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ASHANTI PROVERBS
(THE PRIMITIVE ETHICS OF A SAVAGE PEOPLE)
R.
SUTHERLAND RATTRAY
F.R.G.S., F.R.A.I.
AUTHOR OF
'
HAUSA FOLK-LORE
',
'
CHINYANJA FOLK-LORE
'
WITH A PREFACE BY
SIR
HUGH
CLIFFORD, K.C.M.G.
OXFORD
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
1916
Kb
A^^2.Z^\
OXFOED UNIVEKSITY PEESS
LONDON EDINBURGH GLASGOW NEW YOKK
TORONTO MELBOURNE BOMBAY
HUMPHREY MILFORD
M.A.
PREFACE
In preparing this volume, to which he has asked
me
to
who
further discoveries.
PM
said
difficulty
Z
^
hendmg
it is
probable that
West African
Orientalists of
many
more
and
their
All the
common.
The philosophies
many
now
to make
is
its
own
in
some
sort the
A 2
PREFACE
Asiatics,
influ-
The
literatures
little
known
to the
Asiatic people.
rank and
and
A far
more
by those
who
faithful mirror of
to be
is
any
of
of exceptional minds,
file
In
peasants
may
has what
The attitude
mind
to
illiterate
of
is
is filled
An
and
is
any
discussion
by reason
summing up
that the
upon which
man who
can
it
qiiote
bears.
And
upon argument.
large as their use
is
Asiatic peasant
as
is,
the
it
man who
number
constant.
Thus
has in debate
of its antiquity,
it
among
at once guided
much
of
to pass
Orientals
relies principally
of these proverbs is as
The speech
of the average
mind
comes
and
his
thought
it is
not too
the East with force and finish unless these wise saws have
From them
is
an
PREFACE
and
character,
their philosophy.
West
Africa,
where no
wherefore a study of
of their character
Europeans.
to
It is
this
which gives a
fact
special
value
is
Many
somewhat
be found to be
the meaning of
is
interpreting for us
it
'
and
When
a fool
rather daunting
is
told a proverb,
'.
If this
West Africa
cryptic,
dictum that
of
is
differs
which
is
characterized.
On
it is
the European
mind
many of
as so trite
we
all.
At
which
to us
is
PREFACE
think, should
whet our
curiosity,
Our task
is
to
Both,
endeavour to understand
by which
ation because
chord in
this
To
us.
it
It is to those
who
commend Mr.
HUGH
London,
August
8,
1914.
CLIFFORD.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
In the year 1879 a book of Tshi Proverbs was published
by the Basel Evangelical Missionary Society. This work,
which was edited by the late Rev. J. G. Christaller, contained some 3,600 proverbs in use among the negroes of
the Gold Coast, speaking the Asante and Fante language
The collection, to use the words of the compiler, consisted
'
'.
of proverbs,
from
the oral
'
to the proverbs
'.
the language),
interesting
',
scholars.
The present
and more particularly to the late Rev. J. G. Christaller (whose name is worthy to rank with that of the late
Dr. Clement Scott, and with that of Mr. A. C. Madan, in
general,
AUTHOR'S NOTE
whom any
thanks from the larger public are now due. The task of
the present writer has been that of commentator and
translator only, from the materials collected by these
pioneers.
syntactical construction of
2. Some grammatical or
importance to the student of the language.
The notes that are added after each proverb are also for
these
two
The
classes of readers.
'
help out
'
or explain a proverb
when
necessary.
Any
An
almost
literal translation of
by the
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Every saying has been
inquiry
among
verified
and
re-verified
by actual
The
result of
All
among
by the
original
husbandmen.
They have been described by Ellis, and
Bowdich, and Cruikshank, some will say. They have been
contaminated (for to the anthropologist all civilization
affecting
his
pet
'
'
people or tribe
centuries of civilization,
English.
But
contamination) by
in the popular
with whom,
is
primitive
'
'
'
AUTHOR'S NOTE
10
less elaborate
'
'
tation as warriors
lived
influence
'
'
The writer has dug up neolithic axe-heads in and near many Ashanti
Vide paper on the Ejura celts by Profossor H. Balfour in
villages.
The
Society.
iii.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Major
with
11
Ellis,
all
The most
(as
bush villages,
not mingling with, or caring about, the new world which
is awaking for the younger generation
but it is this very
'
'
class,
among whom
many
real friends,
who
and
have possessed their own High God; yet this belief in
a Supreme Being marches side by side with that mode of
thought in which mankind, the beasts, and, to their mind,
animate nature, are all very much akin. That the present
religion (using that word even in the wide sense of Tjfylor's
')
that
'
',
seems to be indicated.
'
savage
'
or
'
primitive
'
people
could
possibly
have
AUTHOR'S NOTE
13
rude
possessed the
philosophers,
theologians,
moralists,
it
which
many
them.
These sayings would seem to be, to the writer, the very
soul of this people, as of a truth all such sayings really are.
They contain some thought which, when one, more eloquent
in the tribe than another, has expressed in words, all
who
own
nature.
say,
all
'
The
traveller
who
The writer
Clifford,
is
much
all
may
tell
'.
Hugh
This
is
so
courteously
and encourage-
shown
its
compiler.
ment has by most generous grants assisted in the publication of the writer's works, and he again has the honour
to thank the head of that Government, the Secretary of
State -for the Colonies for his most generous recognition
and encouragement of students of West African linguistics
and folk-lore.
Grateful acknowledgements are also due to the Delegates
of the Clarendon Press, who have once more laid its compiler under a deep obligation to them.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
13
July
7,
1914.
'
CHAPTER
A
Asasetereio,
Of all
elder.
Asase.
is
by imase^^owia
also expressed
ase,
under
May
Terew.
e is understood, as
and
',
'
is
wide
or, if
but
is
the piououn
'.
iVia.
'
a verb,
tlie
word or
conjunction
clause.
of
man.
For
this reason
no
offered to him,
was
sacrifice
consequently no form
There were no priests for Nyankupon
All the rites and
established.
of worship for Nyankupon was
,
new
rites for a
new
deity.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
18
him
Now
the
first
opinion,
and
as
the
beliefs
result of independent
such as
this,
would be
ing to reveal.
Had
the
as
guage
it,
is
Such a knowledge
of a lan-
which might
dictionary, or
fit
some such
treatise.
late
found wanting.
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
that this
'High God'
product of European
the
is
may
age and
19
(i.e.
i.e. the
Dutch,
Coast, it is
much remoter
'
',
or whatever title he be
known
by, be not
'
th'e
thinly disguised
Jehovah of the Christians, but the Allah (which name was itself
that of a famous 'fetish') of the Mohammedans.
But even this
extension of some hundreds of years to the
life
of this
'
High God
'
The names then of this High God, Supreme Being, God, Creator,
we choose to assign to him, are
1. Onyhme.
Deriv. given by natives, onya, to get, andne, to be
full, satiated, (bymetonymy thesky, which is looked on as his abode).
The derivation of this word as Onycime-nko-pgn
2. Onyankopon.
(Onyime, alone, great one) seems borne out by noting the word
or whatever title
in the
Akyem
dialect,
where
it is
great).
3.
Tweaduampgn.
The derivation of
Bgre-Bgre.
fall).
make
things). Creator.
what
8.
as the equivalent of
Ananse kokorko.
'
inventor
'.
see note
on No. 175 on
ananse.
villages,
missionary influence,
E 2
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
30
known
references
to
among
tlie
among
selves than
new
influences
grown up among
first
much
it
(Portuguese
'
up a picture
conjures
fetishism
This name
hideous idols, yet minute inquiry will serve to show that the underlying idea in these
is
almost monotlieistic in
conception (see
if
BO,
its
known among
universally
is
me 1
to
away up
of above.)
Na
afei,
a nnipa ntumi
mmanom nhmd
kyeree ne
mom/a
to relate
how
mmeh
se'
Onyankoiigh
bio,
him
aberewa no ka
mohfwefwe nwaduru
j)l
mera na
Na ampa
toatoa
no,
so,
wonnya
mma
no
se,
'
ASHAMTI PROVERBS
21
'.
'
all
all
the mortars they could find and bring them, and pile one on top of
another,
till
And
so her
they could not get the one required anywhere, their grandmother,
woman, told her children, saying, " Take one out from
the bottom and put it on top to make them reach ".
So her
children removed a single one, and all rolled and fell to the
ground, causing the death of many people.'
(Many other legends
could be given, and the writer hopes to give a selection in some
future work on the folk-lore of .these people, the present volume
that
is
the old
To
say, as the
priests for
Onyankopon
<
was
heading of
'
it is
is
'.
whom you
Ask any
fetish priest,
visit the
image or a mound of
fetish priest, save
mark
have persuaded
spirit,
i.
you, for
mud daubed
e.
to allow
fetish, of
what you
with blood
is
you to
whom
see as a
he
is
wooden
exactly such
to the
been in the past and being the possible future, not necessarily
whence
is
it
what he
is,
and
And
this
1 7),
its
power.
His obosom, or
it
may
ASHANTI PKOVERBS
23
/ let us
(the
number of
fetishes are
is
a newly-captured deity,
He
will
tell
to
it
new surroundings
its
a dog chained up
perhaps for a day or so when taken away from his master, to a new
'
it
'
Onyankopon tumi
home).
If
is
'
he captured, he caunot
or
',
'
tell,
hgnhgn
',
Onyankopon
And this is
the supposed origin of every fetish
they come from, and have their
power only as part of the power ascribed to, Onyankopon. He is too
remote and too powerful to directly have dealings with mankind,
that
is,
'
mana
of
'.
trained
little
there,
really
we
y( of
is.
It
must be
ascribe to
Ony^me
God
for a
Onyankopon
good or misspent
who have
is
no sign that
though the
would seem to
life,
lived on earth
to render
Onyankopon
is also rendered.
In every village
be seen a tree or stick terminating in three forks,
which form a stand on which a pot or gourd is set. The name of
in Ashanti
may
this stick is
power to his
given, would
fetish.
also
directly to
seem
tree.
Onykme.
In the
pot, dish, or
Onyime
to give increased
for a fetish,
one that
is often
Onyankoimh okyeame,
a ceremony
'
'
'
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
23
women and
village
'
girls of the
new
and singing
Oseee I yei I
'Yd!'
Thoeadiuimpon eee'
'
Yedase o !
'
Amen
'
'.
Hurrah, yei
'
Yei
'
shout
'
translate thus
'
'.
down
lie
See note on
at your feet.
No. 712).
'
Saturday.'
'
amen
'
thinking to be the Heb. dm,en, and the whole song would at once
origin.
known
saying, Obi
kwan
of the saying
',
given
is,
that
'
We.
'
is
a well-
No
man's
no
interpretation
and
This
kwan mu,
with
supplies the
subject
its
want
Ashanti language).
the elder, not
Panyin.
an
a certain definiteness
which
almost
Onydme ne
elder,
jyanyin,
Deriv. nyin, to
grow up
(the
word used
for
'
is
ye.
to reach
ASHANTi PROVERBS
24
puberty
senses,
and
'),
e.
g.
and as a term of
Panyih.
2.
TFope oka
If
long lived.
a2)a, old,
one who
of the
is full
respect.
you wish
a,
is
ka kyere mframa.
to tell
the Oboroni
(2656)
tell it to the
winds.
This verb
Wojae.
is
either followed
by
and
se,
Onyankopgn.
Mframa.
3.
No
(227)
one shows a child the sky.
Onycime.
Here the
Little children
who
lie
sky,
the
it
There
but as
possess,
not see
'
No
tells
it,
and which
it
may
even
all
it
it
is
4.
merely directed to
it,
this
is,
him
He
exists
'
(but
cf.
No.
7).
onim atono
a,
Onyhme na
okyeree no.
(234)
No one
to forge, it
is
how
to forge
if
he knows
how
Na.
For
Okyeree.
5.
Onyankopgn
1,
na.
amma
asonomfoa katakyi
biribi a,
omaa no ahodannan.
(2547)
If the
swiftness in turning.
else.
He
gave
it
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Asonomfda.
Also asomfona.
25
Omaa,
Amma is
Past tense.
AMdannah,
perfect.
daii, lit.
self-turning.
6.
Osansa
se,
Ade a Onyame aye nlnna ye'
(2777)
The hawk (poised aloft) says, All things that the Supreme Being
'
'
made
Me
'.
Perfect tense.
Aye.
7.
(2023)
I,
who
lie
my
on
who
Supreme
see the
your belly
Cf.
No.
3,
distinctly
is
the other
saying.
Ayannya.
i.e.
8.
the back.
0nyanhdfghmpeasernriMne,ntinaohyedin7nmiakd-'mmiakd. (2548)
He gave
Because the Supreme Being did not wish any bad words.
a
name
Asemmone.
doubled.
Nti
Asem-bone,
by one.
the
is
elided
= eno nti.
to
you cannot be
avoided.
Nkrabea.
destiny.
much
believers in
Mohammedan.
is
it
known
to no one else,
ASHANTI PROVERBS
26
to.
saying,
of the
or
There
'
this ghra
reincarnation
is
The reincarnated
way
we now
spirit world,
It
is
thought
is
said of a ghost
which
is
Such a ghost
spirits,
same as gsaman-twen-twen
is
not
The
(q. v.
As long
as a
man
is alive,
his gkra
and how
it.is
regarded
it
it
more
after death
spirit.
is
There
is
being attached to
it.
It is rather the bearer of luck, good or bad
on soul washing, No. 147, n^ii asumguarede).
This word gkra is also a common name for the cat (see note on
(see note
throw some
light
on
its
meaning.
destiny referred
to
above
is
as
follows.
Onyankopon gave a soul which was setting out for earth two
bundles, a large and a slightly smaller one.
The soul was told to
hand over one of the parcels, the larger, to another soul which it
would
find
The
soul to
whom
these destiny
it
had
ASHANTI PROVERBS
On
now an incarnated
27
wrong one)
it
In other words,
the destiny of one was poverty, while the other was born a rich man.
story end here, for when the person died and returned
Onyankopon and complained of the fate that had been assigned to
it in life, Onyankdjpqn blamed it for having changed these destinies,
its own and that of another entrusted to it.
This myth is of value
as showing that the ohra is supposed to come from Onyanhd^^h
to
Kwaiihea.
10.
is
Neg. of wg,
Nni.
hea.
fate
(lit.
ordained, a
Adi
human being
Di asem
asie.
'
sie, is
sie,
words beforehand
Note
'.
A person,
Oteasefo.
11.
Onyantdofon iikum
lit.
wo na odasani
i.
{oteasefo')
e.
on earth.
hum
wo, wv/hwu.
(2546)
If the
kill
kills
you,
this saying is
9),
him
human being
fails to
12.
kills
be able to do
you
so,
'
When
a
the
after which
Again,
man
it
haunt
has permission
it
may mean
as
and
'
to
but
when he
tries to kill you
Onyankopon had not yet ordained it.
is full,
ma na
'
',
oteasefo
ka gu
a,
ohyia
wo
so
(2545)
Supreme Being
human being
fills
it
awa^',
full of
He
will
wine and
fill it
up
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
28
13.
Onyclmi
ma wo
If the
yare
a,
oma wo aduru.
(2540)
He
sickness,
(also) gives
you
medicine.
Perhaps from
Adii/ru.
To aduru,
i. e.
root
to poison.
medicine
leaf,
Atuduru
= atuo-
It
arms.
Na.
'
thing.
Fufu.
Fufu
is
(the
Ma.
15.
for
'.
men
All
tlie
16.
'
give
of
mma,
obi
',
(first boiled),
'
to
nye asase
ha.
(2436)
is
a child of
earth.
Him.
Odomankoma. See note on No. 1, OnyhmJe.
Owu. Death is personified among the Ashantis as a
a skull with empty eye-sockets hut having ears attached.
kill
skeleton,
(Hence
17.
power of death.
a, ose
'
Eye
srade
(615)
The
Ohosom.
Commonly
called a
'
fetidi
'
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
fetiche,
29
derivation
stone,
of the
'
fetish
This
'.
a mountain or a river.
which has
Onyankopon
its
origin from
'
fetish
is
'
to the habitation
a wooden idol to
a spirit or
(see note
'
power
on No.
1,
'
(tumi)
Onyctme).
e. g.
widely known.
73),
'
in
',
many
which are
cult.
fetish is not
natural or
It only
which
artificial,
it is
supposed to favour as
abode, j/
its habitation.
by the tinkling of
dance.
When
summoned
thus
it will
own
there of its
known
who
It
it.
is
is
and purposes a
rest
fetish
tree, till
is
mean
acceptable
It
one
home
must be
who has
'
'
it.
for it once
the fetish
own
is
priests
captured.
may be
tem-
It is
able to
make an
more.
died,
and
form
The writer
only knows of one case where confusion might arise, where the
spirit
of a dead
man
is
spirit of a chief,
Mampon
'
At
tree.
who
Adai,
is
said
entered a tree
'
life,
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
30
(Spirits of
summoned and
propitiated
',
owing
see notes
on
to the greater
local,
wearer alone.
to the
sumaii would
^eem
own from
its
belief of these
2.
Abosom.
'
Fetishes
',
i.
e. spirit,
power,
mana from
or of the
Supreme Being.
3.
Minor
Suman.
deities,
deriving
their
power
from
the
abosom.
4.
6.
(see note
6.
Bayifo.
56).
7.
Bonsam,
No. 56,
'
Monsters,, half
(see
note on
common
sasabonsdm,').
Fetishes
'
man pours
'.
'
his
own
district.
Many
are followers of
Botoku, Aleko,
Kompi,
The
Tanng
Tanng-KonJcroma
a.m]
(a conjunction of
Obqfiri.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
y^ belief
in transmigration is not
31
unknown, though
case
Neg. of wg.
Onnii.
A generic term,
Giian.
is
especially
meant
to
When
either
Emphatic
Na.
Ahoade.
It
(see note
is
common
on No.
the one
is
1).
among
practice
these natives to
vow
the requests
to it
it
being
fulfilled.
19.
The
fetish Kyere's
cow
is
down the
not taken
The
Wgmfa mfa.
first
verb
is
is
not led
it.
Note
is positive.
(618)
Anim.
go before the
fetish,
the power of
that
is
nso
One goes
and
found to take
is
20.
street,
afihyiri,.
of one's
the
ovm accord
fetish
is
to consult it
invoked
so,
implies
on or against
the
person.
Wgkg
no.
itself contains
Mjpermsa.
21.
Ohosom
One
is
So.
so,
Li
yehkg no m2)erensa.
(619)
The meaning
person
who
is
is,
up
before
it.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
32
22,
It
dancing.
Emphatic
iVa.
less
Okgmfo
1.
and smears
spirit,
it
is
the priest to a
'
fetish
the rece2>tacle
ha.
More
or
is
The gkgmfo
dance).
'
on No.
Akgmfg.
prepared/or
it
may
he called
he tends
',
it
its
abode
acceptable to the
it.
The bowl, idol, pot, stone, &c., which the fetish may be called to
an empty nothing till the fetish priest summons the fetish
This he does by tinkling a bell, drumming, and,
to enter it.
most important of all, by dancing. He will know when the spirit
(not that of any man or woman of course) has taken up its abode
enter is
in the
body provided
for it
by being
shakings.
When
this hapi^ens,
is
it.
The gkgmfo then addresses the s])irit and gives its answers to those
who have come to consult it. The akgmfo are very frequently
women. A period of training, from two to three years, has to be
undergone before a man or
a
The
fetish.
results
may
office is
a custodian of
words prove
false.
memory
district the
of priests
present
when the
must be done
priests
were led
to cuie him.
in
things,
her confreres,
who
all
promptly put
to
death.
Besides tending the fetish and his local habitation and intei-pret-
ASHANTI PROVERBS
33
ing his words, the fetish priest uses and consults lots (see note
Dancing,
is
to,
The
all fetishes.
appear to have a
the bodily and spiritual welfare of his particular spirit, but also
dances, and interprets its utterances, the gsofo or ohosomfo
would
influence,
that of
men
Fetish
or prophecies.
Aguna
is
to
occupy important
stools,
e.g.
(For notes on fetishes see No. 55, Tanno, and No. 73, Krakye
Dente.)
Ekyere.
pronoun
e for
(621)
predestined to be burned,
is
it will
be burned.
Lit. the fetish lizard,
Obosomakefere.
It
is
the chameleon,
why
so
though
why
Hye
24.
The
ohye.
is
is
of destiny.
second
verb
first
is
the
bum.
Ohosomp.
Nkonim,
nkogu.
scatter, disperse.
25.
Mg
sihyi
o, etg
Whether the
going to
1
AQS
mfuaii
o,
die falls
kill
,[l
j9^
ASHANTI PROVERBS
34
Sikyi, rtifuate.
.
|
sikyi is plain
The
cross lines
Mfuate
'
is
line
"|
L,
of
osu, rain
16, owu).
pool.
27.
carrier's
Nni.
Imperative
Nkontoro.
fetish priest.
see note
the
suffix fo,
a,
wodi
atoro.
(1699)
When
'
y
c.
Aduasa.
j
29.
arms.
A
de ne ti pern dan, i. e.
knocks his head against a house '. These sayings show that the
akgmfo also combine with their other duties the art of jugglery and
self-inflicted punishment.
Cf. the Indian fakir.
.
