Category: Ghanaian Proverbs
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Road
Adinkra if you are on the road to nowhErE, find anothEr road. English If you are on the road to nowhere, find another road.
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Kuro
Adinkra obia nE ho a cdE nE nsa bEnkum kyEre nE kuro mu kwan. Akan Obia ne ho a ode ne nsa benkum kyere ne kuro mu kwan. English No one points his/her hometown with his/her left finger.
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Lie and Truth
Adinkra onE liE ruins a thousand truths. English One lie ruins a thousand truths.
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The Lion and the Hunter
Adinkra until thE lion tElls his sidE of thE story, thE talE of thE hunt will always glorify thE huntEr. English Until the Lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.
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Kokosakyi
Adinkra kckcsaCQi si ctoC nEC kosua wc soCroC, efiri se bcmmcfoCc hoC ye hu. Akan Kokosakyi si oto ne kosua wo soro, efiri se bommofuo ho ye hu. English Though I am not edible, “says the vulture, “yet I nurse my eggs in the branches of a tall tree because man is hard to be…
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Democracy
Adinkra by thE timE thE fool has lEarnEd thE gamE, thE playErs havE dispErsEd. English By the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed. Adinkra symbols above are: “Wo Nsa Da Mu A” (Democracy), Kokuromotie (Thumb or Voting) and “Ananse Ntontan” (Spider web or Game).
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Begging
Adinkra in a Community of bEggars, stEaling and not bEgging, is ConsidErEd a CrimE. English In a community of beggars, stealing and not begging, is considered a crime.
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President J.J. Rawlings
Adinkra dua kontonkyikuronkyi na ema yEhunu cdwomfo. Akan Dua kontonkyikuronkyi na ema yehunu odwomfo. English It is the crooked stick that reveals who the true sculptor is.
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Leopard
Adinkra rain bEats a lEopard’s skin, but it doEs not wash out thE spots. English Rain beats a leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots.