Page 7 - Exposition of Dagara Morality FNAL

Chapter One
* People who get vexed in solving problems should be calm during such Chapter One
moments.

1. TOO MUCH EQUALITY THE DAGARA NOTIONS OF MORALITY AND PROVERBS
6.a. Zentaa nyie na kabr vuumi. The yams id equals get burnt in the fire.
A. THE DAGARA NOTION OF MORALITY
* The yams will get burnt because the first one will sit down and tell the
second one to go and check the yams in the fire and the second will refuse and tell Be be guore dakong e
the first to also go and check. In so doing, the yams will get burnt. No one attempts bending a dry stick

* Do not be proud but be humble. Equality can spoil many things of ours. The traditional Dagao is not only a social being but also a moral being. However,
it is not something that people are born with. Rather, it has to be cultivated. In
6.b. Nimi yuorbe ayi be pone nyaa-nyuo zu e. The wise people cannot share the traditional Dagara society, the cultivation and preservation of moral life is
through pressure, control, story-telling and proverbs As Fourez puts it, “moral
.
the head of a cat.
life is protected and strengthened by means of pressure and control”¹. Moral

commandments are being made known to all especially the youth. All those acts
* The head of a cat is small but palatable and each one will like to get the
lion's share. that are considered criminal within the society are explained to the growing
child. As regards morality, we note the following typical issues, since it is
impossible to discuss all. Murder, stealing, adultery, pre-marital sex, poison,
* We cannot all be equal in life if things are to succeed, although we all are
equal in terms of human dignity. Some people must allow themselves to be tale-bearing, shedding of human blood and so on. The child is trained and
controlled in such a way that he will not be a victim of such moral crimes.
cheated or fooled.

6.c. Keri mantaar be e var mantaar e. Being equally tall does not mean First and foremost is murder or homicide which is considered a serious crime in
equality in toughness the Dagara society. The traditional Dagao values human life. Hence, a man is
forbidden to willfully shoot another person, for such an offence is unpardonable
by the ancestors and God. The offender will not be permitted to take part in the
* This proverb can be used to educate a child or any person who thinks he is
of age and as a result tries to disrespect adults in society. Equality is not seen in funeral celebration “kodaa” of the deceased. In short, the shedding of human
blood is considered very grave in the Dagara society because God (Naangmen) is
the height.
the giver of life and He alone has the right to take it back.
* Being equal is height is neither a sign of equality nor of being of the same
age. Incest is also one of the greatest taboos in the life of the Dagara. It is strictly
forbidden to have sexual intercourse with one's sister; the same applies to all
female parallel cousins of the clan. It is regarded as a confusion of relationships.
1. EXPERIENCE AS THE BEST TEACHER
In the Dagara society, members are forbidden to bring poison into the
7.a. Dang mii mi ter'I da wogo. Ever scorched has a long stick.
community with the intention of poisoning people. As soon as the Landlord
(tengan sob) gets to know that someone has committed this crime, he is bound
* If you are bitten by a snake because you used a short stick to kill it the first by his office to assemble the elders and all the people at the earth shrine. There,
time, next time you will use a long stick.
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