Adhola proverbs (by Ocola Julius)

Proverbs: In African traditonal society, allmost all the African tribes, like speaking in proverbs and more so among the luo speakers like the Japadholas. These proverbs are only used by the elders, clan leaders and adults so that to defferreciate between the elders and the young ones. The reasons for the use of proverbs by the elders are to show macurity and also to avoid certain words beeng spoken openly for the children to know what is beyond their age and also these are short forms of talking among the elders.

A proverb like '' Berigaperin'' means that better to have your own! In this case one may go to beg some thing and fails to be given may be the owner is using or merely refuses to give or gives you but before you finish using, the owner has come for it! Another common proverb is ‘‘Mupothoiburiangeni’’ means that one bird in the hand is worthy two in the bush. To a Luo speaker like Japadhola, it is very important to take care of what you have got than thinking of many that you may not get.

I learnt these proverbs from my grandfather but today proverbs are so much used even among the youths because of education as they get from the books like Bibles, students compahnion and politics. I my self like speaking in proverbs because it is a very interesting way of talking and makes the listner feels and thinks what the person is meaning. It is cultural for the clan leaders when adressing the community or comphaining for any leadership to speak in proverbs to show that he is wise to be leader.