Page 11 - Exposition of Dagara Morality FNAL
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Chapter Three
Chapter Three are often given to deviants of such norms in the society. The traditional Dagao is
not only a social and moral being but also a religious person and thus believes in
ancestral (kpime) veneration and worship of God (Naangmen). Having dealt
SOME DAGARA PROVERBS ILLUSTRATING NEGATIVE with the Dagara morality, let us proceed to the definition and nature of the
Dagara proverbs.
VALUES FOR MORAL EDUCATON
A. THE DEFINITION AND NATURE OF THE DAGARA PROVERBS
Bibi to-zagre be dire bonkaa i.
A child refuses to run errands do not eat oily food.
The Dagara call proverbs zukpage. The Dagara proverbs, like everywhere, are
short pithy statements of facts drawn from experiences of everyday life. They
In this chapter, I will again use some Dagara proverbs to show some negative
moral values that are disliked in the Dagara traditional society. As a result, usually contain some general moral truths which are not always explicit. The
moral truths are implicit in the factual truths of the short sentences expressing
children and people are taught to desist from such bad behaviours in society. I
shall do this under some basic themes as seen below. These are stealing, them and so, are to be deducted by the listeners or readers.
stubbornness, pride, ambition, anger, to much equality, experience as the best
teacher, greed, force, taboo, mockery, little beginnings, undervaluing people, un Also, Dagara proverbs are derived from careful observation of both natural and
patriotism, late moral correction, bad behaviour, bad leadership, dishonesty, social events, from the lives of people as well as from their observation both
attitude to the past, irresponsibility, disrespect and gossip/tale bearing. The domestic and wild animals. Sometimes, a proverb comes about through
message of these proverbs is relative and thus adaptable. personal but common experience. For example, “olol tulu pale nyage, bin ka
mhaane bule durbe”. “If you struggle to eat food whilst it is still hot, you become
satisfied but if you put it down to cool you will invite many eaters”. This is a
1. STEALING common factual truth the proverb has asserted. Nevertheless, its moral
1.a. Nyanyoge pag kuor nyin. A thief has no funeral.
teaching is to be inferred by the listener or reader. The proverb tries to teach us
that he earlier we do things the better, for opportunity comes but once. So, we
* A thief, when caught, either has his ear cut off or is buried alive. He may should make hay whilst the sun shines, for procrastination is the thief of time.
also be tied to a log and pushed down to die. He is not mourned.
Furthermore, the Dagara usage of proverbs shows that their language is well
* This proverb discourages stealing in society as a thief is hated and not
developed. Thus, Dagara proverbs are used by elders and those who are well
respected in the society. He is not given a fitting funeral celebration and burial versed in Dagaare. In addition, the Dagara use proverbs to epitomise a lengthy
rights.
message.
1.b. A bon nuru mere na. This person's hands are sticky. Some Dagara proverbs are derived from occupations such as farming and
* It is a way of saying that a person id a kleptomaniac and as such, he should
hunting. An example is derived from a bird called “kyangkpogra”. “Kyangkpogra
be checked.
yel kef o kpaaru me mii a fo di bonkaa”. The “kyang-kyangkpogra” says that your
occiput becomes sour before you can eat oily food. The moral teaching behind
1.c. Zeli gbengben sa nyangu kpelo. Beg openly is better that steal very fast
this particular proverb is that “no sweat no sweet”. It is figuratively used on a
person who is lazy. Such lazy person who does not want to suffer is advised to
take cue from the fact that there is no crown without a cross.
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