Ethnic Diversity in Eastern Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

Links Between African Proverbs and Sayings and Ethnic Diversity

Links Between African Proverbs and Sayings and Ethnic Diversity Joseph G. Healey A proverb (and other forms of African oral literature) has been described as “a window into theAfrican worldview.” ManyAfrican proverbs and sayings were sprinkled throughout the presentations, discussions and informal conversations at our conference on “Ethnic Diversity in Eastern Africa: Opportunities and Challenges.” These proverbs and sayings revealed both the positive and negative aspects of ethnic diversity. In the context of the challenges of the present tribalism and ethnicity in Africa today there is a mutual enrichment of the values of unity and diversity, that is, both/and approach rather than an either/or approach. Unity is an important value in African society. Unity is strength; division is weakness (Swahili, Eastern African Proverb). One finger cannot kill a louse (many African languages). When spiders unite, they can tie up a lion (Amharic, Ethiopian Proverb). Let us pull together (Swahili, Eastern African Saying). Diversity is an important value in the rich cultural heritage of the African people that is reflected in their many languages, customs and traditions. Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it (Akan and Ewe, Benin, Ghana and Togo Proverb). God is color blind (universal proverb) The Akan, Ghana symbol of unity in diversity is the two headed crocodile with one stomach seen in the proverb: Many mouths, one stomach. Two distinct, but related themes emerged during the conference: 1. African proverbs and sayings that describe and analyze the present reality in Africa today When elephants fight the grass gets hurt. In Africa and worldwide this is the most commonly used Swahili proverb (translated into English). In the past two years in Kenya it has been often used to describe the period after the postelection crisis and the uneasy alliance between President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, their respective political parties (including different ethnic groups and languages) and the difficult repercussions for ordinary people. On the difficulties of power sharing a popular proverb is Two bulls can’t stay in the same kraal (Tswana, Botswana Proverb) and Two bulls don’t live in the same cow shed (Swahili, Eastern Africa Proverb). links between african proverbs and sayings and ethnic diversity 55 56 ETHNIC DIVERSITY IN EASTERN AFRICA If you provoke a snake, you must be prepared to be bitten by it (Gikuyu, Kenya Proverb). Its most famous use was by the Kenyan Minister of National Security and Provincial Administration when justifying his decision to raid the Standard Group’s Kenya Television Network (KTN) and The Standard newspaper offices and printing press respectively in Nairobi, Kenya at dawn on 2nd March 2006. Kenyan newspapers took the proverb to mean that the minister was comparing the government to a snake that bites at the slightest provocation. But the proverb in the original Gikuyu language was used by the minister (himself a native speaker of the language) as he clarified: People who start a quarrel should be ready for a fight. Among its many uses the proverb also describes situations that can lead to the disruption of harmony and peace in society A further example regarding Christianity. Recent research shows that there has been is a lot of tribalism and negative ethnicity in the Christian Churches in Kenya and other African countries. One would have hoped that the deeper Gospel values could overcome these ethnic divisions, but this has not always been the case. Our research found that in certain churches, the well knownAfrican proverb can sadly be rewritten to say: The blood of tribalism is thicker than the water of baptism. 2. African proverbs and sayings and stories that promote peacebuilding and reconciliation in Africa today After the national elections in Kenya on 27th December, 2007 there was a lot of discontent and accusations of widespread vote rigging. This led to riots, violence, killings, burning of homes and shops and displacement of people throughout the country. By the end of February, 2008 over 1,000 people had been killed and over 500,000 people made homeless. In the midst of these political and ethnic group (tribalism) crises various peace campaigns emerged with appropriate messages, sayings and slogans. This shows the influence of oral culture in our contemporary African society. While African youth know fewer and fewer traditional proverbs, the use of popular sayings and slogans is increasing especially in cities. The youth are now using these sayings and slogans to promote harmony and reconciliation among different ethnic groups in Kenya. They are...