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
30. Ohi nkyere okomfo ha akgm,
No one shows
35
(229)
how
to dance.
Kgm.
'
31.
a, aiika
would
it
?
(1661)
be taken and
Yede= Wgde.
&c., &c., in
to
32.
their
summoned
temporary abode.
good
(real)
charms.
Aduru.
Pa.
as
No
(169)
Mfa,
nsisi.
Note
this,
at
first
sight, confusing
and peculiar
',
'
'
totally
two or more
first in
order
No
One
English idiom.
one tells a man to strike and kill another.
In Ashanti the construction would be One does not tell a man,
one does not strike, one does not kill another.
This has no doubt been the original full construction and is
No
C 3
ASHANTI PROVERBS
36
and grammar
of
common
of the
came
all
with the
first
verb
thus
which seem
'
34.
Komfo.
Oteasefo
It
is
half as expert
'
the living
man who
is
'.
(3215)
gt6.
Oteasefo.
Na.
Asamah
who has
died.
which
the abode of
is
deities or
is
which
is
1,
Onyhme).
earth, though
it
may
of one
is
temporarily leave
man
'
class of
fetishes
'
The osaman
in a
man
(see
is
minor
note on
not a
during his
soul,
life
on
on qkra,
9,
under nkrabea).
2.
Osamah-twen-twen.
3.
Otqfq.
The
Lit.
spirit of a
'
man
killed, or
who met
'.
his death by
accident.
Osamah-pa.
A man may
may
die in a village,
continue
spirit is
without another
The
and
all to live
ASHANTI PROVERBS
A
Osamah-twen-twen.
37
by living persons.
To explain
common
this
of ghosts it
class
belief held
has
as
first,
necessary to recount a
is
by the natives.
it
'
fetish
'
Brukum,
its
Togoland.
informed
spirit is
if it is to
go to the spirit
where a man
is
haunts
till
that time
is
and
men
for ever
then becomes
It does
generally,
'
is
is
is
Such a
clear).
spirit
and confines
is
shy
The saman
frightening people.
itself to
has been fulfilled eventually disappears to the world where all the
spirits live.
Even
world of the
An
'
fetishes
is
all
is
is
it
not
'.
happen
to be about (also
and such
some
The
have severed
to
Hence manes-worship
living.
abosom,
necessarily considered
'
fetishes
The
'
Food
is
constantly
spirit of a relation to
').
for
fetish
',
whom
'
fetish
illness
summoned from
note on akonhua).
',
388,
are supposed to
have certain limited powers after death (see note on No. 131,
homrmfo).
for
'
to
haunt
'
is sesa
or sasa.
It
must be noted
[,'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
38
there
is
way
them
dict or permit
and
also to launch
a soul {ohra rather than saman) again into the world of men, reincarnation in fact.
Ghosts
are, curiously
enough,
when
human
visible to the
supposed to be
is
felt
by
eye,
The near
peculiar
its
Ron
To long
do.
for, to love.
for, lust
Lit.
'
to swell
',
of the
neck.
are the only words in the language to express the sentiment love.
In
a
this
of the
of
expressions which, having with us a psychological or emotional connexion, are interpreted by the savage in terms purely physiological.
A whole
make
European
for the
35.
Woye me-nho-medi
'
If
you are an
Wunya
'
this
difficulty
to master.
'
a,
wunya osamaA
eat-by-myself
nhui.
Note
'
nhui.
(3571)
nya
coupled with the verbal noun (formed by the nasal prefix), giving
the idea of repeated action to the verb, here translated by 'often'.
The
Osaman.
Osaman
is
original
text
asaman the
a spirit,
spirit world.
The
is
an
error,
supposed to join the living (unseen) when the latter are eating.
36.
Osaman-pa hyira ne
A
37.
good
ha.
(2759)
Nsamampow mu
Bent stick
is
is
it.
soduru,
wo
wt
wu
a, ico
abusua asd.
(2760)
is
dead that
Nsamampow.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Soduru.
the
soil.
39
thus
Wo
wu a. Lit. when your mother dies, in this case when
the parent tree, on which the hooked stick grows, is out or falls
down.
The saying is allegorical and means that when a child loses its
mother it has lost the head of its family. Descent is traced through
the mother, and stools, property, &c., pass, not to the son, but to
brothers (see note on
Ni.
abuma
below).
Mother.
whom
a particular
relations,
name
applies
|English.
A. E7M{^\u.ena,noin), Mother.
(1)
name
sister. (3)
other wives.
Also sometimes
used as term of respect even
when no relationship exists.
(See I.)
B. Agya, or
Father.
ose.
tionship.
C. Onua, deriv.
wa, oni ha
om
(lit.
Sister
or
Brother.
(1)
Own
same mother
only).
(2)
Own
mother's child).
table.)
D. Agya
ha
(lit.
Half-brother
father's child).
or half-sister.
Kunu
Husband.
(See
child.
B.
{pkwmi).
in table.)
ASHANTI PROVERBS
40
Ashanti.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
The following legend
Ahusua.
is
41
common among
the Ashantis
They derive
it
who had
king of Adanse
'
Abu
him
pay the
to
went
all
him
children rendered
assistance to
pay
belongings to
(The above
copying Abu).'
lit.
But Abu's
and
them. Other
mother's relatives.
him and
fine
off to their
^''-^
asked his
is
a literal
This
an excellent example of an
is
Ashantis,
who now
The
myth.
aetiological
myth
amusing
strikes
mother s
tale, for
relatives.
is
off io the
known
The law of succession (to stools and property and clan name)
among this people is as follows
The direct heir is (1) the eldest brother by the same mother.
:
may
is
line, (4)
sister,
is class
This, however,
is
Nvwamma
There
nsae
a,
is
even a well-known
of a
nephew
'
When
does not
ASHANTI PROVERBS
42
Many
manner the
Ahusua means
Each clan
is
is
it is
always inherited
The
exogamous.
classificatory
might seem
to point to a past
The
Oyoko.
Asona,
Abrade.
Agona,
Biretuo.
Asene.
Asakyinfo.
Some
would seem
to
mean red
earth.
Each and
all
may
Oyoko
necessitate the
mines
of the
this).
An
Nyado ntoh
bathed by the
it
women
folk
hammock
it.
They
also
beg
its
pardon.
on a mat,
held over
A man
Should he accidentally
It is
human being
are
then carried in a
The python
crocodile.
his killing
is
the leopard sacred happens to be near, the latter person will beg
permission to take
exogamous, that
is,
ASHANTI PROVERBS
abusua seems
to
form of greeting
special
Each
(in
43
Each nton
class
has
its
own
answering a salutation).
'soul washing',
ceremony.
sacrifice to
accompany that
As osaman
Osamane.
A shrub
Nwihikn.
39.
Osaman
ne nsa hyia wo
tee
shrub.
Ahyem
dialect.
leaves.
wopono wo de mu.
a,
'
(2763)
When a ghost puts forth its hand to greet you, you draw your's back.
Wopono. Pono, lit. to bend. Hand shaking as a salutation
appears to have been a native custom before the advent of Euro-
When
peans.
his
to left.
(2764)
teasefo ansa-na wadidi.
ghost does not wait for the living to begin to eat before
it
begins
power
to partake.
Teas^o.
41.
Asamah nni
hirihi a,
ewo nhyehye-wo-dkyi.
(2765)
name.
of its
The underworld
Asaman.
No. 35).
This saying is difficult to render literally.
Nliyehye-wo-dhyi.
Hyehye-wo-dhyi, boast of your back, i.e. of whom or what is behind
of
you, as for instance where a man would claim to be the subject
he
hands
whose
into
some powerful chief to prevent a lesser chief,
had
fallen,
So
here,
spirit
held
world, about which people do not know much, but which is
them
cause
men
and
living
haunt
and
in dread, as spirits can come
who
sickness and even death. So this saying is quoted of a person
avenge
will
who
and
will
do
he
what
to
makes vague allusions as
him
if
he
is
interfered with.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
44
42.
mma. (2767)
not a place one can
The
spirit
world
is
-visit
Mma,
nsisi.
neg. of ba.
(2768)
Things cannot be sent to the spirit world
44.
Asamantawa
When
it
the
'
se
enim
spirit
})ae a, ete se
(Meaning obscure.)
(?).
'
at best
(if as well
even as that).
The tawa, or
when ripe burst with
Asamantawa.
pods which
as tawa-2)a, the
an
atd, is a tree
inferior kind,
known
'
fit
for
human consumption
tree
(the seeds of
the tawa-pa are eaten), but the inferior species are good enough for
The same
idea
is
is
(cf.
Onijya
mm
When
back
Wq.
in
{wo) saniam.2>gw
man
mu
a,
womfd no
mma
to the
home
is
not brought
again.
Womfd, mma.
(2416)
ojte bio.
he
Translate
'
in
'
or 'at'
14).
by the
passi^'e.
a,
womfa wo nsa
nto
mu.
(914)
If you are not going to partake of the spirits' food, do not put your
hand
in
it.
Saman aduan.
47.
Food
a, ekita
wo.
(655)
it
(kill you).
Sumdn.
Asumammd.
you
ASHANTI PROVERBS
48.
Opanyih.
49.
Suman
more potent
ripe experience is
guardian deity.
little
na
charm
is
43
eye anitade.
good
for
(3114)
nothing else,
it
is
at
any
rate an adornment.
Mm,
Arriiade.
to dress, adorn,
and
ade, thing.
so a, enye
nnam.
(2306)
There
is
sit
it
make
it
To blow out
Hinam.
of propitiation.
'
common form
soul washing
',
No. 147.)
see
who when
51.
An
nnam.
mouth
in this way.
'
like causes
like'
Obi
rika se,
'
'.
(162)
No
52.
Wo
If
kra nye
na wunya
a,
your soul
is
company
'
Asafo.
who has
it,
whom therefore
me life'and health
died (and
saying, 'Give
'.
(1760)
fall into
the hands of a
'.
union or company of
among
their
men banded
together under
number by popular
vote, to
mind
to
upon which
all
are of one
work
other,
a plantation.
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
46
stated,
flag,
is
given a name, generally one explaining the raison d'etre for the
amalgamation.
names.
IKyiriamim, We
'
Ajiesemalca,
A;pagya,
'
'
We
hate greediness
'.
Strike a light
'
note on
dqufh).
may run
one
foul
may have
one
of,
whom
when a whole
individual,
a chance, but
Kra.
Amanne=:Oman-ade.
53. Nkrahea
nhma nsL
on your
all
is little
9,
nkrahea.
Oman,
on No. 474.
see note
(1762)
Nkrahea.
54.
9,
nkrahea.
a,
wo ahufaw.
gfa
(776)
(your soul)
it,
Wode
fail to fulfil
a fowl.
kav).
Lit.
owe a debt
to,
i. e.
e. g.
a promise to
Note
dan kaw,
to sue
Woantua.
Ahufuw.
55.
Perfect tense.
Lit. swelling of the chest,
No
lots
one.
kgn
do, q.v.
fetishes
No. 34.
(222)
Tannq.
cf.
fetish in
(lit.
Tannq).
The
sacrifice
it
has
its
abode.
supposed by some
No.
1),
it
and being
ASHANTI PROVERBS
47
for
grass lands.
'
or
',
'
whose name
rise
is
hate
',
Tanno Konhroma.
i. e.
The water
owing
fetishes all
e.
g.
of the
from the
The
river.
The Tanno
the
fish in
all
name
is
sometimes used
fetishes, as in the
saying here
quoted.
Aha.
nkq.
Nkivati,
of various
Lots,
kinds,
see No.
33,
mfa,
attached to the ends, aJcamatwe {see No. 412), and dice (see note
on No. 25,
sikyi), a
sometimes a stone
celt,
in
it.
The consulting of
nsuoyd.
men, dvMsihfo,
medicines,
who
lit.
also
lots is
'root folk',
i.e.
This last
is called
persons
who dig
oracle man.
56.
Sasabonsdm ho ayi
When
a, osoe obayifofi.
(2782)
a witch's house.
Sasahmisdm.
Deriv.
honsam, a
devil, or
evil
human
Its
its
is
is
not
spirit).
evil
{oye no sdsa).
ASHANTI PROVERBS
48
The asasabonsani
depths of the
is
forest,
is
little
sasabonsam.
sasabonsam kyew.
called
i.
devil's
e.
hat.
Ayi.
Burial, funeral.
(For
The grave
home.)
or screened
The body
is
is
(Of. the
Chinyanja mvdzi,
Chiefs and
off.
is
men
is
it
see
feet
were
village
'
'
or
then fenced
die,
and travel
great
work
of the gbayifo.)
These
be known by having sharp shifty eyes, that are never at rest, also
by showing an undue interest in food, and always talking about
it, especially meat, and hanging about
when cooking is going on,
all of which habits are therefore purposely
avoided.
A man will
hoping thereby
tell, is
to
raw meat
may
be
a witch or wizard.
to
among
the
ASHANTI PROVERBS
49
i.
e.
the
'
of.
down
57.
Sasahonsdm
odum
When
te use,
se osi
odv/m atifma
(2783)
a sasahonsdm devil
wizard,
tree,
monkeys as
Menne.
Lit.
its fruit.
I do not mention
The odum
Odum,.
The odum
neg. of de.
The
ohayifo,
may
spirit
An
also, as
its
An odum
dwell.
tree that
universally
making
Sawyers,
stools.
who
The following
word dunsin, a stump,
of the
posed origin of
trees
its
is
(Cf. sup-
When
the
all
name
Later
to.
firewood,
on, however, as the trees found themselves cut down for
even
and
untouched
stood
still
odum
the
while
building, &c., &c,,
reverenced,
it
is
interesting to
note
'.
and
sin,
late,
took
its
little
name,
i.e.
a piece or fragment.
long
for
'
they
ASHANTI PROVERBS
50
Big prices
aside,
Mmoatia.
first tried to
prevent tapping.
man monkey,
half-mythical
supposed to be ex-
58. Se odum
When
ho
osi
a, ose
oye Otanng,
Odum.
it
....
Obonsam.
akum wo na
Otvu a
dbesi so
Otanng.
59.
na obonsam
there, it declares it is
ne
wo agya wg ho
a,
wunnye din
se,
'Aha mo
nho'.
When
(3477)
Death which has killed your mother and your father
Owu.
want
'
to complete his
Na, agya.
No. 37.
Wunnye
name of.
.
eo.
work
For Ashauti
Wunnye,
din.
Death, personified,
is blind
neg. of gye,
ni,
-the
lit.
'
ni
awu
',
na
sm
'.
killed
are dead
',
but weep
Owu bekum wo na
'.
'
Owu
adare
nngw fako.
(3481)
'.
weep, saying,
62.
there
of destruction.
is
I alone remain
classificatory
'
61.
'
Owu
nhind ye owu.
(3483)
All the different forms Death takes are just the one
Death.
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
64.
51
goes
off to
Asaman.
65.
Ovm
wo adwwma-ye
ne wo ase hye
some work,
66.
it is
woman
'
se,
Fwe aberevja
'
(take her)
day
'
is
an
se,
to
its
'
(2485)
you to do
first.
say,
it
for
(3486)
Look, there
it,
Se.
de na wokg kan.
Ovm to wo a, vmnse no
When Death overtakes
old
owu
a,
Were
that'.
see note
on
nsisi.
An
Aherewa.
Ovm wg
Ovm
nye ^a na wgadi
Death
is
(3487)
mu
ahyemfiri.
(3493)
again.
Ahyemfiri,
69.
'
'
am
ne',
na yede ye ayie
am
(3494)
Wurewu a, wunse
When
am
se,
'
Mirewu
mirewu o
'
(3495)
am dying
71.
dying
Oh, I
'
If one could
stop
there.
72.
N'ea wahintiw
When
man
awu
no,
ase.
(2170)
Awu.
Subjunctive mood.
D 2
ASHANTI PROVERBS
52
Woiitutu, nkg.
73.
nsisi.
Ayi.
nye.
is
neither
is
of,
Krakye Dente.
Probably after Tanno (see No. 55, Tanng),
Krakye Dente.
priest
is
of
German Togoland.
The spot, which the writer once
once
visited, is situated in
At
it.
tall,
a grove
mound about
seven
made
the sacrifices
and swept
to
cliff,
it.
the grove
itself
cliff,
opening.
The entrance
up
this
is
leads
One has
front mentioned.
to wait quite
a considerable time
before entering the inner cave to allow thousands of bats to fly out.
The
floor of
is
who come
up
face
who
sits in
the partially
of the rock.
in
among
up mass
(Of. the
Delphic oracle.)
is
priest resided
some hundreds
The
fetish priest
lived
in
a cave there.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
by a man, who, when the
violated
priest
53
man
first
left
to Agogo,
his
language
see note
74.
on No.
Obayifo ha
When a
wu
A witch is
which in the
a, eye
no
yav).
(59)
makes her
sad.
Obayifo oreko
ani.
',
17, ghosom.
Obayifo.
75.
For
Dente.
is
Date
'
e !
obayifo qrekq e !
(60)
passing
a witch
is
na wonye
passing
obayifo a, wuntiva
(some one
cries),
but
if
wo
you
The sorcerer
(even) a
who
him who
kills
eats
eats
(61)
little piece.
Efunu a
ebesi
nnim
sudew.
(1163)
is
cares
The custom
of
'
'
(afunsoa)
when
the cause
open stretcher
laid,
is
made
An
being surrounded by
damdram
is
one sees so frequently in Ashanti and along the line from Seccondee
man
corpse, saying,
'
on me and knock
(si)
me'.
killed
when
him with the
And
who
up
till
litter.
person so accused
CHAPTEE
Wild Animals,
&c.
II
se,
The monkey
'
Oberan
says,
Kpntromfi.
'
wu
inie
hoho
Other names
tail'),
'.
Tortoise,
(1717)
adu,
(the dog-faced
'.
monkeys
are
baboon),
efo,
There are
least is
worthy of
stories about
even their rude philologists, and showing that they have that innate
them
suffix
Mampon-fo; adwuma-fo,
ponding
to fo
(correctly
(which
is
/o=e/o
Sec, &c.
plural) is ni,
e. g.
Asantefo;
onijia, a man.
Monkeys are supposed to have got their tails in the following
way
The Creator {Odomankoma, see No. 1) made men, monkeys,
and tails, &c., &c. (the tails apart from monkeys). The monkeys,
after the habit of their kind, would pick up the various things lying
about that Odomankoma had made, among other things they kept
playing with were the tails.
One monkey, picking one up, stuck
it on behind him, when all the rest copied him.
When they tried
to take them off again, they found they had grown on, and they
:
ASHANTI PROVERBS
79. Koniromfi
80. Kontromfi
says,
se,
The monkey
my
ampa
now
'.
eyes
Wa
Aniwa.
little
eyes
81.
82. Kontromfi
wo'.
gbosom.
1 7,
Nsu
se,
ohm
Anim,
For
se,
'
Wohye m'afonom'
se
(1719)
a,
space.
on No. 78.
'
If you
fill
up
my cheeks
'.
Subjunctive mood.
monkey has a
and attach
Hama.
word
(1720)
Maha, makyere.
Yenim
We know
lit.
Adi^adiwo, an open
adi.
83.
it
neck, but
to its waist.
Lit. a creeper,
N'asenmu,.
A sen,
the waist.
vowel which
is
all
generally omitted)
is
is
Ani
'.
Akyeafo.
(1721)
surprise and enemies)
ne.
1,
Ayi
'.
is
for face.
Kontromft
'.
used
(1718)
I shall really
'
and as ani
'.
Me suman ne m aniwa
My talisman (against
Ne.
'
'
Tie
"Well
'
says,
little
Suman.
Afei
'
se,
The monkey
55
in
a pot (g broad).
(P)sm, from sen, to surpass ( nasal).
{^A)sen, the waist ( between i and e).
2. {0)sen,
3.
4.
which
(in
ASHANTI PROVERBS
56
84. Ohi
No
tamarind (?),
Nhye
see note
eye
mma,
is
son.
(195)
'
se,
me
onni.
Jfea ewo
dea'.
(The gsoh,
(?) fruit.
85. Odtiahyen
The
nvma onni
iihye kontrornft
nsisi.
mafonom' nye me
dea,
(1026)
my cheek is not
is my very own
monkey)
says,
'
What
my
in
is
belly that
'.
Bua, a
Oduahyen.
Me
dea.
Dea,
me
as,
de.
This de
possessive pronouns.
This suffix de
is
is
parts,
future studies
much more
to learn dissyllabic
bulary a
roots
There
JVe to kg.
'),
is
'
its
a kind of
Wo
to kg,
'
wahu i (Have you seen, have you seen ?). The sounds made by
many birds and animals are put in words by the natives, and once one
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
has heard these sounds interpreted into words,
the sound
that
57
it is
easy to imagine
it
so very extraordinary,
and
quite
is
what they
88.
Mahu
say.
hontroTnfia ne yere
efa wo ho den
de,
(1445)
monkey whose wife has died and he has let his hair
grow long in consequence, but as far as you are concerned,
I have seen a
Bush-buck,
It
how
does
it
concern you
is
made.
its
The saying
is
is
(3029)
Cf.
no other animal
(to
compare with
it
in
and strength).
Lit. 'the big one', deriv. so, big,
Es6no.
he ;
is
the water
lit.
'
'.
time.
Nni.
Aboa.
