Àbọ ọrọ là á sọ fun ọmọlúwàbí.
Tó bá dé inu rẹ á di odidi.
We speak half of a word to the child born of Olu-iwa(the source of all wisdom).
It becomes a hole in him when he digests it. Half a word is enough for the wise.
The Yorùbá society, with its rich cultural heritage, has long placed a premium on the ability to speak with wisdom, confidence, and conviction. This unique trait is often encapsulated in the verbal artistry and mastery of “Òwe”. Yorùbá Òwe, loosely translated into English as proverbs, is a testament to the depth and complexity of our culture.
In English, Proverbs (from Latin: proverbium) are often phrases or simple and concrete sayings expressing truths based on common sense or knowledge. These proverbs are frequently used as expert advice in conversation to educate people on morality and sometimes as a warning about the consequences of failing to do the right thing. The Bible’s Book of Proverbs and vast collections of ancient philosophical writings share short sayings of the Creator’s wisdom, which offers practical knowledge and illuminates the pathway toward the proper recognition, development, and utilization of gained wisdom that guides one to the ability to live a good life.
Unlike English proverbs, Yorùbá Òwe is a practical system reflecting millennia of observation of human behavior, social activities, and the environment. As a culture that developed without Western writing, the Yorùbá use proverbs for every imaginable context. They serve as a verbal guide for moral conduct, explanations of social and human behavior, and advice on how to navigate everyday complex situations. This practicality is what makes Yorùbá proverbs so engaging and enlightening.
Ọjọmọ's blog series serves as a platform to celebrate the timeless concepts conveyed in the verbal artistry that permeates every aspect of life in Yorùbá culture. In this series, he will discuss how he translates Yorùbá proverbs into visual energy on canvas, aiming to explore, explain, and reveal the deeper meaning of the stories behind the images of his paintings. Through this visual representation, the images will provoke critical thinking and intensify the understanding of the societal values embedded in Yorùbá proverbs.
For anyone to contribute to the development of society, they must possess the essential qualities of ìwa, which is character for existence. These character traits, believed to be indispensable in the development of good citizenship by the Yorùbá, continue to influence decision-making processes socially, economically, and politically. This emphasis on character development through proverbs is both inspiring and reflective.
The responsibility of exposing children during their developmental stages to the qualities of the essential character for existence falls on the watchful eyes of elders in the community. The elders use proverbs to teach discipline and morality to their children (it takes a whole village to raise a child.) One of the essential qualities of being born by Olu-iwa is respect for other people’s opinions, which may differ from theirs. A child born by the giver of wisdom requires only an incomplete sentence to fully understand the whole sentence through the invocation of the attributes of good character. What is a good character? The Yoruba compare good or harmful characters to the characteristics of smoke in this proverb.
Ẽfí nì iwà
Kò sí bí a tilè bò ó mólẹ tó
Yìó rú síta.
Character is smoke
No matter how hard one tries to suppress it
It isn't easy to contain.