Proverbial Messages
“The food is for the man who owns it and not for the man who is hungry.” Food here is a metaphor for chieftaincy, which is for the rightful heir and not for one who just hungers for power.”
“The food is for the man who owns it and not for the man who is hungry.” Food here is a metaphor for chieftaincy, which is for the rightful heir and not for one who just hungers for power.”
"Every part of the frog belongs to the snake." This is based on the observation that snakes swallow their prey whole, and the proverb is used to describe dominant subservient relationships.”
"Every part of the bird belongs to the snake." This is based on the observation that snakes swallow their prey whole, and the proverb is used to describe dominant subservient relationships.”
“If your intentions are good people will help.” Cooperation leads to success.“If your intentions are good people will help.” Cooperation leads to success.
“If your intentions are good people will help.” Cooperation leads to success.“If your intentions are good people will help.” Cooperation leads to success.
"When the elephant steps on trap, it does not spring." The message proclaims the power of the chief, both physically and intellectually.
“Leaves of two kinds of kola we gather with wisdom .” Meaning the leaves of the two kinds of Kola are very similar and it needs skill and experience to separate them. You have to take care in dealing with problems, and separate them carefully.
"When the mudfish swallows anything, it does so for its master" (crocodile), that is, what is good for his subjects is good for the chief".
“They share the same stomach, yet they fight for food.” It signifies that unity is strength and that infighting is harmful to all who engage in it.
The sting of the scorpion is as slow to subside as a fire is to cool."- If you incur the chief's displeasure, you will feel it for a long time.
“The chameleon can only change the color of the clothes he is wearing, not those in his box,” meaning that one can deal only with the immediate environment, only with the problems at hand. This is a warning against trying to exceed one’s own abilities.
Akan proverbs associated with tortoises: "The tortoise says haste is a good thing and deliberation is also a good thing.", "When you go to the village of the tortoise and it eats earth, you eat some too.",
“The Chief holds the key to the treasury”. The key also represents a saying ’If I lock it, nobody can open it’ which is a message from parents to children meaning that the parent (or the chief) always has the last say. Another interpretation: Proverbial or literal translation: ‘Being in authority can be likened to a key in one’s hand which if not held properly can lead to lost position.
“When the lion captures the hunter, the gun is useless.” In most states the chief identifies with the lion, and the image is a symbol of victory with the implication that it is over superior forces. An alternate proverb for this image argues that “It is better not to have fired at all, than to have fired and missed the lion”.
“If it were only for the snail and the tortoise, the gun would not fire in the forest.”
“One head does not make a council.” (There should be consultation when an important decision is to be made).
"Pick it up, if it falls behind." The basic idea is that if you have forgotten something, you can return to retrieve it, or that mistakes can be corrected. In part the motif has to do with maintaining and respecting ancestral tradition.”
“Birds of the same feather, roost in the same tree.”
“You have watches, we have time”
"The evening star, always full of longing to marry, always stays near the moon" refers to the regent's loyalty to his people or his wife.
"It is the feathers on a fowl that make it big". (This saying has been heard in the sense that it is the number of subjects whom a chief has who make him important.). Another is "Although the hen knows that the dawn is breaking, she leaves it to the rooster to announce."