An
life,
a creature
used of and
'
You
The word
beast
is
'.
want to
beast '.
insult a
name
of the animal,
call
him,
'
If you
'
man
ASHANTI PROVERBS
58
is
(still
(3028)
Bdmmgfd.
na adowa di panyin.
The elephant
is
big and bulky but the (little) duyker has most ex-
Kuntan.
heavy.
Adowa.
for pertness
species of duyker, in
and
cleverness.
wuram
a,
(3023)
bush '), then the
hi.
('
buffalo
beasts.
Neg. of wo.
Nni.
Wuram'.
Wura mu,
lit.
i.e.
The
or bush in particular.
growing where
plural
not wanted.
it is
The word
is
used
restricted to
means weeds,
i. e.
Ekwae, kwaem'
some grass
grass or bush
is
particularly
Anka.
Ye.
Obopgn.
When
afiri so a,
1, ne.
jygn a suffix
ehhuan.
meaning great,
is,
Many of the
large.
(3031)
Afiri.
afiri
Ahoa pgn,
it
it).
Sum
to set a trap.
se.
(1515)
Toothache breaks the elephant's tusk.
Okdka.
95.
Nea esono wui n'afikyiri no, ehg aliahah nhina sae. (2244)
Where an elephant died, all the leaves in his backyard were spoiled.
(Trampled down by people coming to cut up the meat.)
Wui.
Perfect tense.
N'afikyiri.
Lit.
back of house.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
96.
59
One
little
(lit.
a python, and gone out of your way to cut your master's hand,
will
you not be plucked from your handle and cast into some
way) ?
Nnua.
Neg. of gna.
Agua.
Subjunctive mood.
Wgnhgn
nto.
see
No.
33, mfa,
nsisi.
An
(3022)
Asawa.
berries, distinguished
When
(little)
a,
asdwa
wgnne mpakam-ma
an elephant
berries.
is thin,
that
gha.
(3024)
not to say
is
a.
its
fill
a hundred baskets.
Neg. of
Wgrvne.
a,
de.
wohnua no berew
Wonnua.
(3025)
not skinned on a palm
leaf.
Neg. of gua.
The oil-palm
Berew.
so.
is thin, it is
leaf.
is
(3026)
from the elephant that big lumps of meat are cut.
Deriv. perhaps
Apv/ruwd.
na adowa na gde ne
is a huge beast, but
The elephant
meaning,
'
ha.
it is
(3027)
the duyker that
is
the (real)
(jungle).
Kakra.
final a.
puruw, round.
and a long
little,
small
'.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
60
102. Esono nya wo
When
a,
adowa
ho
wo
me.
(3030)
the elephant has got you in his clutches, the (little) duyker
103.
OK
No
little
aseredoa bird.
...
Nnyae
one
104.
throw a stone
to
.
one (who)
is
obi
nkqbg aseredoa
nhodi.
No
is,
mmoro
No
ho.
Jmasii.
infoj, nsisi.
(256)
off
the
grass.
Wni
105.
mmoro.
Hudsu.
When you
a,
wontoa.
Cf No.
104, above.
man who
kills
(893)
follow an elephant
creepers).
It is
boro.
nhma
di.
(455)
its
flesh.
Amansan.
(Cf. santen),
line.
biribi
a,
na dompe
(444)
Perhaps you will eat a whole elephant and nothing will stick in
your throat, and then you eat a (little) fish and lo! a bone
has stuck in your throat.
is
really a sentence
e hi a,
'
there
108.
which
is
is
/wa,
me.
If
ASHANTI PROVERBS
109.
61
Bu.
The idea
is
are you
it ?
of bending or folding
up the skin
form a bag.
to
110. Ohi
111.
No one breaks
off
belly with
Mmu.
it.
Neg. of bu.
Ahaban.
Bnye aduan na
see note
nsisi. ,
arranged in a row
112.
it big.
{1),
lie
or be
Icese
sen no.
to
(1).
nyd
esono
di Tcym
adowa
nti
na oye
(3597)
It is not the greater
A wax
Tow,
Ntow.
114.
sono.
(bullet) is not
lit.
it
(1084)
throw or
to
introduced, of firing
lit.
'
throwing
'
a bullet.
'
place to stay.
Gyata.
115.
Woboro gyata
a,
wo
tiri
pa
wo.
'
(611)
own head
will pain
you (you
will not do
Even when a
a,
grme kankan.
Ade hta
When
osebo a,
a leopard
Wura.
(1257)
owe wura.
is
(800)
hard pressed for food,
it
chews grass.
ASHANTI PROVEEBS
63
118. Kurotwiamansa
to shake greatly..
Eeduplicatiou of nam.
Nennan.
119.
Kurotwiamansa fa awuru
When
a,
gdannan no hunu.
As
Atouru.
Odannan.
it
(1851)
aTcyehyere.
Eeduplication of dan.
120. Kurotwiamansa
se,
gnam ha mu hwa,
ahyekyere
na
ode ne ha.
(1853)
is
is
based.
the
A leo-
pard was prowling about the bush in search of prey, and suddenly
seeing a tortoise, sprang on
it,
exclaiming,
about
121.
his.
ato nija,
ankrana aboa
bi
nni wiram'.
(519)
If the leopard could spring
no animal would be
upon
its
left alive in
Lions, leopards, and other animals of the cat tribe are all supposed, as
left
it
is
left
shoulder
fa, place.
the
left
There
is
a scrupulous distinction in
Ankrana.
Wuram'.
Ankd, ankdna,
on No. 733.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Antumi
There
is
gone to stand in a
self (lit.
hole),
household
of di.
iieg.
nsisi.
Agyinamoa.
hole.
Anni,
anni.
63j
is ill
'
is
qhra
me qhra
',
and an Ashanti
soul),
(lit.
my
When
soul.
one of the
is
123.
(233)
one teaches a leopard's cub how to spring.
No
Ah
Sir
almost similar
Hugh
cub how to
tiger's
saying
common
is
kill',
the
124.
Wode
No
i.
'
e.
'.
sehg
When you
'
Malaya, where, as
in
na wade
a,
awie.
(765)
it
No. 373)
Adwinni.
worker, &c.
(Cf.
adwinni (double n)
= adwini di, to
practise a trade.
litters,
&c., are
much
man was
for
skill.
de, empojpa.
(3054)
When rain
it
his spots.
Oau.
126.
When
a,
merikg no ayi,
na Ohranni hum
'ko a,
minni
(1598)
kills a buffalo, I
buffalo or
'
it first),
do not eat
its flesh.
after
all
ASHANTI PROVERBS
64
Ayi.
Okranni.
Nkran
is
an Accra man.
Otwe
d/iia
ye tid
The duyker's
a,
tail
may be
but
short,
it
brushes
(3412)
its
body with
it
not-
withstanding.
Nen
Nen.
= ne no.
Hare.
129.
(3413)
where
(hide) splits
it is
thinnest.
its
skin does.
Antelope hides are used for covering loads to keep the rain
Anko.
130.
oflf.
a,
(3415)
When two
off
131.
When
a,
na
the antelope
Bgrmngfo.
efi
is
(3416)
the hunter
it is
who
is
the cause.
Hunters among
to hit.
bgmmofo.
unhappy,
this people,
strike,
game
as
far as the
is
not
'
A mad
hunter
'
(obgfo
damfo)
ASHANTl PROVERBS
!65
species of
game he may
supposed in time
to
kill
by ceremonial dances
become mad.
The gtrgmo
man
the
goes
he
{abgfosi),
{bongo),
is
is
an
In a hunter's dance
mad
similar reason.
132.
When
a, wokyi.
(3417)
(you see) a duyker which has a (thick)
leg,
that
is
something
Nya
nantu.
is, it is
The native
'
I hate eggs
',
literally says,
or whatever
'
word
I hate
taboo.
fish
'
',
I hate goats'
flesh
',
!
(3418)
Let the antelope rot in the hollow of the tree
'
(A congener
of our
'
'
'
ing as above,
AdM.
'
.'
.
For dua.
The
'.
gnom mframa.
(859)
crocodile lies in the water, but it also drinks (breathes) the air.
Nsu.
Onom.
1693
Cf.
Hausa sha
E
iska, to
drink the
air.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
66
135.
Odenkyem weree
A crocodile's
The
skin
skins of
(860)
sweeter than any other skin.
is
many animals
of.
as the hippo's
and
The word
were
no,
ho,
lit.
enough
me
were kyekye,
for
him
my
mma
ne were nso
that
is,
of a person
fi,
lit.
my
am
happy, &c.
Were-pd.
biribi
amenemutwitm.
The
Two-headed crocodiles have but one belly for both, yet when
them get anything they fight among themselves for
'
'
either of
it,
for
though they both have only one belly for each of their
(This
throat.
Pioverb
'
proverb
is
not
among those
down
in
its
the
'
own
Tshi
book.)
Funtumfrafu dehkyem frafu. There is a mythical crocodile supposed to have two heads and two necks which merge into a common
belly, which again merges into two tails.
This emblem is one of
the many '^Ashanti weights ', most of which are probably symbolical
see note
on No. 591.
Fvmium, to
Funtumfrafu.
and
Won
nlimara.
i.e.
137.
of the food
rubbing (in
When
nhinara=:nhma ara.
mu, in twitwi,
passage down the gullet) the
Amenemutwitwi.
its
has a lump on
its snout.
river,
to rub,
throat.
jtqw.
(3405)
you say that the crocodile
ASHANTI PROVEKBS
Wutwa
wie.
Translate,
'
When
67
',
or quite crossed
'
finite
Wa
'.
is
Even the
siM ho po
twere abe.
(1739)
where the gold dust
to
eats
a child
is
called hegyinaha,
lit.
'
it
all
nuts.
died (such
added
'/to
to
').
See
names
of
Here a
Ed.
Twere.
nwo anoma.
139. Ok6t6
A crab
140.
palm
0Mt6.
is,
bme asuo
Okdtd
(1740)
_.
na onim asuo
kasd.
(1741)
of the
river.
Bene.
For
'Ti.
141.
nti.
Speech, language
Kasa.
mu
nni nam.
Nni.
Lit.
new, here
'
turns back.
its
(1743)
claws.
""
young '.
Neg. of wo.
When
it
143.
ka asem {X).
deriv.
142.
a crab runs
away
it is
(1744)
towards the sea
it flees.
(To
ASHANTI PROVEEBS
68
144.
JDabere.
145.
(1745)
nti
Da, to
146.
lie,
Ok6t6 po di sukgm,
Even the crab gets
up above.
tux
and
to sleep,
Sukgm.
Neg. of
that
in, it lives in
a hole.
good.
gsoro.
(1747)
speak of the monkey that sleeps
nsu gkgm.
de.
its soul,
ye,
thirsty, not to
Menne.
be found.
(1746)
is to
of.
(?)
has made
is
why
it
gnam asu ho
hg ak6td.
(505)
to the soul).
JVni aswmguarede.
lowing
is
guarede).
an account of
'
a soul washing
'
{okra-guare-ade ; gkrafixes
on a day on which
to
On
down
AdiJbira'^ (a
to the water in
nsome leaves which have been collected are then dipped in the
water and the fowls are sprinkled over.
ing his soul then addresses
it,
asking
it to
him luck. (This part of the ceremony may also be performed at home).
On returning to the house the fowls are killed and the blood sprinkled
about the corners of the house compound.
There
Yams
or plantains are
may
be
is for
demand payment
oil
of a debt or
work
no one can
(see note
on No. 496, woka) on the person on that day. The idea of a good
or perhaps rather, lucky gkra being white is a strong belief; gkra
bin, black soul, is said of an extremely unlucky man ; there is no
connexion with morality or purity of soul in our sense of the word.
'
The town
Edwira)
is so
ASHANTI PKOVERBS
148. Kgt6k6 reko kotgk6
When
a,
the porcupine
omfa adidide.
going to
is
69
(1750)
he does not
themselves Asante
Kot6k6,
The
Kgt6k6.
Ashantis
man
call
me impune
lacessit
is
nemo
'.
Adidi (reduplication of
Adidide.
The
man
the
Ashanti Porcupines.
di,
and
ade).
awgw nme
no da.
(522)
it
does not
Neg. of wg.
Nni.
Eeduplication of nso.
Nsoso.
Neg. of
Nvje.
150.
de.
Mmoadoma nhindforo
bo,
akyekyere h'kgforo
hi,
wapon
afwe.
All animals (can) climb stones, but let the tortoise try
tumbles down.
N'kgforo.
to,
and he
kg.
Lit. let
him
go and climb.
Wa2)gh. Perfect tense, 'he has fallen
down
'.
151. Akyekyere
nni nufu, nso gwo a, onim nea gye yen ne ha. (1924)
The tortoise has not any milk, but when it gives birth, it knows
how
By metonymy
Nufu.
The
for
lit.
breast water.
na oguah ara
Tien.
(1925)
manner, but he can escape
all
the same.
Nen
ne no.
(1926)
It is the tortoise itself that exposes its vulnerable spot (the head)
and has
When
it struck.
the natives
which
is
much
makes
it
show
want
relished),
its
and
to kill
head.
ose,
'
(1928)
ASHANTI PROVERBS
70
When
the tortoise seeks a quarrel with his wife he says, 'Plait the
let
me
be
off in search
of some fun'.
155. Akyekyere
The
se,
'
tortoise says,
(1929)
need not be ashamed to run away
A man
'
'.
Mfere.
It is
all.
used of the respectful fear a child should have for a parent, and
also for the strictness
The word
No. 378.)
ridicule.
definition') signification,
se,
'
Ntem
a good thing
Nkwi nye-na
ye,
na gjom ye
Haste
'
is
(1931)
'.
is
also
'.
a,
was not
Nye-na.
No. 718.
tortoise says,
If hair
'minimum
Cf.
156. Akyekyere
Igi7
(See
to shun, to
The
child.
Tylor's famous
sense, as in
e.g. fere
difficult to
Da
is
Thus
veib.
158.
When you
Awuru.
159.
oo.
Another name
tortoise crawls,
lit.
it eats earth,
tatd.
(3504)
him how
to
Gye
walk upright ?
taia, to
to receive (gye)
you
re.
teach an infant
to the child to
160.
(1584)
and
Ohegye won
Tata,
hi.
toi'toise
wudi
odi dote a,
eat some
is
how
encourage
to walk.
it
to try
it.
(1542)
throw a stone at a lizard which
(without breaking the pot).
It is difficult to
is
clinging to a pot
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Tare has the idea in
Otare.
71
of anything adhering to
it
oi-
lying
Tow-na.
161.
The
similar,
162.
lizard {oketeiu)
Oketew nim
ayanikaw beba
se
Any
it
nti
(1545)
(Jcetebq)
is
one
who
feet,
again, for
flat
all
the
world like one of Sandow's exercises, where you raise and lower
yourself with your arms, while lying face
is
down on
the ground.
die
for belly-ache.
'
prevention
is
'.
wg yam aduru
Oketew
Had
Siei.
163.
is
asie.
a,
Yam.
X).
some lizards give them the exact appearance of having some skin
disease.
Adwade.
164.
OMtew
The
hibe
shirt or burnous.
atihergrg.
(1548)
pepper and sweat break out on the
A small frog.
of his
own
frog,
actions.)
Nwaw
de neho
sie a,
na wgfa no
tope.
when
(3427)
it
is
taken,
it
will
be taken
ASHANTI PROVERBS
72
and
A full-grown
Tope.
^166.
Nwaw wu nkwan mu
When
167.
Owg
de ahoyerew
owing
is
emporgio.
a,
It
na
oka.
it
(3430)
does not rot.
(3446)
bites.
(3447)
(3448)
man
without a cause.
snake
The herbs
snail.
169.
a,
'
e.
particle
e,
(3449)
',
that
The
final
at all.
JVseee
e.
the bush
all.
r
^171.
Owg
te se
A snake
(3451)
is
taken to bind
a thing with.
172.
173.
Lit.
'
day sleep
'.
it
of the body).
Wonhu
or
174.
'
you
',
wginrng.
indefinite pronoun.
is
represented
among
(Cf.
No. 136).
See note on No. 591.
The saying
is
it
of
OHAPTEE
Insects
The
III
Aboa.
The spider
Ananse.
in Ashanti folk-lore
been
so,
first as
this
comes easily
is
anansesem,
That these
i.
e.
ananse
stories probably
had
a religious or totemic origin seems possible, for to this day a sobriquet for the Supreme Being
The spider
he
is
is
in a gourd,
He
is
'
is
native.
His
son,
belly,
and
it
said,
all
His
is
known
as Konori or Konorg.
Ahweme.
Nwene, to weave or
This word
plait.
(2098)
web on a much
is
it).
ASHANTI PROVERBS
74
nkm'owa hene
a,
Se wohefwe use so
'
se,
criss-cross designs
which
pots.
'
(?)
nso wobedi
so di
(2099)
If you are going to look after
'.
the beans, look after the beans, but if you are going to he
leader in the nkorowa dance, then confine your energies to that'
(lit.
hit
some of
them
Plucking out
model and
set it up in
The spider, seeing him thus engaged, managed to slip away and went off to steal
Much to his surprise he found what he thought to he
the beans.
the asantrofi bird there, and so again returned to join the dancers.
his
in a clay
among
the revellers
was the
Off he
night-jar.
above.
The saying
is
He
what looks
(2100)
sold words.
every story
is
known
as anansesem,
is
lit.
'
all.
Perfect tense.
na gsen padee
ani.
wannya
hahi ankorg
(1240)
Father Spider did wrong and we drove him away, and as he had no
place to go he hangs from the crossbeams of the roof.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
For the story on which this saying
75
is
No. 175.
Asmnmone=Asem hone.
Ankorg. Akan dialect
No. 33,
for kg.
see
m,fa,jisisi.
(1241)
hgig.
to
and can go
or,
if
to,
'
Nwoo.
Efere nti
',
'.
NtikvMM.
181.
is
you want
(1112)
The meaning
may
be given.
The following
somewhat obscure.
is
now
interpretation
worn thirty or forty years ago by some elders '. The allusion
to the markings on the bodies of some spiders not unlike
*
may be
The spider
is
winiej
mma, na meguare
suoh-
(1237)
I bathe in hot water, and the spider keeps washing his children in
it,
so I shall
When
say
'
wash
in cold water
There
is
'
sings
'
'
I'll
Ntb
tells stories to
.
nkyere.
Anansesem.
Lit.
The saying
one
on being
No
is
'.
(359)
Ntikwma.
used for any story whatever, even one in which the spider does not
ASHANTI PROVERBS
76
The
Ntikwmd.
As the
spidei's child.
spider
is
would be supposed
know
to
every story in the world, having heard them from his father.
The
me
some-
saying
is
thing I do not
know
'
that, tell
'.
a, ose,
Nea aha
'
akyiri na edgso
'.
(2570)
When
There
'
still
remains a
(lit.
lot to
come
what
(lit.
'
is
says,
behind
is
much).
If one wsffcches a fly closely
its feet
backward over
its
it
body.
This proverb
is
of 'I have done a great deal for you, but you can
hope for
still
ampa funu
185. Nwansana
When
ho
Funu.
wgde no
a,
up
off
(2571)
sie.
a dead body, he
is
useless, rotten,
buried with
it.
hence a carcass,
dead body.
Ampa.
The ho
take itself
186.
is
oif.
ano, naotwerehehun.
The bluebottle
fly (])
it
pa
complement
ho, to
oi funu.
(2572)
nuts.
Neg. of wq.
Onni.
Bebun.
187.
Nwansana pohi
si
Akyem
Aheya.
188. Nwansana ye
Wherever
Ye
'
else
about to
'
',
wotaforo mu.
on the
(2573)
you
lick inside
is
be prepared to
it is
a biting
it is
fire.
se.
(1463)
knows
it.
Ashanti awowa.
Now
dish,
onsi
fly is
Here ye
sisi.
a,
fly sits
dialect, in
sisi a,
mu
abeyd
fly),
all).
ASHANTI PROVERBS
This saying
^
treated, to be
tt
', or, again, it was a saying ofteu put in the mouths of slaves
who, when their old master had died and left them to his nephews, on
being badly treated by them, would say that after all they could not
inferior
for
The biting
fly
(1464)
has no one to come to his aid in trouble.
(Of.
For note on
Gyamfo.
191.
Ohurii
si
The biting
192.
suffix
(1465)
fly gets
'
'
I shall bite
all
na
annya
ohv/rii
ogyarnfoi
tortoise.
(1480)
(1146)
Ants have to unite (in great numbers) before they (can) make
a noise.
Ya.
hissing sound.
Lit.
te se
A white
dwie, nanso o ne
ant
is like
means
to join, to
Perfect tense.
no
nse.
(1147)
Also dihiw.
BOiie
195. Mfote a
have made.
wuwu
a wobedi wo
nam
no,
na woie ho
a,
waive
wo
tarn.
(1149)
...
a.
alive eat
The
will,
when you
die,
devour your
flesh,
when
your clothes.
first
is
196.
No
wg ne h6n and nd
onse
se,
'You
stink'.
'
its
Wo
ho hon'.
(216)
ASHANTI PROVERBS
78
Nkotoa
onse.
33,
mfa, nsisi.
Ohdhlni.
The
is
walk over
it
hkrdh.
off
black ants.
wonam
it lie
it
ho kwa.
(1539)
any harm.
'
CHAPTER IV
BiEDS
Birds in Genieal.
