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June 05, 2006

Fulani Proverbs - how to become a crocodile

Ko leggal booyii ley ndiyam, laatataako noora.
Even if a log stays ages in the water, it never becomes a crocodile.

(We came across the crocodile above, just basking in the sun in a lake by the side of the road on our way from Boukouma to Dori back in February.)

I have sometimes been told by Fulani - more, I am sure, as a gracious response to my attempts to adapt to life among them, than from serious conviction:
"A laatake pullo!" - "You have become a Fulani!"

To which I reply:
Ko leggal booyii ley ndiyam, laatataako noora.

This always causes general hilarity, as proverbs are such a deep part of pulaaku (traditional Fulani culture), expressing commonly held Fulani wisdom in pithy expressions. Non-Fulani are not expected to be able to know the language and culture well enough to use them. The Fulani say that you can only speak Fulfulde properly if you have drunk it from your mother's milk. To use Fulani proverbs well - which I don't - is really key to becoming the crocodile.

A few proverbs
I was asked recently to put a few Fulani proverbs up on my website, so here are a few culled from my colleague Steve's post from last year:

Proverb: Heba cofel heba ngoofoondi walaa
Translation: You can't have both a chick and a yolk
Meaning: You can't have your cake and eat it too

Bernde feewa teppeere feewa kaa, walaa
You can't have both a cool heart and a cool heel
If you send someone to do something they'll get it wrong and you'll be upset, but if you go yourself you'll get tired

Mi wadii wootere doobal
I have done the 'one' of the doobal-bird (a bird which lays only one egg)
Said after doing something which you will never do again

Duroowo paabi, kam anndi layooru
The shepherd of frogs recognises the limping one (whereas anyone else would think they are all limping!)
The one who has experience has the accompanying knowledge (i.e. ask the expert)

Alla anndinaay gujjo de bangi munaafiki
God didn't tell the thief he was marrying a gossip
If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have done it. I didn't know that what I was doing was unwise!

Mbuuku bumdo nde wootere yaabetee
A blind man's testicles are only stood on once (i.e. he'll move or cry out to stop it happening again!)
Once bitten twice shy - said regarding unpaid loans, bad experiences etc

Si neddo fiyii howru banndum fuu, nyoofa howru mum
He who hits his neighbour's knee curls up his own legs
If you do something bad to someone, they are likely to avenge it, so watch out!

Si mawdo wi'ii modan jammbere ni nannganaa dum leggal
If a man says he will swallow an axe, hold the handle for him
Don't try and talk someone out of something if they've already made up their mind to do it

For a long list of proverbs, helpfully broken down into categories, go to the Jam Tan website - an excellent site with the best background information on the Fulani that I have seen on the web.

Tags: africa burkina burkina faso fulani proverbs sahel wisdom fulfulde crocodile

Posted by Keith at June 5, 2006 11:59 AM