Mandinka Proverbs and Sayings (Kitab Tanbih al-Afkar)
Quick Jump: Manuscript || Transcription/Translations
| Title | Mandinka Proverbs and Sayings (Kitab Tanbih al-Afkar) |
| Author or Owner | El Hadji Kemo Drame (owner and author) |
| Subject | Proverbs and Sayings, Local Wisdom, Mandinka Philosophy, Flora, Fauna, Respect for Elders |
| Content | This document contains numerous proverbs and sayings on various aspects of life. The themes include family, wisdom, morality, ethics, social living, knowledge, stupidity, and cleverness. The document highlights such aspects of Mandinka life and culture as: respect for elders; understanding one’s own abilities and limitations; personal flaws; respect for the natural world; fear of dangerous animals; maintaining harmonious interpersonal relations; and bodily and spiritual cleanliness. It draws extensively on the local flora and fauna for metaphors and includes frequent references to local foods. The document is an example of the philosophy by which rural Mandinka-speakers live. |
| Genre | Prose |
| Language | Mandinka |
| Script | Mandinka Ajami |
| Manuscript condition | The manuscript is in a good condition and legible and has 30 pages. A few lines are unclear. |
| Type | Handwritten |
| Publisher | Unpublished |
| Provenance | Ziguinchor, Senegal |
| Source Reference | British Library: https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP1042-23-3; Ngom, Fallou, Castro, Eleni, & Diakité, Ablaye. (2018). African Ajami Library: EAP 1042. Digital Preservation of Mandinka Ajami Materials of Casamance, Senegal. Boston: Boston University Libraries. https://open.bu.edu/handle/2144/37404 |
| Access condition and copyright | These materials are subject to copyright and are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 License, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For use, distribution or reproduction beyond these terms, contact Professor Fallou Ngom (fngom@bu.edu). |
| Contributors | Fallou Ngom, Ablaye Diakite, Bala Saho, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Ousmane Cisse, Martin Aucoin, Eric Schmidt, Marie Binta Badji, Alison Parker, Shawn Provencal, and Mark Lewis. |
| Required citation information | Fallou Ngom (PI), Ablaye Diakite, Bala Saho, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Ousmane Cisse, Martin Aucoin, and other contributors. 2022. “Mandinka Proverbs and Sayings.” https://sites.bu.edu/nehajami/the-four-languages/mandinka/mandinka-manuscripts/kitab-tanbih-al-afkar/ |
Manuscript
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Transcription and Translations
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