199. Ohi ntgn ne kokghere kwd,. (363)
No one sells his (laying) hen without a good reason.
Kokgbere.
An
a cock.
here,
onomatopoetic word,
feminine suffix
akokonini.
cf.
kaza.
When
a, ode
kyere Onyankopgn.
(1653)
it
to the
Supreme Being.
This pretty idea
is
Onyankopgn.
201.
When
a fowl
day
it
is
a,
pam
no,
when
it is
drinking.
on Onyame.
na dabi
ohedi
wo
it
de.
(1644)
away, for some
The
fowl's eye is
203. Akokg
'
se,
The fowl
Ade
Ade ansa
says,
ansa.
ade kye,
Memee.
'
If
Nan.
is
anka memee ?
(1655)
had not got dark, should I have had
'
a,
thing^s) appear,
my
i.
e. it is
fill ?
Cf.
dawn.
The hen's
it
lit.
Anka.
(1652)
keen to see the single grain of corn.
ha.
(1648)
Sometimes nantam'
(i.e.
When
ofie a, ghere.
(1646)
it
gets red
ASHANTI PROVERBS
80
Na.
(1658)
hese.
it
big.
na.
1,
When
it is
the
number
etuatua ne
honam mu.
still
(1659)
remain attached
to its
body.
Cf.
subjects of a chief
importance should
still
be subject to their
chief.
difficulty.
The
Akokotan.
No
one says
'
mma
akye.
(385)
so.
(1664)
The hen knows when the dawn comes, but she nevertheless looks
to the cock (to
211.
it
known).
When
the cock
Were
212.
make
afi.
A kokonini
se,
is
afi
akSroma.
(1669)
To tamfo nko
a,
'.
(1673)
The cook
A cock
killed,
says,
'
as it is considered
unlucky.
salt
is
immediately
custom in Scotland of
which crowed before the usual time.
Of.
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
213.
Used
Hono.
214.
na
was only an
81
egg-shell.
No
Nanase
identifies a fowl
by a
its leg.)
ode.
bottom of a
foot or leg.
beating
216.* Akoko-pa
all
na gwd
asense, asense
tore, to fall
(),
gets its
Me
'
on
(?).
nko mifi he
(1654)
'
Akokg
se,
'
Asense.
217.
(1651)
it
the same.
Sotore.
nega-
first
wqde ho no ara.
a,
An
(151)
off
'
woabere'.
The fowl
says,
'
replies,
',
raa
ono akyekyere
se,
'
Na wo de,
(1656)
'
As
that'.
Akyekyere.
218. Akokg
How
ti si
big
ahe
is
Si ahe.
to
Lit. it stands
how much,
it if
i.e. it
is
it 1
kill
the fowl
altogether.
we
mma.
eggs.
Akuntwh.
swagger.
Lit. to bend,
gait, to
ASHANTI PROVERBS
83
220. Akokg a wo ne no da
no,
wompe no
sleeps in the
nfem.
same hut
221.
(1641)
as yourself,
know
come back to
it will
to catch it then).
its
master into
debt.
ko.
(1650)
Krakum.
Dutch, kalkoen.
kill
makum
(?),
dawn
will do.
is
Subjunctive mood.
I^a mafwe.
Adekyee.
Wunim nyansa
hebrebe a,
morning
'
womd
man
to a fowl
akokg akye.
(2331)
'
Good
com-
225.
se
ohereku to give forth its liquid notes, but rather these are the cause
of the
224.
na mafihe
in order to see
ohereku
you
you say
folly).
obi
woadi, na
home.
226. Aboa kdkosakyi kasa kyere obonukyerefo
When
a, ale.
(513)
the vulture gives the hyena advice, he heeds it.
Kdkosakyi.
Also
Obonukyerefo.
The saying
is
oj>efe
all
The mother
of
funeral custom.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
83
The hyena alone seemed to remain plump and fat and in no hurry
an end by allowing the body of his
mother to be buried. Now the reason was that he was all the
time visiting the spot where the corpse was and eating some of it.
The vulture, which had been attracted by the smell, had seen
the hyena was doing, and on the mourners again pressing the
hyena to bury the body, and on his again refusing to do so, drew
him aside and told him he had seen all that was going on, whereall
bury the
body.
of similar natures
and tastes
sells
(514)
elephants' tusks,
Neg. of wg.
aloft
often located
by vultures
se
in order to avoid
so^
payment
(516)
(for
wh^t
l^e
eats)
Akasadi.
make
liable for
expenses
incurred.
hi bin
na
obi
nni wo
de.
(517)
Vulture, you eat the excrement of every one, but no one eats yours.
Of
Hiiam.
231. Kokosakyi
mpe
a good smell
ofie
aha
a,
ankd
onsisi
sumdnd
so.
(1680)
it would not
232. Kdkosakyi
Bgn.
F 2
ASHANTI PROVERBS
84
233.
(2691)
When
a vulture's feather
plucks
it
master a
tells its
it
lie,
he (the vulture)
away.
Owira = Owura.
234. Opete ho na eye nkwasea, nanso okyi aguare-anni. (2687)
A vulture's body is a foolish looking thing, yet even he does not eat
without
first
Ohyi.
Aguare-anni.
may be
seen
'
'
se,
'
',
na
afei
akowia
(2775)
saying,
'
am
he makes
going
off
with
a fowl.
Modi.
Subjunct.,
When
a,
hawk
the
se
sit
hawk)
wuhu
may
that I
ode n'akyi
goes to
(another kind of
lit.
Na
eat.
is
understood.
to keep her
ne hko
a,
watch
ntow no
bo,
na
oji
dodow mu.
(1610)
A parrot's
at
it,
feather, if
for it
Ano
parrot,
is
ye den.
Lit.
mouth
is
hard.
is
it.
its literal
meaning
'
mouth (beak)
of,
loud
mouthed, blustering.
Nkyere
nni.
hUmnkesuantina
gtow gu duam'.
(1608)
it
does not
ASHANTI PROVERBS
240.
AnZma
biako
wo wo nsam'
85
a, eye sen
(2480)
One
bird in your
'
'
',
exist in
'
',
'.
The verb
Eye.
make, to
ye, to
be good
Anoma
i/e,
to be,
do.
nnam
Sen.
241.
has here
thing)
to
is
Wg.
Wg
hand
biara
wu wo
kyen.
gu fam'.
(2481)
When any
come
242.
Anoma
bone
gsee ne berebuw.
nest
fouled
(lit.
weaves)
245.
Anmna
When
To
fast
Guinea
247.
Anoma
There
it
lit.
(2483)
(2484)
so.
up
(2487)
gi ain, it treads it
eat).
bo.
(2488)
thrown
at
it.
(2489)
not enough meat in a bird to divide up (among a number
of persons).
Nkgso.
nest
to cover
can
ogye
is
squat on,
corn.
sit on, to
hungry.
Ogye
definite article.
Awi.
248.
its
by the
'.
Obua
it
No. 754.)
'.
244.
(Of.
(2482)
Berebuw.
whatever
(lit.
nest.
Osee.
'
own
fouls its
Emphatic
Na.
hence
na
So, to reach.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
86
248.
Anoma
It
is
one of
A^ua.
its
own
Here in
its
249.
(2490)
Anoma ano ware a, ode didi asuogya na gmfd ntwa asu. (2492)
When a bird has a long bill, it uses it for eating on its own side
of the river
and not
water
(to eat
This saying
is
on
CHAPTER V
Domestic Animals The Docf, Cat, Sheep and Goats,
Cattle and Hoeses.
:
The dog which has gone a hunting has not had any
can the cat (hope
to)
do
(1765)
luck, so
what
251,
is
deceiving you.
Sono.
Ama.
Enghsh
Suhjunct. mood.
place of the
preposition, for.
Odada.
252, Okraman
Also
se
sisi
and
gremfa gyere da,na gfa gyere no, gfa n' agya yere. (1770)
will never commit adultery, but when he does so,
it
Fa
OreTnfa gyere.
for 'to
with his
gyere,
commit adultery'.
own
lit.
father's wife.
No.
253,
^
Okraman ne atiremsem da ne
bo,
may be
na enna ne
present or future.
tirim.
(1773)
(That
is,
he
self.)
Enna.
254, Obi
se
wo
Negative of da.
se,
'
'
'
a, gboa,
',
he
is
ahien ye nhwi.
lying,
two are
(416)
(tufts
of) hair.
,
Oboa.
Boa, to
lie
or to be mistaken
compound,
ASHANTI PROVERBS
88
265.
Wo
lii
kramah
ho
abusua
(i.e.
Okrdman anom ye no de a,
Even when a dog's mouth
round
bells
bell,
Lit.
'
mouth
in the
hung round
(1768)
gnaw
at the
Translate by in
'
',
is
sweet
'.
root probably as
da
in dade, iron),
dogs'
kgnmu nnawa.
is
dawa (same
Da, or
often
gnive ne
his neck.
ye no de.
Nnawa.
a
Abusua.
Anom
mpa wo
nisu
teai-s
256.
a,
n' anom'.
it
(1766)
mouth.
he
se,
'
Ade
hese
nyera
Obu
si
pata
as
bu in hu
fg,
hu hem,
'.
to
na eny^ gno na
so
'.
(1767)
big thing does not get lost
gforee a,
na
ohi
na gmdd no
so
(1772)
sii hg.
When
= ebe,
pronounce ; he
259. Okraman
be.
utter, to
'
a dog
is
(found)
up on top
lifted
and
Fata.
odds and ends, pots, calabashes, and yams and plantains are kept.
gmaa,
Oforee,
sii.
final
vowel.
260. Okrdman
gpe 'mirika-hHnu
se,
atii,
na menne
se n'ase
guan atew
ayera.
(1771)
The dog says he likes to run about without any particular reason;
how much
faster will he
is lost.
Menne.
Neg. of
not to speak
of.
de, to
mention
lit.
2, wo'pe.
is,
ASHANTI proverbs
wo jliafo
261. Agyinamoa
Had
a,
anka gye
nnam kyen
it, it
89
hramaii.
(1285)
Agyinamoa.
'
walks by itself.
Pia
Piafo.
on
as
swm
swm
akyiri,
atiko, to help,
encourage, egg
Nnam
The
hym.
comparati-ve degree
Hence
'
he bad pass
262. Agyinamoa
',
nam fie
is
in pidgin English,
'
he good
&c.
se
ne kotoku
a,
aTUidwohoa
mfa ne nsa
ntom,
(1283)
When
the cat walks about the house carrying his bag, the night
Fie.
comes
Se.
Mfa,
Yam.
wu
a,
nkura yam'.
nsisi.
(1286)
is
my
Botokura.
stomach.
(1284)
The field-mouse.
1.
Akrom/mo
266.
No
ofie,
265.
Ne.
come out
ntom'.
263. Agyinamoa
When
to
fi,
how
(228)
to steal.
= Bo nkroh.
No
hirihi,
(506)
ASHANTI PROVERBS
90
The
Ahoghare.
dialectal
and ghare,
some unusual
derived from ho
is
lightness of body.
lit.
se
ntivemu ye de
a,
anka gtwe ne
mu dm
Ahurokyiri.
(507)
If the cat really thought stretching itself (after a sleep) was a
delightful sensation, it would go on stretching and stretching
till it
reached to Europe.
Europe.
Alurohjiri.
man's back
269.
i.
',
what
e.
'
Lit.
White man's
far
away
lies
or
'
'
"White
(1233)
Oguan
Oguanten.
(q. v.
No.
1 7,
guan) and
ten,
long
here, long-
legged.
Where
Gyinae.
271.
No
272.
(2165)
When
a sheep
going to
is
a,
wgmfre no guanfunu.
but
die,
is
(1227)
it is
not called
a dead sheep.
273.
When
mpaw
A
275.
276.
osekah.
it
(1230)
does not stop eating
it.
(1228)
(it is
to be cut
up
with).
(1231)
is
also the
dies.
'
one like
The
idea
is
to
it'.
common among
in its mother's
womb by what
is
influenced
The saying
is
ASHANTI PROVERBS
91
appearances. In this case the ewe, seeing only the leopard's beautiful
skin, does not inquire as to its ferocious nature.
Na
,277.
When
ram
from
'f'
278.
mawo.
Subjunctive mood.
Odwennini ye
Aberekyi
its
ne
asisi a, efiri
is
emfiri ne
mmen.
(1060)
heart and not
its
horns.
qhedah guanten
se
Mma
a,
tuntum mjia
mu
da.
(94)
Pa, generally in
M2>a.
,^
279. Aberekyi
obi
se,
'
lit.
'
nnamtew nkowu.
'
its
that,
'
to
'.
(95)
(willingly)
walk
to his death.
way
will follow
Nnamtew nkowu.
nsisi.
280. Aberekyi
Abogyabum.
to spread
281. Aberekyi
'
se,
says,
bought
'
me
mmen
The outer
Mmen.
(98)
2>a
na wgkata
'
Nantilti
'.
my
'.
covered over
(283.
mogya
food.
(?).
The goat
jf282.
Deriv.
(97)
is
'
so
good thing
(498)
'.
is
(sure to be)
'.
is
(2109)
Sing. a5en.
284.
No
Nammgn.
>
Deriv.
(354)
is
man,
foot,
and
ofiri Sot,raha
baa Kwmase.
(3612)
ASHANTI PKOVERBS
92
Shraha.
Salaga, a large Hausa and caravan centre in the
Northern Territories of the Gold Coast, once a famous centre of
the slave trade, to which the above saying alludes.
Now
Kumase.
from hum, to
ase,
The
Coomassie.
under, beneath,
i.e.
derivation
'under the
is
kill
when
mount
286.
and
(tree)',
place,
oificially spelled
kill,
chief.
mman
Opghkg
A horse
kwa.
(2707)
answering to the
nea
a,
is
(That
is, it is
rein.)
qte
no
so
nnyimii
e.
(2708)
fool.
E.
a,
ne
dua
kg.
(.2709)
Osa.
Ne dua
kg.
victory to an army,
289.
and
is
charm
to bring
aboa dua,
i.e.
animal's
'
fly
'.
A horse
is
has a
little
DvM.
Esono.
Kakra.
tail
tail,
CHAPTER VI
Mice, Rats, Animals the names of which abe not
specially mentioned.
^"290.
AJcura
Even
nantwi
te se
if the
a,
nen.
(1837)
he would be the
size of a cow,
cat's
slave nevertheless.
Agyinamoa.
291. Ahira
= Ne no.
Nen
se,
'
The mouse
one
says,
'
When
a great
Enno.
a, ohedi,
na owqma na
Aboa.
Fufio.
mortar (owgaduru).
child, or child of
it)
eiiho
ne ban mu.
(51 1)
it,
for
The derivation
is
owo
pounding
the mortar.
a,
them away.
Onyami.
1,
Onyami.
Lit.
clear.
tires of
296.
become deep.
Owgma.
295.
as the
Neg. of do.
When
(after
'
(1836)
'.
me as much
I am dead).
liurt
(1838)
When
a, enno.
not
of.
does not
know how
a,
owe
hi.
to crack a
her's).
(1557)
palm-nut kernel, but
ASHANTI PROVERBS
94
Nhwea.
298.
No
Mmo.
Neg. of
ho.
man
it.
To prop
Waiu.
(495)
is
sets
301. Ahoa
hi
(Cf.
renka wo
When an
animal
is
No. 305.)
Root_/?, to
Fifiri.
at the
water-hole.
a,
is
qhhweh ne
se
nhyere wo.
it
(500)
its
teeth
at you.
Oniiweh, nhyere.
302.
303.
is
(is to
be found) in the
Mmoadoma
nsisi.
(526)
see
out.
(529)
its
mouth reaches
to.
(541)
All animals sweat, but the hair on them causes us not to notice
(Cf.
it.
No. 300.)
The saying
is
man
can
may
CHAPTER
VII
(956)
a horn
is
not blown in
its
honour.
Dmn.
up
into
is called
adonten {dgm
ten)
The
else).
henkum
(left
hand).
(lit.
A body of men
is
again, called nawase, whose duty it is to prevent a flanking movement on the part of the enemy. The nawase do not disclose their
position unless attacked.
The advance guard are known as twafo
(cutters), as the
bush.
men
name
way through
implies, to clear a
the dense
called ahwanserafo.
The rearguard
is
known
as
hyidgm
(lit.
The whole
No. 317), and under him again are the various safohene, or company (dom fahuw) commanders. Each safohene has his own drums
Strategy
is
A general on
camping
fires
all
fire
of their
own men
The Ashanti,
enemy.
many
a war charm (see No. 288), and the wounded are switched with
ASHANTI PROVERBS
96
them
to
make them
rise.
The camp
When the hattle is going against an army, the chief will stand upon
his stool (an
with the idea of insulting the manes of his ancestors into assisting
the hard-pressed
Skulls of fallen enemies are put round war drums, the jaws on the
horns.
shields
on
307.
so
many hundred
tafoni,
lost
and forgotten.
all
(See note
No. 522.)
Dom
nhui
The
slain are
wqhkan
a,
atgfo.
(957)
not counted before the
(hostile)
routed.
Nhui.
Wohhan.
Atofo.
gsaman.
met
Deriv.
Otofo,
to, to fall
fo, personal suffix, see note on No. 34,
any one who has been Idlled in war or accidentally
;
his death.
309.
Bgm kum
The
ano-sese-ade,
(victorious)
insults,
but
army
it
Ano-sese-ade.
Lit. the
things, i.e.
insults.
Dgm
Dgmmarima.
310.
311.
gbarima, a
A man
is
made
at home.
dgm
dno,
is
man
of war, a warrior.
na wgnye no
fie.
(50)
ASHANTI PROVERBS
312.
OM aha a,
na
When war
lias
nsise aha.
(1600)
come, rumours have come.
Deriv.
Nsise.
97
to
se,
say,
reduplicated,
'say,
lit.
say',
i.e.
reports.
313.
Oko ba
na nsise
a,
When war
314.
ho kurow.
it is
Woko, ko wo anim
When
315.
comes,
a,
(1601)
rumours that cause the
na vmyi dqm.
(1589)
When you
a,
of the town.
fall
front,
(1590)
are fighting black ants and they will not go away, you
Nkran.
may be
seen at
a person
down
A form
march.
may
lie
on their
of torture
to peg
The saying above quoted means that war is war and not to be
waged in kid gloves.
Enko. Note the use of the 3rd peison neuter sing, for the 3rd
person plural.
Wontibere
nnu.
see note
on No. 33,
317.
a, womfd nnommum.
(1591)
and do not win, you do not lead away captives.
When you
Osa,
fight
Many
(2730)
'
'
Woko
no.
Nkatae.
gun
to keep the
to cover.
Ashantis has such a cover attached to the barrel which readily slips
ASHANTI PROVERBS
98
318.
Osa, wghg no
When
it
(2731)
is
Agya mma.
Descent
different mothers.
is
(i.e.
different mothers).
is
matrilineal
all,
'
sides.
own
relations, i.e.
on mother's
side,
are an army.
319.
'sd.
No
man on
Nturu.
320.
Obdfo
d,
his
nkb.
w6kodi nd
(377)
yaw na
to war.
nsisi.
na wo
de,
woso
(549)
Wokodi
him
Brgde.
yaw.
to the bush, as a
assisting
off to
to cut
shot.
lit.
European
yam.
Bedew.
321.
Ohdf6 aboa a
No
Wafom.
Fom,
to
make a mistake,
so,
hence
322.
follows
fired at
it.
Obgm^o, a woakum
Atvduru.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
323. Ohomgfo aboa a oho
na
99
(601)
oso.
off is
(Cf.
Bata.
ho.
(602)
lie close
connexion with.
E sono nam.
Sonnam.
wuram
325. Ohomgfo fi
asem.
When
ha na ohura mmere
a,
wommisa ahayg mu
(603)
is
Wuram.
326.
'
wuram ma
Ohgmgfo kg
ma awgw
mede memae.
When
(604)
bitten
by
flies,
and
suffers
is
from the
cold,
am
327.
pricked by
is
when
I tell
him
Ntummoa.
i
and
and mmoa,
insects.
When
he
'
is
Kgtew dua.
cover taken
hole,
(Cf.
,(328.
329.
for
artificial screen
of branches.
to
Katae.
330.
'
to
(1262)
it
to father,'
would you
ASHANTI PROVERBS
100
331.
Enye
No
obi ni
(3589)
tlie
332.
there
(i.e.
when
it
is
no one to
happened).
(3388)
a, na odi dbaninsem.
when a gun has a man to cock it, that it performs war-
like deeds.
Otiafo.
No. 339.)
(Of.
Tia
otuo, to pull
flint-lock gun, to
cock.
Ahaninsem.
383.
When
a,
wommisa nea
blamed
asked about
334.
in
Otuo
to,
mmeka.
huah
(3390)
see
When
(Lit. is not
in Africa.
AhUrohyiri.
.
(3389)
it.)
Mpae
336.
nam.
335.
odi gbgfo
a,
na
ne jjoma
nsisi.
few.
(3392)
se 2>e-
out of order,
is
and a
(the gun)
it
stick are
just alike.
Otuo
that
337.
The
ta.
bi
lit.
springs back,
mu na
ekofi
is
were m,u.
adgnteh.
adgnteh
mu
a,
na mkgo
bahi
e.
