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While I am on the subject of collecting Afro-American proverbs. Here are
a few more that I like, which I heard when I was in Surinam.
"Frede man no abi broko hede" : a Djuka (Suriname) proverb.
English etymology : "Afraid[frede] man no have[abi from Spanish haber]
broken[broko] head[hede]"
English translation : "A cautious man never gets into trouble".
I remember that "odo" (proverb) because it was often repeated to me.
So was :
"Taki tru en digi you olo". Another Djuka saying.
English etymology : "Talk[taki] true and[en] dig your hole[olo]"
English translation : "Say the truth and you will be digging your own
grave" (meaning : "don't try and criticize those who yield power")
Or
"A owru brushi sabi a moro doti presi"
English etymology : "An old[owru] brush[brushi] knows[sabi from Spanish
saber] the most [moro] dirty [doti] places5presi]"
English translation : "An old broom knows the dirtiest places", "one who
has witnessed many changes of leadership knows where to look for abuses
of power".
Do you know who the Djuka are ? They escaped slavery in 1712, from the
plantations, and fled deep into the South Amreican jungle (Surinam). I
taught Djuka kids (12-14 year-olds) when I was a teacher in French
Guyana (2001-2005).
It was very difficult.They had had some schooling but the Surinameese
Civil War had sent their parents over the border. I remember Djuka kids
who could count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 but had never learnt "8" and "9"
Same thing with letters.
The kids in turn, threatened me with the "bonu-man" (etymology :
Vodoo-man, the term vodun coming from way back in Western Africa and
becoming "Bonu" in Djuka). When I gave them a bad grade they would say
defiantly : "I'll tell the "bonu-man" (sorcery-man) on you !". This went
on until I talked to the parents and then to the "bonu-man" himself.
After that, all the kids apologized and did their homework. Just looking
for a soft touch, and a young white guy really looks like one.
I visited the "bonu-man" several times. He was a primary teacher himself
and a trade-unionist. Very "progressive" (in the Western sense),
extremely intelligent and, of course, he refused to discuss the secret
rites of the Djuka religion. It involves the spirits of the ancestors
from Africa (400 years ago !) taking possession of some person and
talking through him in "African language" (actually a limited (200 word)
version of the West African Ewe/Fon tongue). The revelations are secret
and only a handful of "bonu-man" can understand their meaning. Although
many words of the "secret tongue of the Ancestors" end up as common
knowledge among the Djuka generally.
For example, the Ewé (modern West African language) word "tsi" (water)
is known to be a "secret word". And when Djukas are possessed by the
spirits of the "nengre kondre" (African ancestors), they will utter the
word "tsi" and "kio" (Ewé : "to wash"), and "nya" (Ewe : "know") and
"hun" ("heart"), and "azi" ("egg"), etc.
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