03/08/2025
SOME AFRICAN PROVERBS ABOUT CULTURE
1. A man who does not know where the rain began to beat him cannot tell when his body starts to dry.
Meaning: Without knowing your cultural roots or history, you cannot truly understand your present.
2. When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind.
Meaning: Strong cultural values protect individuals and communities from being shaken by external influence.
3. Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.
Meaning: Culture and wisdom are collective, no single person can hold all knowledge.
4. A person without culture is like a zebra without stripes.
Meaning: Culture defines identity, without it, you lose who you are.
5. If you don't know death, look at the grave; if you don't know culture, look at your elders.
Meaning: Elders are the living libraries of culture and tradition.
6. The child who is not initiated will burn the village down to feel the heat.
Meaning: When culture and tradition are neglected, youth may act out destructively.