(3395)
fight, it
Thanks to the
flint-stone the
(3422)
No. 332.)
Twerebo.
(3394)
to another
bi
a gun (a soldier)
Nifa
339.
huah,
When
gun
animal.
338.
lock of a flint-lock
is,
Tibere, to strike,
and
gbo, a stone.
deeds.
(Of.
CHAPTEK
VIII
any good
to turn out
is
(6)
is
Oba.
Note gbd,
is
wa.
suffix
Wonyih.
Yen,
Also used of
to
A mat
Kete.
341. Oba
se gse,
child
when a
ba ne
to
ntwa.
When
no nufu
gu wo
See note on
m.
151, nufu.
wade baha na
eyi,
na womfd gsekan
(10)
Okra,
When your
iete
falls
on your
gu
a, se
mu
'.
no
se,
'
Wo
asav) nye fe
not good
it
off
',
na nse no
se,
(11)
you wipe
lap,
fibres,
off.
ba saw asa-bone
'
No
(the place)
Wo
37,
(8)
sere so a,
344.
No
See note on
Nufu.
Wo
For
wgmma
a,
Is it only
343.
37, abusua.
Oba nsu
(7)
Abusua.
342.
of grass.
(may be)
side
No
woven
'
'
Your dancing
is
dance as
See note on
No
9,
nkrabea.
endearment,
e.
Here used
as
term of
ASHANTI PROVERBS
102
Wo
345.
ha
wo kora ha
sisi
enye.
enye,
a,
a,
(12)
light,
your own
When
Kora.
'
hora
is
346.
'
nnim
Oba-hone
hasahyere.
is
'.
is
An exactly
called
called the
similar idiom
hy another
hislda.
(13)
Nnim.
347.
man
of the other
Nea ahofra pe
What
ototo.
know.
(2124)
sees
and
(Of.
No.
fancies.)
hwaw na ommo
348. Ahofra ho
ahye yere.
(557)
368.)
Nwaw.
Ommg.
See note on
Neg.
165.
Ahyehyere.
349.
No
of ho.
is tlie
(2846)
is
not difiicult to
Hye-na.
351.
a,
nserew ahwatia.
you are a
Akwatia.
352.
(573)
a child's hand.
Woye ahofra
When
fill
child,
(3564)
When
eye
mmum
there
is
a,
no
is
misfortune in that
salt).
odi
aduan a
(581)
its
ASHANTI PROVERBS
103
Na.
NninC.
Neg. of wq.
When
a child
a, na g ne m^anyinfo didi.
(564)
knows how to wash his hands thoroughly, he and
Hohoro.
Reduplication of horo.
in
mean-
face,
horo to wash things, pots, clothes, &c., guare, to bathe the whole
When
'
to swim, '.
a,
a child cuts
(583)
ofif
what
will
Fufu.
355. Abofra
na
led
efikg
(566)
chUd's ring does not go on an elder's finger, but as for his (the
child's) food it goes into the elder's
Names
Nsa.
hyerekwan,
middle finger,
356.
finger,
king
thumb ahyereway
nsateahenf,
point
lit.
of the
first
mouth.
out
the
lit. is
lit.
No
(343)
one sends a child on an errand and looks to see
if
he
is
pleased
or not.
Nsoma
nfwe.
N'ani akyi.
Lit.
by
357.
his expression
Woko
kmow
bi
'
behind his
'
Fwe
'.
gyaw won.
to
no na miMnyimfo na
(1577)
go into some village, the songs which the children sing,
the old folk once sang and left behind to them (that is,
tradition is handed down).
eto
When you
ASHANTI PROVERBS
104
358. Abofra su
When
a,
a child
Wgmmg.
Neg. of
When
a child does
ho.
nea wonhu.
a, oliu
what
is
wonhu.
(587)
Wgnye
log.
they do
Lit,
is
360 below.)
(Cf.
(or,
When
a child does
person
361.
Abofra bodpa
When
punished.)
is
wu
a,
359 above.
Cf.
wgbodpa
sie nd.
(558)
is
to
Bodpa.
362.
The
who
child
Na.
Here emphatic,
mmusu ahron
Out of nine mischievous
363. Abofra bu
Ahron
onum.
a,
gfa
a child goes to
mu
anum.
(See No.
1,
na.)
(555)
on others, he
himself.
lie
the pot.
When
who breaks
them
anum.
(554)
the one
is
a,
by the
ne niama hyew.
fire
and
see
(559)
is fidgety,
fire.
(563)
child does not look into the soup pot for nothing (he expects to
be given some).
Okwanseh.
366. Abofra hetewa
Mm'
a,
ma
(567)
When
a small child lives (alone) in a great big house, pity him, for
is,
ASHANTI PROVERBS
To
Te.
to live, {tena, to
sit,
105
The translation
be seated).
sit, i.e.
of this word literally by the native interpreter has given rise to one
of the
are so
'
'
',
to be
Most pidgin English
can be traced to some idiom peculiar to the vernacular, which has
'.
'
Bim'
Bi mu.
Amanne
367.
Oman
ade.
The
(568)
To
Kotow.
'
to kneel
down on
down
'.
The Ashantis
many
Mananja and Angoni, for instance, who inposition when resting, eating, &c.) This may
stoolsi
among
Pro-
male skeleton
tribes
who
(tibia), (the
fessor
in
Panyin.
Even when a
a,
not a mortar.
Ano ye
1.
den.
(Of.
Lit.
No. 348.)
a strong mouth,
i.e.
Omfa nhyen.
33, ngisi.)
Wqaduru.
wide mouth
369. Abofra
se
its
qhqforo dunsin a
ma
qmforo, na qkqso
anim asan
aba.
When
a child says he
is
tree, let
ASHANTI PROVERBS
106
him climb
(it),
for
way) he
it (a little
will
Dunsin.
Dua, a tree, and sin, a piece, a fragment of anything.
For etymology (according to Ashantis) see No. 57, odwm,
See note on No. 80, aniwa.
Anitn.
Asan
may
The
aba.
turn back
370. Ahofra
gya mu,
se obeso
... he goes up
it
that he
na ehye no a gbedah
akyene,
literal translation is
ma
onso mu,
(575)
When
371.
Ahofra
se gbeye
obi
When
when
for
it,
it
mpanyinne
nnim.
fire, let
ma
na
gnye,
it
of
away.
ebia obenya
gpanyin
a,
(576)
him do
so
knows.
Mpanyinne.
372. Ahofra sika
te se
A child's gold
it is
Sika.
373.
Mpanyin-ade.
dust
is like
broken up
it
When
na adum. (577)
anyankoma tree when
so a,
a firebrand of the
a,
enye gsebg
nJwma na ode
sua.
Osebg nhoma.
(Cf.
(579)
he does not
No. 124.)
sheep and goats' skins will not be used for experimental work.
When
a,
wose gye
by the
opete.
(591)
a vulture.
Osu.
375.
Mmofra fCkotu
When
a,
children go to pluck
trample on them.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
and grow
The saying
close together.
107
refers to
anything that
is
(341)
one sends a child up aloft and then knocks away the ladder
No
Nsoma.
onhuan.
No
See note on
gmmefa no
No
No
mfa, nsid.
33,
Antweri.
so
abufuw.
(342)
errand and gets angry
difficult)
(if
he
it well).
so.
Abufuw.
When an
and fuw, to
mma a,
na ne
elder (a parent)
mma
suro no.
strict
is
swell.
(2602)
with his children, then his
Fere.
379. Opanyin
When
se
nd wanye
h,
mmofra nsuro
(lit.
(2613)
no.
(lit.
act),
fear him.
When an
(old)
381.
Opanyin nyin wg
An
(2606)
a, edivo.
Tie
'
382.
to
have amassed
Obi ntutu
No
batwew.
'
(2611)
becomes
(i. e.
To grow
riches, to
anoma nkghyere
name).
Oi>anyln di nsem
Cf.
rich).
at the elbow
'
is
gpianyin.
a phrase meaning
'.
(382)
383.
to settle disputes).
Nyin wg ne batwew.
(A wise
it
No. 719.
nhma
ahyi
a,
gman
bg.
(2597)
(little) offence
(in
order to
ruin.
inflict punishment), a people (nation) would (soon) go to
Oman.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
108'
Nni.
Neg. of
Abansosem.
di, lit.
Lit.
'
'.
385. Opanyin a wanyih ne nea wakq Asante aba, ne nea wakg Aburokyiri
a ewo gman
aba, atorofo
The
elder
who
mu
nen.
is
(2596)
the one (who says) he has
to
liar
is he.
Asante.
is
'.
Aburokyiri.
Atorofo.
Nen
= Nc no.
oyi n'asanha.
a,
Adi, to
N'asanka.
387.
Opanyin due,
An
alive,
elder
'
dish
bone, bad.
made
of
Mante, mante'.
evades
baked
clay.
(2601)
lesponsibility
by saying,
'
'.
The saying
Mante.
and
eat,
flat
(2600)
finds)
is
also
'
elder
Mante
is also
the
name
of a
charm supposed
'.
name
to act as the
implies.
388. Opanyin begye me nsam' akonnua a, onnye asase a mete so. (2603)
Though an elder may take fiom my hand the stool I sit on, he
cannot take from
Begye.
Lit.
Ahonnua.
of aesthetic art.
the
',
the ground I
stool, often
The
paramount chief of
stool
me
sit on.
all
showing in
stool is the
its
symbol of chieftainship.
Omanhene of Mampon.
Each
'
'
The
golden
of
silver stool
'
own
and
stool
ASHANTI PROVERBS
when he
109
spiders'
set in the
'
house
stool
{rikowhua
',
fie),
The
stool is
then
chiefs.
at the same time the chief or gkyeame (q.v. No. 481, note on
gmdmj)dm) mentions the name and deeds of its departed owner.
The meat
is
dancing.
The above
Sunday adai
'
shared
'
'
'.
all
stool house
'
'
follow,
now supposed
(which are
stools
to
'
Queen mother
Ou
presents, drink,
The
and
',
'
stool house
the spirit
carriers,
An
side,
Ashanti,
'
when
sit
may
it
on
on
stool
be seen swaying
'.
when
it,
up
sit
down would
'
'.
The
world.
spirit
pennies
is
'
summon
from side to
burial ground
food.
(one at each
bells
The
stool carriers
deafening clamour
stools
are
'
earnest-
An
(2607)
(That
fall
is,
he
Nsdno.
and
sono, to be different.
intestines
esono,
an elephant
ASHANTI PROVERBS
110
to
Hu.
To
may
how
see, to perceive
hence to know.
Fwe means
is
done or
appearance,
its
it,
that one
a thing
(2609)
is
Oha-na.
Swmah.
is
knocked
off
(the
shaft).
Wbhdh.
Hgh
used of pulling or
is
else, as
a stick out
of the ground, a hoe from its handle, &c., probably an onomatopoetic word.
An
Alcwma.
stick
(1),
axe, also
stone axe.
abonua,
called
deriv.
hundred
Museum
the
in Vol.
African Society.
at Oxford), see a
paper on
'
Ashanti
Collection
',
by
Prof.
the
stone
H. Balfour
gbo dua,
i. e.
God's axes
stone,
stick,
which
is
the native word for axe, being the only clue that these celts were
is
also
ASHANTI PROVERBS
111
man
family.
394. Opanyih
asa
to
na ewo mmofra de
a,
rnu.
(2617)
is flat, its
dren.
To
Lit. has
asa.
hence,
Ewo
mu.
Lit. it is in.
An
(2618)
it
in the
hand of
a child.
Nto
rito.
396. Opanyinntra
The
33, nsisi.
to (nasal),
to,
meaning of a word,
alters the
na asadua mfgw.
ojle
(2619)
AsadiM.
a,
ormi mfensa.
stick,
i.
e.
loom.
(2620).
is
ever.
Neg. of
Onni.
Mfe
Mfensa.
di.
ajbiesa, lit.
he
se,
'
he.
na wonse se,
'
'
Leave
my
alone
'
',
Gya me
ti
'.
head alone'.
The following
saying.
',
Ebu
Gya me nan
Long
is
ago,
when wild
by the Ashantis of
this
were even more numerous than now, a man, when he lay down to
sleep, always took care that his feet and not his head were nearest
Thus, if a wild animal got into the hut, it would
to the doorway.
most probably
seize the
man's
legs,
shout
'
Leave
ASHANTI PROVERBS
112
my
legs alone
head alone
'
'
of,
'.
will not
2>eii
says,
400. Se mpanyimfo pe
wo
se
'
(or,
'
2623)
'.
'.
vjo atoto
fire.
Atoto awe.
se
wuguah
a,
akyih no wgserew
wo.
When
(2625)
the grown-ups (frighten you to) make you run
do
so,
Guannuan.
402. Akwakord
An
ho ansdna
te
Wgwoo.
(1877)
was born.
on No. 366.
Here
Panyin.
on No.
in
the
sense of one
in
authority, see
note
1.
The
wgwoo panyin.
Te.
and you
Reduplication of guan.
man was
old
off,
se
no n'atadwe gu ne kotokum'.
(100)
old
Se.
'
'
canine teeth
nyepi, molars
gbgmgfo
adonteh
Human
se (lit.
se (lit.
hunter's teeth),
When
an old
a, gbeba,
woman
na ne ntem na
yerepe.
(102)
ASHANTI PROVERBS
back, but
it is
how long
113
it
that
we want
(to
know).
Ne
nt&m.
adverb
lit.
really a
noun instead of an
if old
their age.
106.
woman
If an old
own
Ade.
fence.
(mnye ne ban.
(says) she
(Cf.
(103)
Imperative of gye.
hum
'
Makye, makye,'
'
who
let
6nnye.
107.
a,
sitting
Me ma wo
aherewa.
kills
by the house
return salutations,
(1992)
all
is said to
an old woman.
CHAPTER IX
Chiefs, Fkee Men and the Nobility, Slaves, The Family,
Nationality, Paeents and Eelations, Women and Wives,
Marriage, Birth.
babi,
vassal chief
Ohem-mone
Nni.
na gsafohene-bone na gwg
is iio
may
'
babi.
a bad king
(1300)
though a bad
'
',
be found.
Ohene-bone.
Neg. of wg.
Osafohene.
Oman-hene,
Ohene
i.e.
chief of a nation,
town or
chief of a
gdekuro,
is
lit.
a,
(1301)
When
the chief
who will kill you has not yet come (on the stool),
how many chiefs you have served under 1
410. Ohene
bi bere so
In one
(1303)
by having the
hairs singed
off,
(Times
Lit, time.
Wgdyere.
Lit. they
Translated by the
passive.
411.
When
a chief
is
a, efi mamfo.
(1304)
going to compel you to do something, he does so
suffix
pay
for
some
Mamfo
ASHANTI PEOVERBS
412.
Ohene hekum wo
When
ennim ahamatwe.
a,
(1305)
115
is
aJca.
413.
Ohene ne wo
When
kS, a,
na okum wo.
Me
Ka.
414. Ohene
One
(1307)
ne no ka
of a chief, but
Anim.
N'akyi.
When
amansan na enum.
(1309)
all
sing, neuter
When
Nnya
lit.
ne
'
one who
is
peaceful.
sits beside.
wo.
Ohene aso
that
'Sono.
ka'.
you
(1311)
say,
'
He
te se
is
me
alone,
'.
'sono aso.
The
(1310)
Lit. cool.
friends
418.
here so dwo.
here so.
Bibo.
417.
na ne
Ahotrafo.
Ne
a,
(1312)
(i.e.
all
going on).
sgne ;
emu akwah
horo apem.
strainer;
(1313)
there
he hears
An openwork
oil.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
116
420. Ohene ntam
da.
oath
chief's
it
se
te
mu
obi nto
mfa neho
mfi adi
tdtrotg
(1314)
is
yam
is
planted
in,
no one
falls into
Mam.
One
Bayere.
Ntg, mfa,
woM.
yam
of the
many
mfi.
species of
(ode).
see note
on
nsisi.
(1315)
421. Ohene tamfo ne nea g ne nofi mmofraase.
The enemy of a chief is he who has grown up with him from childhood.
Tan, to hate.
Tamfo.
Mm,ofraxise.
422. Ohene
te se odirni,
A chief is like
an odwm
tree,
(1317)
Odum.
423.
No. 413.)
(Of.
A chief's
(1321)
tiri.
child does not run to look at a head (that has been cut
off).
The heads
Mutu
No. 33,
nkgfwe.
A chief's
There
see
note
on
nsisi.
servant eats
is
fish
and gets
(1322)
ideas.
Ahenhwa
is
adwene, thought.
and
fish,
(Of.
diJben, to think,
No. 446.)
Ohene-akoa.
(1324)
It is the chief's servant that causes the person of the chief to excite
fear.
(2756)
Nsua.
to fight.
(Lit.
iSua, to
The oath
is
is
not required to
taken as follows:
ASHANTI PROVERBS
The man stands before the
sword
chief,
117
hand being
Me
mama me wura ne m,e sase nea m,ede m,eye obi
Me soma korabo na wanko a, mede me ti me
kd ntam
kese se
meko
sane ho.
me
kae yi m,anye a,
Translation
me ka ntam
fall.
and
my own
',
my
and
kese
'
it
ma
is
no.
(783)
me
Ade.
Ma.
dea.
see note
men would
?)
wgannyd na
wose,
mpo
get what
its
worries.
The
Wgannyd.
is
probably an error.
Deriv. ghene
Ahenni.
di,
to rule as chief.
429. Ade hia ghene nana a, okita tuo, na gnsod akete. (798)
When a chief's grandson is poor, he holds a gun but he does not
carry a mat.
Nana.
Akete.
grading.
gdehye
free
Odehye.
a,
man
ehia no kakrd.
(797)
lacks something,
it is
Kakrd.
(834)
people say he
for wine.
Odehye.
431. Odehye bg
When
is
ASHANTI PROVERBS
118
Wqfre.
Asahow.
A free man's
name
is
(835)
never lost.
meat
is
is
common
Fame
have eaten
it).
Elephant's
much even
it.
(838)
is
the fame of
Siha.
436. Odehye
Among
mu
ahoa guah.
a,
man
(839)
nni abofra.
royalty no one
(840)
is
a child.
An
ancient
aseni.
(841)
eaten
after all,
money
is
the
thing.
Wonni.
Neg.
of di.
A man
Wgmpae.
439. Odehye
The
nsgre, wosi
no mfensa.
(843)
Nsore.
up
(842)
many
years.
burial grove.
This proverb
is
quoted by a person
who
is
reprimanded or
re-
;
'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
440. Odehye
te Jig a,
AVhen the
Nni
man is
Bi ade,
free
ade.
This saying
is
119
(844)
command.
command.
the legitimate heirs have been passed over and the stool given to
a slave.
wu a,
441. Odehye
When
akoa di ade.
man
a free
dies,
(845)
(See No. 440, note.)
a slave succeeds.
One
(846)
his
Ahofra.
fellow.
Death personified
Owu.
owu.
Note,
among
word
'
bad
it is
death
'
wakanTeyene gu,
in connexion
lit.
Onyankopgn
de,
oka
bdhi, he
on No. 16,
salt
he
is
dead
'
remains elsewhere.
Waye
the Ashantis
(1625)
Ahoa.
'
Akoa is
also
(akoa no).
to complain of.
with their master on his death, but such a fate was also possible
for free
men.
Slaves
(1) those
pawned by
or
(3) those
under a master
for protection.
which follow
is
it
who became
necessary to
'
An
African Slave.'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
120^
meaning, to our
sinister
ear,
from
vantage
to a
'
to,
in,
and ad-
civilized
and a
'
'
Christian
'
that this
traffic
One
making.
home,
and
'
(in
(another word
'
'
'
is
slavery
is
its original
it)
did
nliye neho
A slave
Nhye
ntu
does not
.
knows
When
his
see
to war.
nsisi.
Sa.
(1615)
sa.
make up
ntu.
its
(1622)
(his) master.
ne ho guun no.
a,
(1612)
is
in trouble.
No. 424), the proverb means that the slave who eats a
sheep,
that
When
a slave
a,
na
efiri
wira.
(1626)
is
master.
Am^ow.
is
The
literal
meaning oi pgw
to clean, poUsh,
polished, polite,
Wira
Wura ; wira
is
in the
Akan
dialect.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
448. Akoa nni avm na wonkuim owura.
When
121
(1619)
is
not killed.
The master was held absolutely responsible for every act of the
who was considered as having not only a .body which was not
his own, but also a mind. Hence any act of a slave was considered
as an act of his master.
slave,
When
a,
to take his
Ne
gfa
a slave knows
ti
ade
head thing,
permitted
i.
e.
woman
girl
ade.
(1621)
No. 441.)
(Cf.
When
is
A slave
(1620)
di.
earnings.
Lit. his
ade.
or thing,
own
Tie ti
how
a,
(1623)
of the
Asona family
(a noble family).
Sonani.
see
(1611)
A slave
(1617)
does not point out where good sticks for building are to be
found.
Nnannua.
usual house
slave
The
The
A slave
Nni.
Mpgw.
kroma.
mpow
kwa.
(1618)
Neg. of
yam
di.
is
of
yams; the
first is
called
mmoto-
mean he was
ASHANTI PROVERBS
122
slave's
wisdom
womd
When
(1624)
tirim.
is
oho
oguah.
a,
(1627)
made
(again)
is
to go,
he runs away.
