A collection of 100 Yao (Yawo) Proverbs and Wise Sayings By ELIAS BUSHIRI ELIE African Proverbs Working Group Nairobi, Kenya May, 2019 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………………………………………….8 DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Identification and Location: ...................................................................................................................... 8 Demography .............................................................................................................................................. 9 Linguistic Affiliation ................................................................................................................................ 9 History and Cultural Relations ................................................................................................................ 10 Settlements .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Subsistence .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Commercial Activities: ........................................................................................................................... 13 Industrial Arts ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Trade ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 Division of Labor .................................................................................................................................... 13 Land Tenure ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Kin Groups and Descent ......................................................................................................................... 13 Marriage .................................................................................................................................................. 13 Inheritance............................................................................................................................................... 13 Social Organization ................................................................................................................................. 13 Political Organization ............................................................................................................................. 13 Conflict ................................................................................................................................................... 13 Religious Beliefs ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Religious Practitioners ............................................................................................................................ 14 Ceremonies ............................................................................................................................................. 14 Arts: ........................................................................................................................................................ 14 Health: ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 Medicine ................................................................................................................................................. 14 Death and Afterlife ................................................................................................................................. 15 A collection of 100 Yawo Proverbs and Wise Sayings .......................................................................... 16 Acitambwali wangamyolana mbala ........................................................................................................ 16 Acisuwi kunondiya ya ajawo, nambo yawo akutenda kuwuta ............................................................... 16 Agumile mesi mkanigayice m’lukosi ..................................................................................................... 16 Ajomboce mkanigayice m’malungo ....................................................................................................... 16 2 Andende ajuno wam’wuleje mwenye ..................................................................................................... 16 Angwena kuliwutanga m’cipale.............................................................................................................. 17 Apa lipuluputu, apo lipuluputu ............................................................................................................... 17 Biblical Parallel: Akuliti, ajawo ali ngakwati ......................................................................................... 17 Akwasaka atalice .................................................................................................................................... 17 Akam’wona kuwuka ............................................................................................................................... 17 Akasam’wona ndindi unandi, mandanda gakwe aga .............................................................................. 18 Asili jawukwile mbamba ........................................................................................................................ 18 Baba wakuliwilila, mwanace jwakuwilila .............................................................................................. 18 Bitotolo jangapya mboga mu mbale ....................................................................................................... 18 Ce Kalunga wapikene lilowe lyandanda ................................................................................................. 18 Ce Kulinonyela watopolegwe ................................................................................................................. 19 Ce Litunu wakanile mbalika ................................................................................................................... 19 Ce Litunu wakanice Usilamu .................................................................................................................. 19 Ce Ngakole wakamwile ndomondo mu msipu ....................................................................................... 19 Ceswela cam’wuleje mbusi ..................................................................................................................... 19 Ce Lyola wamalisisye ulendo ni kusumba .............................................................................................. 20 Ce Mtimbanje kwawuleje konjecesya ..................................................................................................... 20 Cicalolite meso, mtima ngawa mkuliwalila ............................................................................................ 20 Cili pa ajenu kuwulula, nambo cili penumwe kusisa ......................................................................... 20 Citamile cangapata malaja ...................................................................................................................... 20 Ciwa cangatenda odi ............................................................................................................................... 21 Gasabu asala, wajasile utandi wa sadaka ................................................................................................ 21 Gona cilikati ni kwanguyu ...................................................................................................................... 21 Guluka pangali moto ............................................................................................................................... 21 Jembeceyani mesi gapite kuti mtawale ................................................................................................... 21 Jikajikape jangawuma mbili.................................................................................................................... 21 Jwakulwala m’matumbo ni jwakusawugula litanga ............................................................................... 22 Jwnagapikana jwapikene liwago lili mu mtwe ....................................................................................... 22 Kagoma kakusona kangakawa kupapuka ............................................................................................... 22 Kakatite cubwi! Nganikacuwuce ............................................................................................................ 22 Meso kusakasya, m’kamwa kunong’a .................................................................................................... 22 M’kamwa mwa ngwena mwangapisya mkono, kogopa mawanga ......................................................... 23 3 Mlendo ni jwakusayika ni kalwembe kakutema. ...................................................................................