Centrally located on the African continent are the Abaluhya, a people living in western Kenya near Lake Victoria. In contrast to the popular image of Africans in colorful beads and jewelry, this largely agricultural people, encompassing twelve linguistic dialects, has a culture that discourages ostentatious personal adornment and public displays. Yet, beneath this seeming austerity lies an elaborate, rich tradition of oral literature that binds the dialect areas together into a single culture. In addition to the many myths, tales, and stories, proverbs comprise a concise, yet essential, component of the Abaluhya oral tradition.
As a part of every person's life from birth, proverbs incorporate familiar images to instill a knowledge of the cultural patterns into which an individual is born. For adults, proverbs serve as a store of wisdom with which they can not only educate their children but also validate themselves as active members of the culture. During a four-year stay in Kenya teaching and researching the Luhya language, I encountered many proverbs that, upon later examination, clearly characterized Abaluhya culture. Since the meaning of a proverb is usually dependent upon the situation that prompts its use, I will recount several incidents in which proverbs were used to illustrate Abaluhya attitudes toward the correct use of language, the importance of patience and persistence in dealing with life, and the value of the home and travel.
The Mouth Is The Home Of Words
One morning, feeling quite concerned because her six-year-old daughter had been silently sulking around the house, the mother tried to encourage her to talk about her problem. After some persuasion, the daughter confessed that she had accidentally broken her mother's favorite cooking pot. The mother, though angry, took the opportunity to suggest that the time had come to learn the art of making pots from clay. The daughter was greatly relieved and hugged her mother lovingly. "See," her mother said, "the mouth is the home of words."
Proverbs such as this are not confined to the education of children among the Abaluhya. In public gatherings, adults often use proverbs to quickly remind each other of cultural patterns. The participants assume that all will understand the meaning and the applicability of the proverbs to the situation. In fact, an individual who can easily substantiate his opinions with proverbs is greatly valued as a public speaker. For instance, at the government sponsored boys' secondary school where I taught, the local subchief called a public meeting to raise funds to support the construction and financing of a new addition to the school. Addressing the gathered community at the beginning of this meeting, the subchief encouraged frank participation in the discussion. He reminded his people that "the mouth is the home of words," for without talk; the group could not know its opinions, desires, and problems. He went on to ask his audience to remember that "noisy drumming soon splits the drum head" and that "an empty tin can only hums."
These last two proverbs, familiar to all Abaluhya, are admonitions frequently used during childhood education. When children argue and fight over the possession of a certain object, they may sometimes damage or destroy it. Thus, an argument seldom accomplishes any real purpose, or as the Abaluhya teach, "Noisy drumming soon splits the drum head." In an attempt to gain attention, some
...
Read Full Article
|