Asukg, the verbal noun from ho, to go, and asu,
Sare asuho.
water.
of doing.
'
difficult
is
to
withdraw.
457. Ahoa
te se
hyehyire,
ground into
te se
A slave
Tshi Proverbs
'
twerebo
member
easily influenced
ground.
(The
original.
a,
enye
(1629)
'ye.
useless.
of the community.)
Neg. oi wo,
= Yiye.
Wo nhoa
If
is
slave
Twerebo.
Enni.
459.
',
is
wanting, would
'Ye
(A
Kyehyire.
No. 1628 in
458. Ahoa
soft.
na ahono. (1628)
when a little water is
so a,
flour
suro
wonni ram
mma
wo.
fuce,
wo anim asem
(to
a,
(1630)
Wonni.
Mmd.
Neg. of
di.
Di nim
or
nhomm,
to
win a
fight.
it.
north of Salaga,
Fo, a personal
'
'
see note
ASHANTI PROVERBS
123
461.
'
Ahia me nafwe
'
am
ma
na
me,' nti
slaves
(lit.
one became a
glave).
Yee.
Akoa.
'
(1335)
twe
ma
final vowel.
mentwe'
(3501)
no 'pull and
is
3.
let
me
pull' (no
463.
dehye.
slave
who was
The
slave.
on
No
so.
(352)
one buys a slave to act as a restraint on himself.
Mtg
No. 33,
Hye
465.
Mme,
a, ohi
466.
Wunni.
Neg. of wo.
Lit. sell, eat, i.e. sell
When you
Wofere.
on
di.
(921)
sells
you
for
will fetch.
Ton,
di.
note
hence, to oppress.
what you
see
press on
so, to
Wunni vmra
When you
ommehye.
nsisi.
a,
fear to
wudi nnuanftn.
(1115)
girl,
you eat
stale food.
Nnuanfm.
bad.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
124
As soon
osamah).
'
'.
(first
on the drums.
man who
thus standing
No
bi
for their
kwaberan nhuruw
nsi.
dead master.
(187)
about
for joy
nhuruw,
JVhu,
it.
nsi.
For
this
nsisi.
= Ahoa-oberan.
Kwaberan
to
no
a,
oyi
haw sua ma
wutua.
When some
is
one's slave
sold to
who
is
j6),
he
is
pretty
2)
on Ashanti weights.
we
oil
palm
for the
line.
Mmetema.
lit.
cluster of children,
i.e.
bunch
of
mma,
palm nuts.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
471. Abusua
te se
125
(684)
kinsman (brother or
is
your real
sister).
JV^a.
Nua.
The family
474. Nea Oman
What one
(686)
bi ka serew na gman bi
su.
(2199)
people talk and laugh about, another people talk and cry
about.
A nation,
Oman.
a people.
gman-]iene.
475.
'
Oman
When
rebebg a,
e/l
a nation
is
homes
Ofi.
476.
OmoM
mu. (1996)
about to come to ruin, the cause begins in the
qfi
na menne abobow.
nation
is
(1998)
one home
(lit.
a gate).
Neg. of
Menne.
477.
de.
Abobow.
'
Oka/rabiri /'
ode a, wose,
'
a,
(1999)
'
',
Oka/rabiri.
478.
'.
(2000)
kill you,
ASHANTI PROVERBS
126
479. Oman
adesoa,
te se
A people
wonhu
mu
ode dahoro.
(2001)
Adesoa.
and
soa, to carry,
something carried,
a load.
Mu ade.
lit.
'
',
i.e.
contents.
not rub
Oman
When
you do
Sama.
481.
(lit.
it out).
reheho a,
a nation
the
is
holds
staff.
'
mend
mony and
The salamander.
Omampd/m,.
literally
nation
'
(^j)'^'"''
oman),
The following
peace.
is
i.e.
how
it
tliis
story, to
have given
all
the other was about to attack him, and these nations were on the
point of going to war.
was the
He
freely
acknow-
Boaman
(destroy nations).
His excuse was accepted, but his name
was altered from Boaman to his present one, Mamjpdm (unite
nations).
The salamander
above he
is
is
said
by the natives
to be deaf
in the saying
qkyeame, that
is,
spokesman,
is
'
sympathetic
'
magic, no doubt).
ASHANTI PROVERBS
127
'linguist'
okyeame
a court
is
official
(i.e.
who
The
to,
or be spoken
rendered in English at
482.
all, it
'
'
me
permitted to speak
Agya.
tell
(1238)
',
it is
nt.
Menka.
Imperative.
Wokyi.
mma
483. Agya
When
nya
mepe
a,
not
so.
ma mma nya
a,
mepe papa/pa.
like that
(1239)
when (my)
Agya mma.
Children of your
is
own
by another
father but
own
(i.e.
mother).
Ena mma.
Children of one's
own mother.
emphasis.
It
is
also
'
real
'
',
genuine
',
see
484.
'
M'agya
'
It is
dea,
it
',
JDea.
with the
it is
ehere awi.
my mother's,
(1243)
so let
me take
Not
to be confused
enclitic a,
485.
with dea
nea, he who.
me
'.
de,
dea.
Here
the possessive.
is
(1244)
say,
'
It
is soft
wood
ASHANTI PROVERBS
128'
486.
Wo
KobuoU
ha ne
no,
a,
anka wobese
(2060)
if your mother's son
Even
the big
drum was a
The prefix
Kobuobi.
is
fit
'
se
KobuoU
',
would you
proper nouns,
ko, before
tell
him
that
is
a contraction
added as a kind
for gdgnko, a slave (q. v.
origin, and
humble
or
of
slave
person
name
of
a
of nickname to the
all died.
have
sisters
or
brothers
whose
children
those
of
also to
No. 460, wnqnkgfo), and
Kobuobi, that
slave
is,
is
want
to taunt
fact.
tend to show
how
strong
is
many
This and
side alone.
487.
or sister).
488.
Wo na
When
di hia a,
wunnyae no nhofa
your mother
some one
else
is
your mother.
Wunnyae, nkofa.
(Cf.
No. 492.)
ni.
na womdna wo na ne
a,
mother
Wo
Ifa.
When
poor,
kdra.
(2064)
market, then your step-
to
is sent.
It must, of course, be
a step-mother.
remem-
480.
Wo na
lou
its
hundreds of
na wobeye ayi
a,
When
to several
na nkotg piti na wo
am
(2067)
your mother has died and you are about to celebrate the
ivie.
Ani nkowu.
first, lest
you go and
elders.
wie,
No.
nsisi.
37.
faint
and
ASHANTI PROVERBS
491.
129
left.
402.
Nen=-ne
493.
your mother
a,
touma ne nantew.
(898)
Wunni na na wokg
woM
is
No. 488.)
no.
When you
494.
(Cf.
obi fi agoro a,
na
otu ne
mma
fo
a,
wode tu
(912)
hi.
Agoro.
is
496.
nhofwe.
see note on
nsisi.
When
father's
The entrance
Ahobdw.
wompe ntem
you do not go
Wompe
n6,
(1211)
woka wo na
(1489)
hi.
father,
you should
also
swear
Ntam
Woka.
is
understood.
First, there is the
common form
particular
'
punish him
known
fetish
if
he
'
that he
is
is
man
swears by his
in the wrong.
calls
is
on
it
to
too well
is less
well known.
Like the
first it is also
Me
ka ntam,
'
man
or
woman who
'.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
130
am
in the right
'.
being, for
of
Eoman
Law
Private
Students
also a
'
also
ntam
it (60
so), lit.
second party
fail to
do
so,
',
the case
is
is
it is
'
now
in the right.
',
that
Should the
Should,
however, the oath be duly answered, then the case will be heard in
open
down
court.
his
'
Heavy
oath fee
'.
The
fee of the
is
important
ASHANTI PROVERBS
of saying,
'
Koromante
Memeneda Koromanle',
is
131
""Koromante Saturday'.
i.e.
This calamity
name came
to be proscribed
was considered so
kese,
An
lit.
after or behind
Government;
this oath
Ashauti.
',
an investigation and
trial before
he could be
executed.
By
it
is
a person invokes the death of the king, the words used being
'
Ohosom nkvn
So terrible a crime
the custom
is
'
to say,
is this
ohene,'
May
he blessed
.
'
(or,
on the king.
round the
Now
ears.
'
blessed
'
'
bless
'
the social regime resulting from the licence granted, the person
on whom the exasperated populace sought vengeance was the ruler
I
132'
ASHANTI PROVERBS
who had by
death to
life.
he must
kill you,
is
when
the person on
whom
the oath
is
tliat
sworn
is
No
Mfi
i. e.
tarn.
(170)
ahyi.
Lit. to
off
woman
come behind
one's back
and do a thing,
When
woman
wamma
Aguare.
499. Obea
is
verbal noun.
ohwam
tenten so ahe a,
When
ntem
na
a,
is
osiesie neho.
(23)
a long time in returning, then
di.
palm
(25)
Ohea tenten. The Ashanti women are shorter in stature than the
men, and the expression tall girl here implies a woman who
does
'
'
Ohwam
di.
The
saying,
who
is shameless.
ahwam
hedi
will
'
500.
Mmea hhmd
All
women
ye bdko.
(27)
are alike.
501.
Ahohow.
and which
A small
ASHANTI PROVERBS
602,
503.
Mmea
When
like to be.
se,
the
Wo
ho yefe
women
'
Ka.
a, efi
woman
You
(30)
are a handsome fellow
',
that
ne hunu.
is
'
to
The Twi
Ashanti.
504. Oha ho ye fe
ene ka.
a,
When
is
133
(19)
beauty.
(20)
her husband.
When
wanwo
woman
or fine
beautiful.
ha
1.
qwo hanin,
a,
(21)
girl,
she
homma
a,
etweri harima
(lit.
dan mu.
cuts) a
(22)
drum,
it
,i
man's house.
To
Twa.
portion of the
Women
cut
carrying or beating.
great deal
is
to
to
the
space of time.
fall
of
news of
the same day, and other equally wonderful instances are quoted to
show that the native has some extraordinary rapid means of comIt must, however, be remembered
that most of the instances that one hears quoted are incapable of
ASHANTI PROVERBS
13V
virhich
One
often inspires
drum
is
would
infer,
that
is
we
is
words.
That
a
we have drum-talking
is,
communication.
imitate by
'
'
as it
might
to a
human
to
in
mind
'
made by
birds
is
to
speech.)
"We have
all
bells
were
Punch brothers
punch will occur to many, and children have a game where one
plays a tattoo on smother's back, beating harder and harder till the
one who is acting the part of drum guesses the tune played.
These childish examples illustrate exactly what the Ashanti
drummer strives to do with his drums.
ringing out words, and the classical example of
'
'
Now
means of communication.
or are the messages
is
more or
less
further investigation.
These drummers are trained from childhood, and must not only be
experts in
drumming, but
genealogies of
all
also
it
these
'
ASHANTI PROVEEBS
The subject
is
135
drums are made, the particular tree from which cnt, the elephant
from whose ear the tense membrane is made, the wood from which
the pegs are made, the creeper used to tie
appeal
also
is
down the
skin.
An
permission to drum.
drumming.
3.
Many
(a
4.
Alarms, especially
5.
War
fire.
orders to
war
not being, as
were, in
enemy
captains.
it
'
'
'
to hear.
expert
will
now be
given.
The words and sentences are rapped out on two drums placed
side by side.
The drummer squats beside them with a drumstick
in each hand. The tones of the drums are pitched in different keys.
The message is rapped out with extraordinary rapidity and skill,
the endeavour being to imitate the intonation usually given to the
particular sentence to be
drummed, each
syllable of a
word being
ASHANTI PROVERBS
136
First, as is
always the case when the drums are brought out, the
which
drummer
drum
is
formed.
(It is
se,
o-re-se-re,
wo, ha-hi,
a-gyi-na.
drummer
stand.
The meaning
is
that the
evil spirit.
drummer
part of a
is
an
punished by
form of drumming
(It will
be
religious.)
wa-ma
Tie
se,
da-mir-i-fa, da-mir-i-fa/
drummer
the divine
that
now he has
drum
is
is
condoled with.
a,
wa-ma ne hg
se,
g-kg-g, ha-
da-mir-i-fa 1
ohua tree (from which the pegs are cut that hold down the
drummer
se,
(as
before).
se
afana tree (from which the drumsticks are cut), the divine
says ... (as before).
drummer
ASHANTI PROVERBS
137
se,
(as
before).
elephant
drummer
(lit.
of the
drum
is
propitiated.
A-si-a-ma-To-ku-A-sa-re,
man-ko-ma, kye-re-ma,
wa-ma,
na g-hg-g,
g-hra-fo
ti-ti-ri.
Asiama-Toku-Asare
pon),
divine
drummer
What
did
He
create
all
Onyhmi, No.
now
who
note on
(see
liave
two
of the
Mampon.
It
is
Mam-
1),
the
returned.
created the
names of the
name
of the
extremely unlikely
that this would be so, did their names and the sense in which
they are understood, date only from the advent of the missionary.
right
down
line of ancestors of
to
now and
again
it
0-dg-man-ko-ma,
hg-g, a-de,
Bg-re Bg-re
o-gya,
wo de
ti-ti-
wo
He
create
bi-
He
He
created the
ASHANTI PROVERBS
138
name
fire is
Mam-pgn
Mampon
! hu-reii !
hu-reh
(an important
raging
one, firimpon
V)
(archaic),
!
raging
God's axes
all
'.
of war.
selected out of
is
As already
many messages
used
encourage the
.
First
men and
insult the
come the
names of famous
se,
wa-kum
ma n-ni-pa
ye sa-
then,
chiefs,
to
enemy.
se,
wo
ase A-ku-ran-
tg,
Men
are slain
is
cool,
Akurantg
We
shall kill
you to-morrow
hail-
early, early,
early.
508.
obi
aguaman.
else's harlot.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
509.
Wo
na ehohyia
139
no.
(3649)
Before your wife has leached puberty you do not run to meet her.
Anyin.
reaching puberty.
grown.
Quite
little girls
510.
511.
grows up
till
she
'.
(3650)
tongues.
a thousand
'
palavers
512. Obea ne ne
513.
Oyere
te se
nso
awgw
a,
de wo.
514.
Qyere nye
wife
is
and yet
if
you
so a,
wo ho
helca wo,
'.
wuyi gu ho
(3652)
yourself with
you
it,
it irritates
feel cold.
others.
Woakyehye.
in use is,
515.
Wo
The
Even
if
common word
wo nko wo
da.
(3654)
not to say you are going to
lot, tiiat is
sleep alone.
Nye.
516.
Lit. is notgood,
meaning she
nkyere no.
When
is
unfaithful.
wo ne wo
(2858)
street,
together at home.
517.
Woko na
When
obi
ne ne yere reko
a, m])e
(1580)
you go (to a man's house) and find him fighting with his
no.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
140
wife,
is
probably
518.
women.
On
ode.
(3434)
yams always
taste sweet.
(Lit. (in) a
new
520.
(3463)
child,
you
(will)
grow weary
of
speaking.
521.
Wowo, wgawo.
tamfo.
his
Note the
(3464)
enemy has
and
aorist.
Wgwoo
When
tafoni ha no,
na onkura
ta.
(3465)
In the original
Tafoni.
would give
this is written
is a town of
The Ashantis, before the introduction of flintlock
guns from Europe, fought with bows and arrows and shields.
There is even now a street in Coomassie known as gkyem (shield)
street.
Bows and arrows are now only seen as survivals in the
it
this name).
'
'
523.
and a
'
Mawo wo
'
of having
(3467)
born you is something no one ever wants
'
sa3'.
Wokyi.
524.
No
emblem of
mahere,' wokyi.
am weary
to
shield is a royal
(194)
Nhyee
nwoo.
nsisi.
Past tenses.
see note on
ASHANTI PROVERBS
525.
Wowoo
'
Wo
di cwnim
'
Kwasida, na wgwoo
'
Wo
141
yi
adwow Dwoda.
'
(3466)
is,
the extortioner on
or perhaps
it
much
may mean the greedy person may
extortioner.
The
'
origin of the names of these days the writer has been unable
to trace.
Every Ashanti child born has, as one of its names, a name derived
from the particular day on which he or she was born.
CHAPTER X
Stbangbes, Eueopbans and Eueope.
526. Ohoho akyi
mpa
asem.
(1403)
is
Ohoho.
stranger.
Akyi,
Mpa.
527. Oholio
lit.
'one from
'.
ama woanya
sika
ama woanya
to get
kaw.
(1404)
money (but) he
Kaw.
528. Ohoho ani akese-akese, nanso enhu man mu asem, na nea ode kUrow
aniwa nkete-nkete na ohm mu asem. (1406)
man, with
Akese-akese.
he
is
what is
among, whereas the town's
knows
all
the town's
affairs.
also
nkete-nkete.
ti.
(1408)
Nsoa funu
see No. 77.
530. Ohaho
see
ti.
For note on the custom
Funu, see note on No. 185.
wofi na wannyaw wo
hiribi a,
of
'
ogyaw wo kaw.
When
(1409)
a stranger stops at your house and does not leave you anything else, he leaves you debts.
Fi.
neg. of gyaw.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
531.
Ohoho
te se
ahofra.
A stranger is
532. Ohoho
te se
A stranger
143
(1410)
like a child.
sunsHumsu.
is like
(1411)
trace
little
behind.)
(1412)
mmdra
di
so,
to
to break a law
keep laws.
a,
wo arvuonyam
ye ketewa.
(1413)
Anuonyam.
Ardm/-ye-nyam,
small.
(665)
For deriv.
is
lit.
Ahurokyiri.
igno-
'
'
534. Ahohoduah ye wo de
When you
laws.
To mmdra,
Nto mmdra.
if it
Ko-na.
Mpodno.
beach,
making landing
nhma j)e
men would
Akg.
it is
the difficulty.
Lit. the
is
All
is
sea.
of
Africa
537. Nnipa
sea.
on No. 268.
see note
often a difficult
like to
go to Europe,
it is
(2431)
pe
see note on
Onya na wonnya.
No.
2,
clause,
wope.
they do
not get.
538. \Ohur(m,i a
V
y The white
ote
ahantenten mu, se
man who
owu
a,
na gdafam'. (668)
when he dies he lies
in the
ground.
OhHroni.
European
deriv.
hii/ru,
till
dirty, filthy.
This seems
ASHANTI PROVERBS
144
christened
Ote.
'
'.
Abantenten.
called.
'
i.
e.
white
Tlie
'
is
',
the
ti
man who
the white
is
',
'.
man was
long, high,
lit.
afuw.
(669)
sells
is
overgrown
with hairs.
the white man, as the purveyor of these, might, so the native thinks,
Afuw.
Plu. of Oburoni, q. v.
The word
Adaworoma,
No. 538.
roma.
(if
of,
Furafura.
Reduplication of fura.
is
to the breasts
bared as a mark of respect, the right hand placed on the hip, the
right foot advanced, the sandal slipped off and the foot set on
but not in
By
virtue of
(645)
whom
it,
it.
sea.
(646)
whom to blame).
one who hears English
man
to praise (and
Obrgfotefo.
Lit.
'
',
ASHANTI PROVERBS
643. Obi nim
se
ohia hehia no
a,
ma
'yewo no.
have to
white
suffer
men
all
Anka.
'Tewo.
a,
Wo na
fe
AhiMirim'
rich.
'yedi.
(264)
was going to
544.
145
(876)
na wo agya
te
wofikye nya.
When
(2065)
your mother lives in Africa and your father in Europe, and
when
Te.
there
is
it.
Abibirim'.
Africa,
lit.
Aburokyiri.
CHAPTER XI
HuNGBK, Sickness, Medicine, Fbab, Hateed, and Fkieitdship.
546. Okmn de aherewa
When
an old
a,
na ose, Toto
'
woman
is
a,
gda,
'.
(1
685)
'
ma mmofra na wonni
hiribi
na
may
odidi
eat
'.
me
a, obisabisa
nkurofo yerenom.
(1686)
When
a stranger
is
hungry he
sleeps,
Hgho.
For note on
Nkurofo.
When
Okgm
own
is felt
gdefi ne kicrom'.
is
(1687)
it (hunger) with him from
hungry, he brought
by a
551.
village.
de akoa,
Hunger
550.
a,
a stranger
his
549.
fill
folks' wives.
hungry
feel
for another).
for eating
with.
Womfd
nnidi.
33,
552.
Okgm
Of
ne ka,
(the two)
Ka.
na efanim
(1692)
is
preferable.
When
ka.
Duruygfo.
wo
is
who
a, wonkae duruygfo.
(3540)
going to kill you comes upon you, you for-
Duru-ye-fo
ASHANTI PROVERBS
554.
by
147
(3543)
among
be
An
chief.
killed.
man
more
would be subjected
to
by the doctor as he
were he to be permanently
disabled.
555.
Wonnye.
Sa
Ayaresade.
curing an
556. Oyare
over.
lit.
illness.
(3546)
see akyeafo.
557.
is
lit.
Woyare anomdew
a,
who
is
na woyare
most worthy.
ntoto.
is
(3548)
always crying out for deli-
is
always calling
for buying.
Anomdew.
mouth',
Mma.
559.
oyarefo.
(1045)
Wopa gpayare
a,
'sweet tooth'.
cf.
oyare
pa gye wo mu.
pretence of being
ill,
(2579)
a real illness lays hold on you.
