Before the advent of the contemporary commercial system the African had traded by Barter – the rare art of exchange of goods for goods. The power and beauty of this dignified trading system is based on the ability of the negotiators to out bid the other. This is based therefore on the oratory power of both parties. The one therefore who has the better or stronger diction always excels in these commercial exercises. These occasions demand deft negotiations, biddings and bargains without the use of scales and in most cases any sort of measuring yet a sort of balance must be reached at the end of these ventures.
However, it is when terms like haggling or bantering are used to describe this beautiful art of trading that it loses its credence and made to look bogus.
The good thing however is that in this period in the story of Africa, it is those that are adapt in the use of idioms, proverbs and such wise sayings of the African that become rich and powerful in the society.
When an African mother leaves for the market to buy or to sell the children will wish her to “outwit those whom you meet in the market today, may they not outwit you”. However sometimes the mother comes back from the market to admit that she had made bad bargains that day, for that day she had met those who outwitted her.
Amongst the Africans it is said that idioms are used to confound the fools and perplex the untutored. It is also said that the idiom is the spice with which words are eaten. It is maintained amongst these verbally proficient people that the one to whom an idiom is used and it is necessary to explain it to him, the bride price paid on behalf of his mother is in vain. In other words such a one is a bastard in the traditional African society. He could be standing with peers or even kin and that which belongs to him is disposed off without him knowing what is going on.
It is usually a wonderfully enlightening, entertaining and exceedingly educating experience to attend and be part of a community gathering in an African village square.
A very important issue would be treated in such forum and for hours and hours of discuss, only idioms and proverbs will be used by those who dare make contributions in such outings.
Here, someone introducing a sensitive but disturbing and crucial situation will state “This feces smack in the middle of the village square someone just have to kiss it”.
Though this will elicit exclamations of feigned disgust or mirth it will cause another, giving credence to the embarrassment of the issue on the ground to state – You know that this is a wasp that is perched on the scrotum, you have to deal with it with extreme caution and wisdom. For if you swap it carelessly you are likely to cause your manhood serious damage, and to let it stay – – – is a frightening alternative.
Yes, another will concur, You know that it is not wise to add pepper as ingredient for a concoction for the treatment of an eye ailment. Yes, I agree says another, one has to eat soup with spiky fish bones with quite some caution.
At this juncture the radical will stand and state “Hey, is this a gathering of human beings or chicken, shall we fear the fat lady, will she make herself pregnant?
Preambles like this usually proceed the discuss of a very important issue in a traditional African setting. The discussion will go on and on in this style until conclusions are reached and decisions made. Any one therefore in this forum who does not understand this style of discuss is therefore not expected to and cannot make a contribution to the goings on.
Due to improved technology, especially in areas of communication and transport, the world has shrunk or expanded to a global village. The African has always been misunderstood and misinterpreted. When he laughs out loud, he is seen as boisterous, when he argues his case, he is cantankerous, and his excitement is interpreted as violent expressions. However with the expanding scope of world activities in politics, sports and other arena, especially economics, the African has gotten involved in all ramifications. To therefore make a positive impression and or come up tops in the global negotiations and bargaining he has to apply his witty ability to use adages and wise sayings.
It has become apparent that the one who is adroit in the use of words in the complicated demands of the contemporary information depended world would ultimately have an edge.
Many of the African origin have manifested this great ability in areas of their profession and career, in music and entertainment, religion, law, politics, writing and other areas of endeavor.
This is also manifested in many African contemporary expressions and activities globally. As in the lives and success stories of Martin Luther King Jr, Marcus Garvey, Emperor Harle Salesie, Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Bob Marley, Miriam Makeba, Fela, James Ngugi Wationgo, Christopher Okigbo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Wole Soyinka, Chinau Achebe, Chris Dahi and a world of activists, entertainers and writers.
The power of these expressions have made very deep impression in areas and circles of the world where decisions affecting present day trend of thought are made – ultimately leading to world change in views on issues that have been stereotyped for so long.
