Shona Proverbs

Palm Oil With Which African Words Are Eaten

Highlighting both the range of philosophical issues that Shona proverbs raise and the shared concerns emanating from them, this book is the outcome of 40 years work by Taperesa Mutematemi Samaita, a teacher at Mnene Boys Central Primary School in Mberengwa District from 1946 to 1949. Shona proverbs teaching formed part of his Shona lessons and he encouraged his pupils to collect as many Shona proverbs as possible. When collected, these were first analytically dealt with orally, then followed by written exercises. From its beginning at Mnene Boys Central Primary School the project continued until 1986. The proverbs contained in this book were gathered from across Zimbabwe covering Midlands, Masvingo, Manicaland and Mashonal and West Provinces.

Of the 5240 Shona proverbs Taperesa Mutematemi Samaita collected 2736 are included in this book which adds to the existing inventory of proverbs by including modern proverbs that earlier collections had not included. By also including Ndau proverbs the book broadens the parameters of the Shona language by recognising that the language does not only get enriched through contact with the West but by lexical diversity within its dialects.

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