560. Obi nyare ayamka nkye akyeburo mfa nsa neho yare. (394)
No one who has belly-ache tries to cure himself with parched corn.
Nyare, nkye, mfa, nsa.
Nnua nhma
ye aduru,
na wunnim
(useless) bad.
Aduru.
a,
(1021)
this
one
is
ASHANTI PROVERBS
148
562.
'
'
Met,
me aduru
Give me medicine at
(1972)
you cannot expect that
once,'
to
be good
medicine.
The meaning
is
is
to
root.
(3124)
near you.
'
'
for the
executioner {ohrafo) to seize the victim, force his head forward and
then slowly carve through the spinal column at the base of the
neck.
A small skewer-like knife {gsepg) was generally first run
through the cheeks and tongue in order to prevent the swearing of
the
566.
'
great
'
oath or the
'
king's
'
oath.
We
much
(3127)
where words
are weapons.
Dgm.
Menne.
567.
Neg. of
Wusuro nnimmo
a,
de.
(3128)
so
used
it
would be con-
sidered useless.
imposed on.
to a
cheap popu-
words it
good an insight into the Ashanti
eiglit
many
years,
lot it is to rule
and
and
lot,
ASHANTI PKOVEEBS
149
to take full
first to
of the
commands
real
him
'
to flay a
a strong
'
'
who
and
from
man and
after
man who
is
at heart
deals with
him
as such.
568.
among
very true
and manly
feared,
nation.
When
many
Odqnko.
Mprensa.
569.
on No. 767.
Wusuro guamsem
When you
(for
it
times.
a,
wo ahaguade
ye ketewa.
(3131)
attending such
'
palavers
') is
small.
= Gua-mu-asem.
Ahaguade ^ Bq-agua-ade.
Guamsem
570.
If you fear to
571.
Wotah wo ygnko ha
When you
a,
wo
ha
wu
avmsin.
child.
(3179)
own
death.
Aum-sin
Avmsin,
sin,
572.
Wgtan nipa
When
a,
man
When some
wgma
is
qi/enneema nhma.
disliked he is
blamed
(3180)
a,
Mparunwoma.
bitter, gall
paruw
is,
'
to
ASHANTI, PROVERBS
150
574. Ohi tan wo
enworanwora wo.
a,
(432)
fi
marks
(tattoo)
of slave origin.
When
it
has
a child
is
born,
all
face
its
malignant spirit which has caused the death of this child's brothers
and
odgnkg, slave.
Bo
ade.
or promised to a
576.
fulfilled).
ade, (cf.
swmah
Kg
577.
1 7).
agyina.
Lit. to
Wo tamfo di wo asem
When one who hates
who
is
ase
kan
a,
woka nkyene
first
a,
edan mako.
(3170)'
when you
talk salt
it
turns
to pepper.
Woka
is
nkyene.
among
the
little
all
i.e.
savages.
Salt
pinch of salt
is
to
Much
of
salt lagoons
on the
coast.
When
one
who
a,
dislikes
gkyeakyea ne
waist sideways.
Sua,
578.
To
is
2>a.
(3173)
(3174)
no medicine to cure hatred.
Nni.
Neg. of wg.
Aduru. See note on No.
13.
his
ASHANTI PROVERBS
580. Wotan
When
hi a, na wofa ne yere.
(3175)
you hate some one, then you seduce his wife.
Wofa
581.
161
yere.
Tie
Wotan wo
(Even)
you hate
if
a,
mma
womfd no
dgm.
(31 76)
)'our mother,
to the
enemy.
582.
Wo
ygnko di wo
amim na wunni no
bi a,
na
ete se
wusuro
no.
(3673)
When
with you) and you (next time you are eating with him) do
not do likewise, then
Wunni.
Neg. of
mu wo
583. Oyonho
Among
it is
amim
di,
oygnko.
as if
being understood.
(3674)
others).
584.
'
'
Ygnleo,
585. Ade
wo ani
to
When
so a,
tell
(3675)
terew.
you a
secret),' that is
wo ygnko na
oyi
ma
it is
wo.
how news
spreads.
(814)
it
for you.
586.
Na.
Here emphatic,
Ma.
No.
1.
When you
him
Na.
go to your
off, it is
Agoru.
587.
see
really
(to
a,
na gde wo.
(1583)
send home).
Subjunctive.
1.
Ani.
but you do
Eye reddens,
kgn
dg.
Ade.
for
CHAPTER
Folly and "Wisdom;
588. Okwasea na
'
ose,
It is the fool
who
Okwasea.
and
ae,
See No.
'.
to say.
Na.
article.
1.
Neg. of de.
Wgnni.
When
XII
the fool
be a,
wgkyere no
use.
(1908)
is
it
has to be
explained to him.
Wobu
be.
Translated by passive.
Wgkyere.
is
Guan.
591.
(1906)
abiefi.
When
a fool
is
of order.
Sika.
now
stands for
money
weights
',
by
Each weight
and often
aesthetic art.
&c., &c.
The process of
is
whole model
being
left,
wax runs
is
casting
is
as follows
worked in clay
all
when dry
is
rough model of
The clay
is
added.
The
a duct, or passage
now
first
designed to
heated,
when the
and second
layers.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Into this the molten metal
is
(For a
is
found.
Hausa Folk-Lore.)
The names and equivalent
run.
When
153
the clay
values in English
is
broken away,
full description,
money
of
some of
154
ASHANTI PROVERBS
to point to these
weights, and
it
as
from the tawa tree and compare the metal weight of that name,
when the value of gold dust in ancient times might be roughly
gauged.
the taku, and the ackie, corresponding (approximately) to our \d., Qd.,
4.
6d.
for weights
to be
Merew.
of scales, easily
weighed down,
By the time
te a,
na agoru agu.
(1910)
the fool has learned to play the game, the players have
dispersed.
Te.
593.
Te, tew,
lit.
to be clear.
Okwasea nnim
If the fool
all
about
his
plantain dumpling.
Fufu.
Where you
no,
na onyansafo
le
ho fwe wo.
(2238)
man
is,
looking on at you.
For note on
Onyansafo.
Wgtew.
596.
asie.
to.
pereguan.
See note on
'
Ashanti weights
'
under
ASHANTI PROVERBS
,598.
a, ntoto ha.
si ho,
(2559)
When two
men
wise
are dividing
Mensa.
insect pest
of the
(2558)
Ttye
155
it
down
it
yam mentioned
in the saying
up the
to cover
is
diseased
portion.
No
one
ties
and puts
it
me
matter to
away
it
says,
'
in a
box
Explain the
'.
Nyansa-kotoku.
is
a bag
'
'
'.
Note that
nse.
first
all
verb nkyekyere.
nsisi.
601. Nokware
mu
nni abra.
In truth there
Nokware.
no
is
Deriv. ano
not so
lit.
603.
to
and hware
(jingso)
much
cut a
lie
'
(from truth
Wutiba nkontompo
When you
tell
a,
lie,
mu
na wgatwa
of truth that
it
Wgatwa.
'
= mouth,
(1).
Neg. of wo.
Nni.
There
(2475)
deceit.
?),
i.
e.
nkontompo.
should be cut
have cut
it.
to tell a
lie.
off
Twa
(2477)
by falsehood.
nkontompo,
ASHANTI PROVERBS
156
Kumase.
kill
to kill,
and
ase,
Lit.
under.
'
under the
tiee',
human
Kum,
Deriv.
sacrifices
a,
place.
to no.
(3338)
Whereas the
liar takes
who speaks
Ot&rofo.
liar
605.
'
smooth-tongued',
Manya
'
'
in a day,
ose,
'
oho'
'
'
oily-tongued'.
(3339)
he says,
'
'.
Ot6rofo.
As ahonnua,
Agua.
stool.
'
(3341)
'.
is
in Europe'.
Ahurokyiri,
607.
him
a, wobere.
(754)
you speak falsehoods in stating a case, you become weary.
When
The
asem
a,
i.
e.
wode nokware ka
i.
e. is
quickly settled.
608.
a,
(755)
for a
it
from your
grasp in a day.
609. Atokoro
One
nokwapem.
see
Atokoro
= Atoro-koro.
Nokwapem = Nokware-apem.
610, Uhta bateni
"When the
EMa.
me sika,
Ma j)ani.
(1330)
An
there
impersonal verb,
is
'
it
lacks, there is
need of to
'.
EMa
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Deriv. bata, trade, and
Batani.
bata
Pdni.
pa
Deriv.
Ehia onipa
When
the personal
suffix.
Di
to trade.
ni the personal
611.
ni,
157
That
oda wuram'.
a,
man
payment,
(1331)
is
he
is,
suffix.
compelled to go far
is
afield,
hunting or
fishing, in
Wuram'.
'612.
Ehia
100 a,
When
in
Worewe.
re, lit.
you are
eating.
613.
Ehta wo
That
614.
nwu.
a,
When you
is,
(1334)
'
Alna me na fwe
'
am
ma
me,' nti
na
(1335)
it is
(lit.
Yee.
Ahoa.
615.
When you
public
-<816.
Ohia
eat,
na wonni, &c.
^
617.
a, woijbe
aberekyi were.
up and
chew a
you eat
it
at
home,
di.
(1339)
goat's skin.
boiled.
When you
(1337)
Lit. poverty,
Wonni, neg. of
&c.
Aberekyi were.
are cut
so.
affairs.
Ma wo
When you
na wonni no gua
are a poor
Wodi no
but do not
final vowel.
are in
abete a,
pot, that
leaf.
fingers.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
158
Fdn.
Many
leaves of
scarcity.
leaf,
boiled
are
plants
various
Ohm
this word.
wo na wotg nsu-ombinim
hia
When you
ehye wo.
a,
water,
it
(1341)
happen
scalds you.
(1342)
fix
(i. e.
its arrival
will be unexpected).
Here emphatic,
Na.
become a
slave.
(1345)
sog.
is
to
na.
1,
Akoa.
It
man
^ee No.
Odehye.
621.
(1344)
is
(i.e.
Otivea.
:=gkraman-=- dog.
Angpa-he.
Ang2)a-abe,
lit.
recognized times for the cutting of palm nuts, very early in the
anume-he {anumere-ahe).
often
622.
Ohm
ne gyirai.
Poverty
That
623.
Ohm
is
p.
m.
(1346)
stupidity.
a poor
is,
man
nni Abiirokyiri
reckoned a
is
a,
anka
fool.
Oburoni
Cf.
ammehata ne
ntama
Abibirim'.
(1347)
If there had been no poverty in Europe, then the white
not have come and spread his cloths in Africa.
Abiirokyiri.
Ahka.
ObUroni.
Ammehata.
Abibirim!.
Note the
auxiliary, bera.
man would
ASHANTI PROVERBS
624.
Ohm
se'wo, enngfako.
te
Poverty
Wo
'
OMa
nti
na aseredowa
burobia
Nti
= Eno
(1351)
aseredowa bird to alight on the
'
ti.
(1353)
llie display of
poor
little
plant.
'
Neg. of do.
It is
'
(1348)
it is
= Ewo.
Enno.
625.
honey,
is like
159
is
to lose
would hesitate
627.
to do.
Ohia ye addmmo.
Poverty
is
(1354)
madness.
Cf.
AddmTnq.
Derive, bo dam.
On
(1357)
is then you perceive who
it
is
a man.
(a friend)
Emphatic
iVa.
particle, see
No.
1.
Nkye
bere.
yennidi.
a,
but
(1359)
if
eat.
'
Soon
'
is
thus expressed
(1360)
Bo mfuw.
631.
Ohtani bu be
a,
When
man makes
Bu
a poor
be.
enhye.
a poor
as
if
(1361)
a proverb,
it
When
rage.
man
a,
(1362)
he partakes of a sheep.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
160
Pgwa
Powade.
Bwane Oguan.
633. Ohianifura kyerm a, eye se efura dunsin. (1365)
When a poor man wears a silken robe, it is as if it decked a tree
stump.
= Dua
Dunsin
sin.
When
a,
man
a poor
wobu no aw&wa.
(1366)
decked out in gold, people say
is
Siha.
'
it is brass.
golden ornaments'.
Odefo.
For note on
Neg. of goro.
Nnoru.
636.
lit.
man
If the poor
a,
has nothing
Ode.
is
'
by means
of, with.
Tutu
ha.
(1369)
When
a poor
friend.
a, eye se tasehfi.
(1370)
tobacco, it
is
as if he
were smoking
Tasehfi
Tawa-oseh-fi.
When
the poor
a,
na eye no
man mends
se
odidi sanyam'.
his broken
wooden bowl,
(1372)
it
serves
him
640. Ohiani
A poor
mpaw dahere.
man does not
Dabere.
cf.
(1373)
chose his sleeping-place.
Suffix
' '
ASHANTI PROVERBS
(341.
'Yedi.
asommmne
bataj^se.
When
a, 'yese
he
leaves, it is said
is
plural,
3rd person
oyane nnwahama.
man wears a
the poor
(1378)
'
gorow
Gorgw.
Gordww
afase.
is
dialect,
passive.
(1375)
investigated briefly.
Here translated by
(1374)
is
Akem
probably the
is
161
also
'Yese.
root.
'yedi.
Nnwdhama-=-Ogua'h hama.
644. Obi mfa
ohm ntow
adotebe.
will
Adotebe=Dgfe-(^e.
(146)
make a man
fell
On
the wine
felling, that
Mfa
nsi.
se,
'Ma ohwu
'
a,
enye
yaw
see note
se ose,
'
is
Bo dmi.
same time
To knock a
Onwu, nM,.
Wunni ntrama
When you
sweet.
piece of
to invoke a curse
person against
647.
nsisi.
he
on No. 33,
whom
'.
wood
and
'
call
into the
on the
harm the
evil is intended.
Imperative.
a,
shell,
de.
(919)
then you say that wine
is
not
ASHANTI PROVERBS
162
Wunni.
Neg. oi wo.
Ntrama.
At Ejura
50
Cowries,
to be seen in the
still
mmah
qhan)=\
(plu. of
went
otiri,
to \d.
markets of the
;
The small
(head).
interior.
40 cowries=l qhah
'
subsidiary
;
'
coinage introduced in 1912 to the Gold Coast Colony, and previously to that into Nigeria (tenths
and halfpennies)
will soon
648. Osikani
Tie panyin.
(2960)
the elder
is
(i.e.
man
of importance
whose words
Panyin.
649.
Wonni
1.
make
1.
no nliwea hwa.
(917)
would merely
it
be called sand.
Wonni.
Neg. of
Anka.
When
di.
Sika.
a,
womfa
mj)e hosea.
(2935)
not let
Nni.
own
out at interest.
it
Neg. of wg.
Adagyew.
Lit.
Wgmfa mpe.
'
Ka wo
nsa pe
'.
'.
see note
Pe
borrow.
(2936)
it is
not (a case
of),
'
'.
Money
mma
handed
(i. e. it
(2938)
earns interest).
Money
kwa.
does not go out to earn its livelihood and come back empty-
is
Kyen.
see note
on No. 33,
nsisi.
(2939)
ASHANTI PROVERBS
163
a, ewg amansafi,
(2942)
a fereguwh worth of gold dust in a town,
is
it
is
for
Pereguan.
it is
in that the private debts of one person are recoverable from the
This last
is
655.
Wo sika resa
When your
a,
na wo ani
gold dust
tew.
(2944)
becoming
is
member.
finished,
prudent.
Ani
656. Sika
Lit.
tew.
Mo. (2945)
beyond everything, nothing
Wealth
657. Sika
(is)
te se
akoa,
woanhu no
Woanhu.
Lit.
is
like
is
Na.
659.
Wo
slave, if
have not.
Wo
(2950)
Lit. pe-ineaygyaw-fo,
sika ye
sika ye
not easy.
to.
Dgm.
661. Sika-dvmma
no shame at
Aniwu.
will go hungry.
is
is
If (spending) your
It
it
Aorist tense.
If (spending) your
660.
(2946)
you do not look after
away.
Opegyafo.
sofuie a, oguan.
unto a
Wealth
is
l2
to war,
you
ASHANTl PROVERBS
164
662. Osikafo
When
a sick
663. Osikafo wg ho
When
man
Ntamagow.
664. Osikani
As
yi,
is
ofura ntamagow.
wealthy, he
(2955)
may wear an
old cloth.
de,
for a rich
be unwell.
man, he
Wonnwanst.
is
(2957)
is
In
imme-
sneezer will be held accountable for any bad or good luck the chief
may
When
666.
gold
Wunya
When
a, ehoa.
is
ode a, wotan
you are
called a
(2931)
close to you, it
rich,
wo
is
bad man.
CHAPTER
FiEB,
The
other
verb
fire
The
ne.
de),
and
Wisie
first
ne
the second ne
smoke
its
smoke (from
different
',
the conjunction,
is
is
'
and, with
'
(from the
Lit.
'
the
&c.
= Owisiw.
nnam
nky^ afaw
Nnam.
so.
good
is
(1246)
home
plantation.
i.e.
up has a
fires).
Ogya.
Ne
(1245)
fire
XIII
for fuel.)
'sharp, brave',
to catch alight.
Afuw.
Wood
already touched by
(1247)
fire
is
alight.
Dedaw.
So- na.
woperew
a,
to
wo
ha so ansa-na woayi
afi
no
so.
(1249)
When
you
child before
Woperew.
pireiB, to roll.
Afi.
To
(finally)
jerk
off,
take
it off
him
it off
on to your
(again).
Translate by
671.
fire
'
from,
wg and ma,
off';
really a verb,/, to
come
out.
(1250)
a, enyi wo de, na woretafo.
burns you, you do not find it sweet, but you keep licking
Ogya hye wo
When
fire
Of.
as prepositions.
tafo
taforo.
ASHANTI PROVEBBS
166
672. Ogya pirew
When
a,
(1251)
nearest to
fire, it
it.
Pirew. In the
Tshi Proverbs
'
'
this is written
perew
(see note
Atuduru=Otuo-aduru,
674.
Tenim
se
gun medicine.
wode ha
a,
lit.
We know
tliat
when
ofie
ansa.
ash
is
so,
(2350)
taken and thrown out on the ash heap, yet
it
(as firewood), it
was
first
Fi wuram.
No. 670,
see above.
From
Fi, translated
mu
no,
a nugget.
Asu.
(Cf.
from
'
Wuram',
afi).
adwene
by
yemfd
'.
see note on
mu pgw.
we do not
eat,
No. 92.
(3067)
not (even) take
we do
Neg. of
Yenni.
di.
See note on
Tanng,
No. 55.
river
(3068)
(lit.
is
Cf.
Wonnuare.
eTJ. Asu
el
see
eta hg
It is the
(lit.
Na
Neg. of guare
takes) a
man.
Na, emphatic
particle
efa, used euphemistically, lest
perhaps the spirit in the river might be offended and be avenged on
efa.
the speaker.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
678. Asu a
ete se
bosoropo
body of water
na nkyene atwam
must be a reason
yi,
167
na ewo
which
is so
(3070)
ase.
very
salt,
there
for that.
Ase.
Whatever the
mu
a,
na ne din
ayera.
(3071)
name
is lost.
Aorist tense.
Ayera.
680. Asu bo
Bg biribi din.
Lit. to
spell)
and then
cause.)
i.
e.
(1) gives
or has some reason for a certain action, or (2) adjures some one or
Asu fa wo
a,
it
power
its
(i. e.
(3073)
at) hate
all
the creepers
let
you get
a hold).
Fa.
Eho nhama.
Note how nature
is
A river
human
given
attributes,
cf.
on the banks.
(3079)
does not flood out the toucans (which roost on the tops
of high trees).
Wgm2)e.
684.
Nsu fa vjo
When
a,
water
Fa.
wonom
is
bi.
(3086)
it.
efa.
AnM.
ASHANTI PROVEEBS
168
Akd.
kind of
Darewa.
piece of iron
little
fish.
When
687.
Nsu pqtq-pqtq !
tiatia
Muddy
pass through
An
Pqtqpqtq.
lit.
'
the
it stinks.
water
wa,
(3089)
Ebon.
suffix
'.
mu na
kqsaw nsu-pd !
it
(3090)
mud.
688. Nsu asa aium'
ing the
Nsu,
is catch-
fish.
Note the
asum'.
difference in meaning.
See note on
a, eso
690. Nsu-nsunhtna
Panyiii,
Nsu
yiri a,
When
692. Osu a
na
See note on
is
drinking.
the old
is
Krqhqw
(3094)
man among
them.
1,
No
1.
the water
etq
bathing
b6sono2>o ne panyiii.
Ne.
691.
dqso,
many
the
all
(3093)
Aguare.
Of
nom.
sufficient for
(3097)
(3051)
Of the
rain that falls on the Crobo hills some has fallen on the Shai
mountains.
Osu.
Krqhqw.
The
'
Crobo
a, etim'
Though
'
hills to
Siade
',
(?).
nea
etim'.
(3053)
Etim=Ti mu.
'
where
it
ASHANTI PROVERBS
'_694.
Osu we fwo
wuse,
a,
'
169
'
se,
me
Opetee
so'.
(3055)
When
the rain beats you, you say, 'It has beaten me', but you
me
'.
Se.
offence.
'
we can
695. Oso
Past tense
the rain
does not
696. Oso
Na.
697.
the rain
a,
edi kan.
wokum
is
mana
'
say.
