Page 20 - Exposition of Dagara Morality FNAL

7.c. Kpegla mi tie dang. A small stone supports the hearth. * This means, summit with praise.
* When women are to put something on fire, they use small stone to
support the cooking pot to prevent it from falling. This small stone in between
the hearth and the cooking pot is called kpegla in Dagaare.
* There is unity in supportive life. This proverb can be used on a man who
is maltreating his better half that behind every successful man is a woman. That
the woman is his backbone to some extent.
1. LOVE
8.a. Fo be none nura, e nie none o kyenkyere. How can you hate a cock but
love its beautiful tail.
* There is one of the feathers on the cock's tail that is very beautiful and
taller than the other feathers on the tail. This beautiful and tall tail of the cock is
called “kyenkyere” in Dagaare. So, how can you hate the whole cock but love only
its beautiful tail.
* Love should be wholistic and not partial. We should practice
unconditional love but not conditional love.
8.b. Ne nona bin be nyuur e. The bad air of a person you love does not smell.
* The human bad air smells a lot. However, when you love somebody and
he defecates, his bad air does not smell in your nostrils, unlike that of an enemy. 10.a
*: Love is blind. When you love a person, even his mistakes and bad deeds
are seen to be good in your eyes.
8.c. Nir wa kpiire a fo kuu a, fo mi biere a o baalo. If somebody is dying your
death, you should also be suffering his sickness.
* If somebody really loves you, try to reciprocate. There should be mutual
love between real lovers.
1. PRAISE
9.a. Garibanye/minsile. Going and does not see/really.
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This refers to an outstanding
performance that is praiseworthy. An excellent performance that is great with
praise.
9.b. Be be pugr bazora o ninge e. They do not praise a speedy dog in front of
it.
* Some dogs are old and experienced enough to understand human
communication. So, when you praise a speedy dog in front of it, it will refuse to
run fast when you go hunting again.
* Do not always praise a hardworking child on front of him. If you do, he
might tend to be lazy. However, a compliment from time to time is necessary to
boost his morale.
9.c. Fo dondonme kyi wa bi a foo sag uu ke a bin na. If your enemy's millet
has yielded well, you admit that yes, it is a good yield
* The Dagara are mostly subsistence farmers. The tendency is to condemn
an enemy's crops that yielded well.
* Give praise where it is due, even if the person is an enemy of yours.
1. TIME
Burale yel ke pienu ben zag o. The billy-goat says there is rest only in the
pen.
* When billy-goat is outside, it becomes busy and runs after nanny goats.
It only tests in the pen during the night.
* There is time for everything. Time for work and time for rest. For all
work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and all play and no work make Jack a mere
toy.
10.b. Dubaa yel ke daa daar e kye taa gbee be ka be e. The pig says that on
market days there is no holding of each other's legs.
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