoruba people, whose homeland is in the south western part of nigeria and adjoining parts of benin and togo. Such statements as the one above who in themselves are considered proverbs affirm the assertion that culturally conscious nigerians especially the yorubas believe that the heart of nearly all conversational engagements is.

Some are known to come from specific african tribes, ethnic groups, or african countries, and others have an unknown source and are listed simply as african proverbs. What is an example of an interesting sayingproverb in the. How to say hello in nigerian easiest way these three tribes are mostly the most populous in nigeria with. Each proverb is presented in yoruba with a literal english translation, followed by a brief commentary explaining the meaning of the proverb within the oral tradition. Such statements as the one above who in themselves are considered proverbs affirm the assertion that culturally conscious nigerians especially the yorubas believe that the heart of nearly all conversational engagements is the use of proverbs. It has different answers to important questions in their religion and wise words. Oct 31, 2018 nigerian proverbs are funny, but the majority are usually very deep and said in native dialects. Aug 27, 20 yoruba is a west african spirituality that some anthropologists estimate is 10,000 years old.

The word for head in yorubaoricarries physical and spiritual connotations that cannot be separated. So many people out there cannot provide their basic needs and you should be responsible in at least offering them with whichever small thing you have. Dec 04, 2016 proverbs in yoruba land is called esin oro meaning the horse of words. Standard yoruba has its origin in the 1850s, when samuel ajayi crowther, the first african bishop, published a yoruba grammar and started his translation of the bible to yoruba.

With 5235 of them, presented according to subjectmatter and each section then arranged alphabetically, it is an encyclopaedic collection a reference work more than anything else. Doc philosophical significance of yoruba proverbs onifade. There is a yoruba proverb that says when the normal becomes abnormal, evil is at work. Professor albert chinualumogu achebe, one of the prominent sons of igboland once defined proverbs ilu as the salt with which words are eaten. In a similar vein, yoruba philosophy can be considered antecedent to yoruba religion, in the same manner that every. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Yoruba proverbs are used purposefully, making them easy to use for teaching and application. Isiro loko didocalculation is the master of bleeping 2. Standard yoruba has its origin in the 1850s, when samuel ajayi crowther, the first african bishop, published a yoruba grammar.

The yoruba expression, e g n gb, meaning literally, e g n the incarnated spirit of the ancestors has appropriated it, is a way of saying, it is lost to people. Oyekan owomoyela at the university of nebraska lincoln. This definitive source book on yoruba proverbs is the first to give such detailed, systematic classification and analysis alongside a careful assessment of the risks and pitfalls. Nigerian proverbs have deep meanings to them, some you may not understand from the getgo and others you may understand as you age. Earlier in this article, we mentioned that in most african traditions, it is unacceptable to tell an african proverb and still be the one to explain the meaning.

It is commonly used when people talk about a beautiful woman with an evil character. Yet the beliefs of yoruba are also incredibly widespread around the world. The beauty of african proverbs lies in their mystery. Literal meaning a mad person is not as ashamed as his relatives real meaning people who know values appreciate. I would like to mention important sources for this blogpost detailed list below. The understand of yoruba proverbs language of the play medium. After scouring the web for the best proverbs, we have created a list of 50 yoruba proverbs and their meanings. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Find below ten advanced level hausa lessons, each linked to a hausa proverb. Pai lotun pai losi, toju o ba fo, a ko ma wo bai bai nihardship here and there would definitely yield a broken personility. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Every culture and country has proverbs unique to their society, and africa is no different. Anyone who sees beauty and does not look at it will soon be poor. Yoruba proverbs and their meaning foriti foriti lomu ki ori agba pa translation.