Words of Our Elders
As one delves deep into Chris Dahi’s collection of works of African cultural expressions one will not be surprised therefore to run into a work like the Words of Our Elders. In fact, this sort of work from Chris Dahi is long expected.
As one born and raised in a typical African traditional setting – in a palace to be exact, surrounded by masters of African traditional expressions, wise sayings, idioms and adages one can not be surprised that this writer has become proficient in the art and use of this style of impartation in his past works, especially those on African moonlight night tales and African poems all point to this.
The Words of Our Elders is more than just a collection of African wise sayings, it is a revelation. It is an adventure into the heart of Africa. It is the gathering of the elders in the village square, the meeting of the Age grade in a peer’s Obi, it is the conference of the title holders, the declaration of war between two rival communities. It is a proclamation by the King and his council, the bantering by two friends over a traditional game of checkers, the meeting of the guild of the market women. It is the secret words of the cults, the exchanges of the hunters in the jungle and the calls of the fisher men at sea in the night, the communal clearing of the village bush path and the bargaining in the market place. It is the witch doctors incantations and the native mid wife’s encouraging words. These are words of a father to his son and the advice of a mother to her betrothed daughter. It is the mystery of Africa.
The words could be harsh and outright saucy and sometimes brash and uncouth like the crass laughter of the village drunkard. In most cases however it is loaded, coming out as little explosions. Or it could be deep and mysterious like the dense and dark unexplored jungles of Africa.
However the beauty of it is that these words are livening and beautiful as raindrops in a moonlight night and wonderfully enlightening as what they are – The words of the old Ones.
They could be used in man’s every day activities, in commerce, places of worship, songs and all sorts of communications.
The more one reads of this collection of African pure words of wisdom, the more the nostalgia of it envelopes one and take us right back to our roots, reminding us of our origin, our past and what we are to do in the future.
Chris Dahi, here has unwittingly expressed words that transcend time and space and revealed words that were given to man right from the beginning of things. Words that have made the African a man close to nature, a man of great spiritual awareness.
As the world is making a panicky reverse from its over industrialize and technology controlled life style to a nature friendly environment, the African watches with a smirk and a shake of the head, very content to sit and watch with the patience of the Elephant knowing very well that the errant world will eventually come right back home to nature. It is the use of the right words that will ultimately help the world to her survival.
For in man’s effort to attain greater heights in all avenues of life, the power of the spoken and written words must forever play the sole role.
In this work Chris Dahi has simply poured out there a basketful of wise saying, in idioms, adages, proverbs, parables and even riddles. Some of them he has bothered to give their explanations, others are left just as they are. This is the fun of these words of wisdom – let he who will read it discern it in his own ways. For the truth is that the interpretation that Chris Dahi has ventured are strictly he’s, they may not be applicable to the next person or to certain situations and occasions. For interpretations to idioms are subject to all sorts of variables which include individuality of the interpreter which on the other hand could be influenced by his sociology – family background, education, exposure – and mentality. Other factors include time, geography, environment or situation and occasion in which the idiom was applied.
This make some of these idioms easy to understand while leaving some as hard as nuts to crack.
On the other hand some of these wise sayings do not need any explanations as they are simple proverbs that are quite self explanatory.
For example, it is said that “You climb from the bottom”
One explains it as a response to a natural sequence of things. The other thinks that it means that humility is a fundamental virtue, as the other says that it means you have to lay a good foundation to build. Further explanation insists that it means that one has to be mindful of a humble beginning and so on.
The truth of the matter is that there is no exact or particular explanation to an idiom or proverb. Even some explanation end up constituting another idiom.
That is why they are words left to the exclusive preserve of the wise.
A work therefore as The Words of Our Elders is deeply important in all realms of life.
Let the untutored read and be taught and let the wise read and be wiser.
It is the work of a Masters!!!.
In the inexhaustible well of potentials, Chris Dahi has dipped and fetched an overflowing cup, thereby challenging and encouraging others to go in and continue. As long as life is on earth words can never fail us, if we use it well, especially Words of Our Elders.
