5 Akan proverbial sayings #winterabc2020

It’s Day 11 of the #winterABC2020 30 days of blogging challenge and this is my first submission 🤦🏾‍♀️. A proverb is a wise saying and it is referred to “3b3” in Twi. I am from Ghana and an Ewe but all the proverbs I know are in Twi so here goes.

1. “Ɔkɔtɔ nwo anoma”

Literal meaning: A crab does not give birth to a bird.

Interpretation: It is obvious that a crab will reproduce a crab but this proverb simply means the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Children tend to exhibit similar traits of their parents.

2. “Aboa bi beka wo a, ne efiri wo ntoma mu“

Literal meaning: If an animal will bite you it will be from your own cloth.

Interpretation: We can easily get hurt or betrayed by those closest to us. It could be family or close friends. We should therefore be careful in our dealings to minimise any hurt.

3. “Owuo atwedeɛ, baakofoɔ mforo“

Literal meaning: Death’s ladder, one person alone does not climb

Interpretation: Death will certainly befall everyone. We have to learn to humble ourselves and live a good life on earth. Afterall we are all just temporarily resident on this earth.

Asetena pa ma awerefie

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4. “Prayɛ, sɛ woyi baako a na ebu; wokabomu a emmu“

Literal meaning: A broom, when you take out a single strand it breaks but when you put it together it never breaks

Interpretation: Teamwork promotes strength. Together we indeed stand!

5. “Asetena pa ma awerefie”

Literal meaning: Good living leads to forgetfulness

Interpretation: Once takes a good turn in our lives, we tend to forget our roots. We should learn to lift others up when we rise up the ladder of life.

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