Culture & Heritage

Languages & Oral Traditions

"Proverbs are one of the most important sources of oral folk culture. Although they belong to the geography where they were born, they are actually the sources of wisdom of the whole world. An African proverb tells us that 'the word of the old is healing'. Proverbs are born from experience. The cradle where they develop and grow is the human experience. The proverbs of a society tell us a lot about what that society has seen and experienced. This experience that is passed on is a cure for many mistakes..."

First Lady of the Republic of Turkey and Honorary President Mrs. Emine Erdoğan

African Proverbs

The proverbs and idioms in this section aim to make visible the continent's cultural diversity and common human values through examples selected from different geographies of Africa.

Lunda Language Proverb

"Hold on to what is yours, what is not yours is tied to someone else."

Shona Language Proverb

"Whoever pinches has started a fight."

Republic of Zambia Proverb

"I look harmless, but if you bother me, I'm dangerous."

Burkina Proverb

"An older woman's feelings are won through mutual communication."

Democratic Republic of the Congo Proverb

"A ripe fruit that falls from a tree cannot climb back up again."

Burkina Proverb

"It is the responsibility of the elders to warn the little ones, whether they listen or not."

Gambia Proverb

"Talking is easy, but doing is hard."

Algerian Proverb

"Your brother is your brother, do not let your friend deceive you."

Idatcha Proverb

"Who can boast of being completely faultless in life (there is no faultless servant)?"

Burkina Proverb

"Great things happen slowly."

Algerian Proverb

"He who is not satisfied with a plate is not satisfied with licking the bottom."

Idatcha Proverb

"He who pursues his prey does not reveal everything."

Democratic Republic of the Congo Proverb

"He who listens to the advice of his parents lives long. "

Gambia Proverb

"Slow and steady wins the race."

Nigerian Proverb

"A child who eats pepper cries next to his mother. (You can only cry on the shoulder of someone you trust.)"

Idatcha Proverb

"The flooded river that cannot be crossed does not refuse to turn back."

Benin Proverb

“Akıntıya karşı bir ağaç gövdesi taşıyan bir akarsu/ nehir iyi akamaz. (Başkasına kötülük yapmaya çalışmak önce yapanı vurur.).”

Idatcha Proverb

"Keep your hand clean when you feed your child."

Angolan Proverb

“Başkasının annesi gümüş gibi parlasa da, kendi annenin yerini tutmaz.”

Benin Proverb

“Yaşça büyük olmak küçüğünü ezme hakkı vermemelidir, bilakis küçükler sevilmeli, hoş tutulmalıdır.”

Angolan Proverb

"You see someone else's wound, but you cannot feel their pain."

Djibouti Proverb

"Wrong advice leads to the abyss."

Zimbabwe Proverb

"The heart's wish is not in vain, the heart is the doctor."

Angolan Proverb

"Tell me who you're walking with and I'll tell you who you are."

Democratic Republic of the Congo Proverb

"The village of the careless man does not take root, the village of the anxious man takes root."

Zambian Proverb

"You can play any game with the one you get along with."

Libyan Proverb

"No food without labor."

Moroccan Proverb

"A trustworthy and honest man does not have many debts."