(3056)
homfo.
(and)
killed;
'
when
the rain
is killed.
'
the
by
'it is
the
.
.
on the
'
asense
'
finite
'
first.
See No.
1.
(3059)
You need
aboro.
(3057)
fall, it is
particle, trans,
Am
osu anto
going to
is
Emphatic
fall,
',
mframa na
ieto a,
When
falls,
is
Kqmfo.
.
wokum hmafo;
to a,
When
rain, it not
Opetee.
is
'.
positions.
Asense.
scanty and as
constantly ruffled.
life.
Owia.
Abrabg.
1, asase.
(?)
life.
699. Osutggupomu.
The
rain
falls,
(3061)
pouring into the
sea.
(The saying
is
often
ASHANTI PEOVERBS
170
700. Oso
to
When
na egu
ing you,
701.
Osu
to
When
hirihi so
the rain
falls
it
ansa-na eka wo
falls at
(3063)
a, adeki/ee,
enye yaw.
anadwo na woanhu
the rain
a,
CHAPTER XIV
General Precepts and Maxims.
When some
is fool
(ase).
ase
akumsAmdn
(115)
enough
no one
to
a bad charm fastened to his legs (and thus get the blame of
causing the crop to
any
in
happen
to
Abeseburow.
corn.
fail,
case).
naturally very uncertain, as the rains proper are then over, such
crops being dependent on chance showers.
also
Womfd
nsisi,
'
is
'.
nkgfa.
lit.
see note
on mfa,
No. 33.
AkumsHmdfi.
Lit. a
charm
to kill,
i.e.
it is
to neutralize is
bad
oboaom.
Nkgfa
703.
Lit. to go
mil.
Obi bg wo aiverekyehye
wannyd papa
sumdn nd
anye wo,
bi
ode
in, i.e.
nkgmmb
diie
walk
there.
wo ano
d,
na
(117)
When some
really benefited
Aw&rekyekyL
you at
Lit.
Mo
all.
No. 33.
',
i.e.
to solace,
to comfort.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
172
Deri v.
AMrade.
Lit.
mmusu
705.
OU
husuyefog ne
knave
for
nipa-pa.
a good
is
See
9.
(119)
man
for another.
For
Deriv. mmusu-ye-fo.
Busuyefoo.
No.
hi
one
ade.
suffix fo,
see note
on
78, hontromfi,
another,
it
Ade-dedaw.
for you,
do not
by mistake
Afom akwm.
finite verbs,
is
necessary in English.
sition,
on
nsisi,
No. 33.
Nnua.
Neg. oi gua.
a,
ebia
wo agya ye
ghonnatofo,
'
If some one remarks you are like your father, do not be in too
your father
Sewbsi.
(i.e.
be flattered); for
all
you know,
a ravisher of women.
Mpe, nserew.
Obonnalofo.
see note
A farm
deriv.
is
not to
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Mpami)a.
173
for carrying
Efow.
pars, neuter
pronoun
for the
OU
When
market.
'Mati.
711.
712.
ti.
wo ade
Obi kye
When some
Ade.
a,
(wa)
n'ase.
Lit.
woda
n'ase.
'
(135)
me
Woda
i.e.
another's.
thank you
',
at
lie
'
dea.
his
thanks
to give
'
am under an
you
which
',
down
',
i.
e.
feet.
This
is
the
real root
is
No
(137)
one boasts of what belongs to another.
Some
Obi.
Mfa
No. 33.
and with
one,
nhoahoa.
Hoahoa
is
714.
neg.,
lit.
some one
e.
boast about.
No
so.
(138)
one takes a whole animal and dries
it
over a
fire.
Mfa, nhow. Note the double negative. See nsisi, No. 33.
whole), i.e. an animal that has just
Ohomu. Aboa-mu (mS
been killed but not yet flayed and cut for drying and roasting on
fire.
No
mmusu
vjg
bio.
(140)
it.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
174
Ade nkgyi mmusu. Lit. something (i. e. eggs, &c.) to take away
harm perhaps here an offering for an qhayifo, q. v. No. 56.
Wo. Really a verb. Here rendered by the preposition 'at'.
;
Onsan nkofa.
Note the
verb mfa.
first
718.
A noun.
Adidi.
From
rich.
much
Adepe.
717.
(142)
so.
One does not take half a loaf from the wayside and then inquire
who cut the other half.
Mfa
mmisa.
See note on
nsisi.
Mmisa, neg.
No. 33.
of
bisa.
Dghonsin.
made
of
maize,
sin,
The writer
-has
Obi
No
Mfa, hware.
Fere.
nsisi,
one's
No. 33.
Obi ne nua.
Pam.
obi ne
Lit.
some one,
his sister.
mu
hkyere opanyin.
inside of an
(148)
empty pot
to an elder.
(Of.
No. 382.)
Opanyin.
1.
A hemfi= Ohene-fi.
off to
the king's
ASHANTI PROVERBS
This proverb
is
No
will
be detained.
(150)
one takes white clay and follows some one
the forest (in order to rub
White
Hyirew.
175
who
on him).
it
clay,
'
man who
guilty
'
when
the sense
is
been found
It is
is
This
'
has
',
Way
is
No
one
tells
how bad
(155)
when asking
Amawne a wahu.
Kaw.
n'ase.
mmuluw
burojiatd so
(156)
may
what news
No
Amanne, not to be
Amanne=gman-ade.
he has seen.
pull
own
belly to cover
up
to
his prestige
'.
Mmuluw.
Neg. oilutww.
B&ropatd.
to store
crops on.
feet.
725. Obi mfa ne nsa lenhwm nkyere n'agya amamfo so. (159)
No one takes his left hand to point out his father's old village.
Nsa benkwm.
Among
the Ashantis
hand
it is
considered particularly
(as is
the case
among
tlie
Hausas),
is
The
left
used to
ASHANTI PROVERBS
176
The
hold the stick they generally use to wipe the anus with.
hand
is
left
also
Amamfo.
The
suffix
with per-
fo
726.
(160)
one puts his finger in another man's mouth and then beats him
No
Nsa.
Hand
Obi tnfa ne
No
se
mmobq adwe
also nsatea.
is
See note on
fingers.
own
(161)
and gives
teeth
to his
it
companion.
Mmobo.
Mma.
(lis is
Neg. of
be rendered by 'for
palm
might
it
to go
and ask
for
oil.
Toamwm.
own word
least
'
mwm,
mum
sound
',
and
it is
m,wm,
deaf or dumb.
Cf.
also the
Latin and
possible to
make with
lips.
No
it
'.
the
really is
it
so
'
ohUok6ro^.
gyama shrub
'
(172)
to the ground
and then
A tree
Agyama.
with
many
No
(182)
one ever kept looking for a sleeping-place (and continued the
search)
Nfwefwee
till
dawn.
nkyee.
Past tenses.
No
(185)
one hides himself and (then) lights a
No
fire.
(186)
one breaks the water-pot the first time he stumbles.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Nhinti.
Mmo.
Hintiw,
From
cf.
Hansa. funtwa.
ho.
No
'
Mihui
ankana
a,
who has
'
(189)
'.
one
seen
laid hold of
not
'
'
'
'
is,
177
remorse, regret,
'
.',
.',
.'
this.
'
Had
known
.',
',
is
Anka, used
Ankana.
in the protasis
tional sentence.
No
rising
up
know
Waserew.
has laughed.
Lit.
se,
'
Woafgn'.
see a
say to him,
Se.
Deriv.
'
se is
(192)
for the first time),
and
'.
Woafgn.
736. Obi nhu onipa awia na anadwo gnsg kanea nfwe n' anim. (193)
No one sees a man by day and at night lights a lamp to look at his
face.
Awia.
Kanea,
Portuguese
1, asase,
(?).
NJwe.
fObe, to
to perceive, see,
and
look at.
aku/ra,
nkyere n'ase.
(204)
A diminutive,
for gku/row-wa.
and
ASHANTI PROVERBS
178
738. Ohi
hM
obi
'
se,
Agyeman
(205)
'.
One does
Agyeman.
lit.
father of a nation.
is
soup.
Ahiid.
portion off a
verhal noun,
yam
a scraping
lit.
or plantain
to
'
Onka.
ohi
amma
a,
stir,
'.
'dish out'.
se
(208)
If no one
Anka.
Subj. mood.
Ahu.
'
Pulu hyew a, yehUa hi adi'. (213)
741.J Obi nkose se, Putu hhyew
No one says (when the yam store is on fire), Let the yam store
.'
'
burn
When
742
does
we
yams
to eat.'
YehHa.
Adi.
it
Subjunctive.
No
sells
them to
his
own countrymen.
v.
Bisekyim.
goro.
Bisetoro.
No
mmg pgw.
thumb
Kokurobeti.
The thumb,
on No. 355,
Mmg.
Neg.
of bg.
(221)
in tying a knot.
lie.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
744.
No
Nkyene.
745.
'
se,
To nkyene
di
Ohi
'.
(226)
Buy
'
salt
No
and eat
'.
If one
mu
nnim adekyee
748. Ohi
179
asem.
explains.
(272)
Adekyee
mu
Adekyee mu,
asem.
is
fying asem.
747.
No
(317)
are some
'
(lit. is
On
the sense.
selfish,
and wanting in
feeling as it
own
affairs,
(lit.
for
words and of
might appear to
us.
Primitive
is
literal
'
life
nor does
mean he wished
it -necessarily
his
neighbour
evil,
but simply expresses the natural wish that any luck going might
come
his
own way.
748. Ohi nto ntasu nto fam' mfa ne tekremM mfa. (360)
No one expectorates on the ground and then takes his tongue and
,
licks it
749.
(lit.
takes
it up).
No
up
(390)
tarn.
one waits (to reach) the Volta river before washing his
Firaw.
ing
its
eastern boundary.
750. Ohi
se,
gbesoa
When
cloth.
wo
a,
wunse
se,
'
Menantew
'.
(408)
you do not
walk'.
Menantew.
Future tense
anim
to
When some
1
wo amirika
Obi se gkyeh
no
ho.
a,
akyiri ne
(413)
fall
to
ASHANTI PROVERBS
180
way open
for
before.
to
752.
Ohi
sen,
wo
wo
mM, onsen
a,
When some
who
let
excels him.
Imperative.
Onsen.
There
se aniwu.
(464)
nothing that hurts like shame.
is
Aniwu.
i.
e.
shame.
Whatever
is
A dimly
a, etiba se ebebafam'.
(472)
above must come down to the earth.
755.
'
Bg me na memmg
'
Memmg.
756.
nye agoru.
wo,'
Neg. of
Newton
of one of
bg.
Wobg ahina ho
When you
Da.
757.
Cf.
Lit. lies.
Wode tekrema
When you
awowa
si
wuntumi mpoh
a,
no.
(770)
it.
(A
M2mh.
work
'
or parade,
to disperse
'
to break off
is
Ade.
759. Ade-pa
is
na
word
off,
is to
'
hence to re-
'dismiss' from
to scale
kese.
(807)
taken to measure a big thing.
Wgde.
of the
'.
'.
me
dea.
(809)
sells itself.
',
meaning
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Na.
phatic and
When
761.
Wo
(li
is
a,
a thing
is lost,
then
a, obi
na oka
ade ye fe
it is
article.
(819)
some one
in
kyere wo,
else's
hand
(possession).
(822)
When
yoii possess
who
tells
you
something that
(so)
Emphatic, translated by
iVa.
Oka kyere.
To
tell
'
it is
else
it).
'.
con-,
junction with another verb almost takes the place of the English preposition ' to '. In
762.
Wo
have
Wo
763.
Dua
eye
No.
Lit.
764.
BiM
'
A
eto
so,
na wonsen
ano.
is
(994)
about to pierce your
when
a
off
(824)
No. 85.
dea,
You break
de.
else.
me
See note on
de.
wo
is
{no) a stick.
n&m na ano
.'
hyew.
(as yt).
&c.
(999)
meat
is
burned.
Na.
765.
766.
Emphatic
Dua
One
Kwae.
767.
particle.
flowers.
(1006)
make a
forest.
Dim mfa
Mfe aduasa.
but thirty
is also
used to mean
i^
ASHANTI PROVERBS
182
768.
Dua kese bu a,
When a great
na
brgfere
esi
ananmu.
(1012)
papaw
the
falls),
place.
Brgfere.
digenous gourd).
Ananmu.
769.
Dua
bu
kese
mma
ne
a,
"When a great
Dua
si
771.
in vain.
dried up.)
akurd
"When a
'
it
ne ntini wgfie.
a,
(1016)
demanded a
Wgmfd
ade
nto
Aduonum.
Lit.
ho.
to arrive at,
10
2,
4x
numbers from 20 to 90
The origin
is
all
counted.
feet, i.e.
meaning
i.e.
(1083)
forty.
4,
anan,
2 feet := 4.
2 hands
all
by
10+1,
&c.
Wofinewofi.
Your house
is
(1121)
being endowed
773.
aduonum
compared wiih
are not
being so formed, 20
'reached',
spirit),
till
anum
Four things
is
on you.
falls
is
its
772.
(1013)
(young shoots or seeds)
Wo.
770.
bvhu wo ne ho hwa.
private matter
is
sd.
(1136)
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Afisem
= Ofie asem.
Ahatd.
775.
183
Subjunctive.
Wgbeforo dua
na womjl
a, wofi n'ase
tree,
soro.
(1145)
one begins from the bottom and not
Mframa mmae
It
is
Mmae.
najweree
a,
before the
Aorist
Afuw mu nni
ye hrana.
when used
777.
mu
biribi a,
'
before
'
or
ewg kranana.
tipen.
Goto
Wogoro.
the accusative.
for carrying
a,
on No. 240.
size.
is
Lit.
'
it
.'
.
(1383)
because there
is
baked clay
water
pot, black
is
water
chiefly.
nahora atalw.
(1381)
beside
it
remains (unharmed)
it.
Wo
see note
it.
780. Ahinabo
781.
'.
Ahina.
When
motionless.
(1174)
it, it
on
is
(1214)
When
not yet
'
152)
as here negatively
Nni.
(1
ho ye den
a,
the pot
fill
on returning,
and helps
to 9
when
782.
noun which
Wo ho nye den a, na
When you are not
good '.
qualifying a
e.
vmse,
'
Kahiri nye'.
strong, then
you
(1391)
say,
'The head-rest
is
no
ASHANTI PROVERBS
184
783. Ahogfe ntua kaw.
(1397)
Personal beauty does not pay a debt.
Kaw.
784.
killed),
Agyan,
785.
Wokan nantwi
When
Biia.
786.
a,
you count
Tail,
wokah ne dua.
cattle,
lit.
you
(1522)
stick.
Woko
ohifi,
When you go
Okotow.
Wummisa.
787.
Neg. of
hisa.
'
'
'
here so far (of importance) ', they (the town's people will retort
and) say,
'
our town)
Mammeto.
Yeahhu.
788.
Wonkgo
obi
We
have not been aware that some one has come (to
'.
Lit. I
Aorist tense.
afum' da
a, vnise,
'Me nko
ne kuafb.
(1587)
If you never went to any one else's farm, (you would) say,
am
Wonkqo.
789.
790.
791.
Afum'.
Kuafb.
For
Wonkum mmarima
men
a,
wgmfd mmea.
women
is
I alone
final
vowel.
If the
'
a farmer'.
kyere
flight.
(1819)
are not carried
wo mu.
oif.
(1888)
the path you do not fear that the wild beast catches you on.
Na.
Emphatic
particle.
See No.
1.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
792.
783.
Okwah wq
aso.
path has
794. Nkyenefi
Salt
Ase,
795.
(1901)
his journey), but he
(all).
lit.
(1893)
ears.
Nkyene.
796. Akyene
When
it is
(1940)
taken and
se,
Meye de
'
185
anim da ho
say,
'
a,
the face of a
(1942)
'.
and
drum
is
(1937)
Nyan.
Tan, an onomatopoetic
'yang yang'
(of.
word,
well
illustrating
padded
stick
we
the
Drums
hence do not give out the booming sound usually associated with
The drumstick
them.
is
generally one
7,
drum being
end.
797.
When
wokwm no
enye no yaw.
(1951)
Nam nni
so).
Akunae.
798.
a,
you have a just reason for seizing a man and killing him, you
'.
ho nti na wode
It is because there is
soup.
Neg. of wo.
Nni.
He who
has
won
(2150)
Nsoaa.
Past tense.
Oguan.
courts.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
186
He who
Na.
guilty
is
is
(2151)
the one
',
to say.
emphatic.
Anadwoyoru.
Lit. play
by night.
ma
wonkv/m wo
They who were coming to kill you to-day, but say they will come to
kill you on the morrow (instead), rather let them kill you today and
Wgbehum, hghome.
Wonhum.
803. N^ea wgmjte
What
is
come and
'
go
'
').
Imperative mood.
no,
wonsah nhgfa.
not wanted
('
is
(2226)
hete
for.
na gyee bone
(2236)
Who
is
wrong, he
in the
trod upon
Okotiaa, gyee.
805. Nne-mma
se,
who
spread a
tete asoee,
let
'Muka
at the ancient
wont to
alight)
tete
(2285)
why
who
Past tenses.
The children
or he
it ?
abiesa.
The three
soe,
to alight.
The
suffix
also called,
made of
clay,
on
muhia, bukyia.
806. Wo ani
When
pride),
you get
lost.
(i.e.
puffed
up with
ASHANTI PROVERBS
Ant
wo
tra
nton.
'
Eyes
own
liiglier tlian
idiom
'
187
eyebrows
supercilious
',
',
that
proud,
is,
and
{super, above,
cilium, eyelid).
Tra.
be confused with
to
tena,
tra, to sit.
807.
'
'
Wo
808.
'.
mm sere so a,
Your
na enyt wo na woda
thigh may be plump, but
sister's
Nua.
Nsdtea.
not you
who
on
lie
it.
a, entumi.
see note
(2793)
the ground,
cannot.
it
Wg.
wg
logka screw
A matter which
is
(2504)
it is
up something from
Asem a
so.
810.
is
bdhi
na wgka su wg
hahi.
(2854)
WgM
serew
wgha
su.
talk
811.
'
Ma
This word
is
not
(2873)
is
Oka-n&.
(2901)
813. Asm-kese bdba a, gfranhd nsi so.
hand, no flag
on
is
business
big
really
When some
is
flown.
= Asem-kese (?)
Ofranka.
814.
Wgso adaka
a box
a,
na wgso ne
is
carried,
Ne mu.
An
When
'.
difficult to state.
good case
Asen-kese
thus
Imperative.
enka.
'
mu ade.
what
is
(2976)
box
inside the
is
carried.
'
flag
',
ASHANTI PROVERBS
188
815. -iso
nsenia
te se
mu
woto
mu
to
weighted down
they are
Asd.
(lit.
(2986)
sleep).
may be
This
a, eda.
e in
gman mu.
etiba
Osram.
the town.
also gbosom.
The
(3043)
it crosses
mma
entere
ata-kmna anom'
it
may
(3148)
younger's mouth.
Nni.
Neg. of
= elder
twin
di.
The
Ata-panyin.
twin to be born
first
the second
In no case
(left) inside.
is
brought forth
first
is
is
called ata-panyin,
as obi vjor)i,
some one
i. e.
is
is
known
killed).
to be
first,
'
the
merely has been sent to prepare the way for the second
'.
'
'
Lit.
Wa wo nta
Wa wo nta
',
abien '.
An Ashanti
An
818.
attempt
not burn
it.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
819.
189
When you
(3202)
are
down bathing
at the
water and a
madman
runs
off
with your cloth, look for another before you follow him, for
Wote.
will suppose
te,
Eeguare.
if
re.
See also
see
note
Bo dam,
Ohodamfo.
For
mad.
to be
suffix
fa
on
Woatiw.
Barm.
820. Tete
ahe,
(3236)
Wqmfd
821.
nye.
History repeats
to
make
soup.
see note
on No. 33,
nsisi.
(3239)
itself.
Lit.
(things) are
to-day.
Deriv. perhaps
Tete.
te,
by reduplication,
The head
is
mu
ahu
mu
asem.
it
(3265)
should be broken to see the
thoughts inside.
Brofere.
Owia.
Menne.
Neg. of
1, asase.
de.
Bamu
hcmu.
ASHANTI PROVERBS
190
825. Obi
No
Wkyi
Onni from
.
onni.
chickens.
its
nsisi.
di.
No
(240)
one makes a vulture taboo and then eats
Peie.
827. Aduan
vmhhuu
hi
wukyi
Some
its
eggs.
Also kohosahyi.
Tien.
hi
da wo wo na ne wo agya muka
so no,
na nea
(1030)
Na
agya.
Muka.
N ea
no.
What
is
Neh=^Ne
828.
in reality.
(2172)
is
hunger.
Kyi.
.,
i.
e.
kill
him.
no one dreams he
is
;
go-
but
which we use
it in
English
'
830. TetekaasmrC.
(3238)
Ancient things remain in the
Tete.
ears.
FINIS
(Tradition survives).
By
HAUSA
the
same Author.
&c.
Collected
With
i.
2 vols.
8vo.
WESTMINSTER GAZETTE
30s. net.
'
MAN
his authorship.'
AND WEST.
studied
Hausa
with Hausas.
PRINTED IN ENGLAND
AT THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY
PRESS