How Africans talk: the use and value of proverbs, analogies and metaphors
Who has not been challenged by homeschooling? I have been, as I juggle my roles and responsibilities as a university lecturer teaching and supervising students online; as a mother of a 7-months old baby; as a wife, mentor, sister, Auntie etc. As we did our work together with my 5-year old daughter Amiee, we have found ourselves having to work together to figure out how to use the google classroom technology, complete assigned tasks, remember catchups, among others.
As we did this, I realised how I use proverbs as I communicate with her. For example when we finish a task together, I have often told her agetereine nigo gata igufa, meaning through concerted efforts, impossible tasks also get accomplished. I have also thought to my self hmmn, agogaya nigo gabutosa meaning the little water you despise and add in the pot is what can make your karo/millet bread soggy. This proverb teaches us not to despise anything or anyone, even if they are little or young like my daughter. Sometimes I would be looking for some button and she would go "mum there is the button" Note that translating proverbs into English is not straight forward as there are some words that do not have English equivalent.
Besides proverbs, I also use analogies a lot in my communication. One day, after spending it almost on a computer, we decide to walk to the shops nearby to buy some ingredients and food to cook at home. I like buying from the smaller shops nearby because in these shops you sort of have a relationship with the shop keepers, they know your name, your face, they ask how you are and your family, compared to when you buy from these big shops like woolworths, coles, Aldi etc. And my daughter really loves walking with me when going shopping because she knows if she behaves well, she may get a treat.
So when we were walking, I realised she was moving really slowly and I asked her Amiee, are you a snail? Can you hurry up please? She was so upset and she started crying that I have called her a snail. Clearly my daughter did not understand what I meant. I was definitely not meaning that she is a snail, I was referring to the fact that she was walking slowly just like the way a snail moves. But the use of analogies, metaphors is just natural in the way I talk and how my mother and community talks. It is cultural, authentic, original. It is not artificial.
When my daughter uses cups and plates and leaves them on the plate, instead of telling her to take the cups, I find myself asking her if the cups and plates she has left on the table are "decorations"? Those of you who have kids, you know how they like saying something so many times for example if you have told them you will buy something or go somewhere, they can keep repeating it or asking you when you will go. So when my daughter is saying something so many times, I have found myself saying, my dear has that become a song now, meaning a song is what you can repeat several times.
In my growing up, we naturally understood the analogies that our parents used but in this case my daughter is trying to understand why I speak the way I do. For me as a parent, it is a continued reminder and realisation that we must intentionally teach her our mother tongue Runyankore language because we have a unique way of communicating where a message can be given to you without use of direct words. This use of analogies and proverbs is so authentic, fun, powerful.
I have often been concerned by people (especially in Uganda where I come from) who say that we do not need to teach our children the local language since the world is globalising and dominant languages like English are the ones which are more important. I must tell you that you need to teach your children your cultural language because language is not just a tool for communication, language is culture, it is identity, it is who you are. Let us not lose our mother tongues, let us embrace them. Our parents fulfilled their responsibilities of passing on these languages, let us also fulfil this responsibility of preserving and passing them on.