I think it is an invented U. Even if the proverb proves to have a specific provenance in some specific African culture, I question the generalization of it to "African culture" at large. That move pastoralizes Africa to express a sense of loss here. All cultures begin with the group. Culture is inherently social. You can't have a culture of one.
This is well-recognized in "western" cultures, just as individualisms of various sorts abound in African ones. Witwatersrand, contains this one:. His comment: "The observation of the people shows them that whereas animals show kindness to their own young, they do not exhibit similar kindness to the young of others. This is from the section on "Parents and Children.
Zulu proverbial wisdom seems to see selfishness with regard to other people's children as a recurrent and significant feature of "African" life in that part of Africa.
Possibly to be criticized, but also seemingly viewed as natural. Actually lots of Nyembezi's proverbs concern selfishness in one form or another. It's safe enough to imagine that people far away from you aren't selfish. But Zulu proverbs treat it as naive and potentially dangerous to imagine that about those close to you. While it is interesting to seek provenance in regard to the proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child," I think it would be misleading to ascribe its origin to a single source.
As I noted in my earlier message, some of us do relate to it as part of our backgrounds. Let me give a few examples of African societies with proverbs which translate to "It takes a village In Lunyoro Banyoro there is a proverb that says "Omwana takulila nju emoi," whose literal translation is "A child does not grow up only in a single home.
In Kihaya Bahaya there is a saying, "Omwana taba womoi," which translates as "A child belongs not to one parent or home. In Kijita Wajita there is a proverb which says "Omwana ni wa bhone," meaning regardless of a child's biological parent s its upbringing belongs to the community. In Kiswahili the proverb "Asiyefunzwa na mamae hufunzwa na ulimwengu" approximates to the same. I think both Chris Lowe and Lawrence Mbogoni are on target. The one generalization that can be made about "African" societies is that small communities "villages" have retained their cohesion there longer than in the industrialized West.
Thus various proverbs and practices involving child rearing is an issue extending beyond the nuclear family. However, this can cut in many ways, like anywhere else. One of my colleagues once told me that he did not really know which of his father's wives was his "real" mother until he went to school because a non-biological mother took such care of him. Moral: let the Hilary Clintons of the world use Africa as a paradigm for reform of our own society.
Our job is not to "authenticate" or criticize such internal western discourse but rather to keep in mind the richness and complexity of life in socieites which should not be seen simply as an "anti-West.
I have lived on three continents, in small towns, and funny, I found that the Belgian Ardennes villages, the Maniema villages Zaire , and Kansas villages all behave in the same way: the affairs of one are the concern of all.
If a child misbehaves, everybody will try to correct him or her, the story teller will keep them entertained, the teacher, the priest, the lady who is the best cook, all will participate with the parents, the extended family, and everybody else. As a correspondent said, this kind of education happened also in neighbourhoods in big cities. I blame the disappearance of this kind of education on television! I have just today joined this list.
I researched the question of where did the ancient African proverb, "It takes a whole village to raise a single child" three years ago after I noticed its use by New York State Education department in their "New Compact for Learning. Knowing that Americans are fond of ascribing newly forged proverbs to the most foreign culture they can conceive As in the child's game, Confucius says The implicit racism in this term aside can you imagine something ascribed as a "European Proverb? As the ICA had has?
Curiously, the 'true' proverbs on this subject from peoples whose homes are on the African continent sound more like this, "The business of the king ends at the gate of the village and the business of the village ends at the gate of the hut. If an earlier usage than can be found for this "proverb" I would appreciate hearing of it. Edward H. Please think that rural societies have everywhere common points, among which this kin solidarity.
Therefore, "It takes a village" astonishes us just because we forgot i, since most children are born in cities nowadays including in Africa. Is it not the true reason why this discussion cannot stop? Return to Menu. But no citations that I know of. Greg Mary Brady Catalog Dept. A student turned in a paper the other day that began with the following: We are, therefore I am. African proverb The sentiment seems to be, if Africans don't have it as a proverb, they should!
Please tell me if it ain't so! When I signed up to bring someone a meal, I used to prepare it when they napped and drop it off on my own after my husband was home. Then this happened: it was about 8 weeks after my 3rd baby was born. It made for tough evenings and little patience with a 3 and 4 year old to take care of alongside a screaming infant. One particularly tough night there was a knock on the door and there was a family from a few doors down.
The mother and all 3 kids carrying our dinner. It was freezing cold outside and the kids were all bundled up and each one was holding part of our meal. I will never forget when her 3 year old handed over a giant bowl of meatballs to my 3 year old. They were in preschool class together and neighbors. I will never forget it because it was another one of those times that made an impact on my kids in their village.
We had a wonderful dinner that night and they had even brought homemade cookies for dessert. We relied on another family for our food. We enjoyed it. We talked about it. My kids knew it was OK to rely on other people in our village. From that day on, now when I deliver a meal to a family that has had a new baby, I involve my kids and remind them that each time a new baby joins our family, we need other people to help us. Kids in the village need to rely on other kids too.
Encouraging kids to practice this can have so many benefits in the long run. My 8 year old daughter walks home from school. Recently she asked if she could have a phone. Then rely on them to help you get home safely. Back in the day you relied on the village for everything: one family was the butcher, one was the doctor, one the baker, etc.
Your village was just as important as those living in your house. For many in our country or ok, most this concept is completely foreign.
People have their routines, their own beliefs and their own children to raise. After 9 years of parenting there are many things I question whether I am doing them right or wrong but finding a good village for my family is one I have no doubts about. Find your village, let them help you and most important: let them help in raising your children. I know I would not have made it through these difficult few months without my village, which includes your family! I would not have made it without relying on the help of such giving friends, family and neighbors while my son was in the NICU for 4 months, and even today while isolating my preemie from the public during flu season.
Covid has thrown a wrench into the family support system. Children are often asymptomatic carriers of the virus, so precautions must be taken for anyone who falls into a high-risk category.
Sometimes grandparents are an essential part of the village. Grandparents are often lifesavers for families as parents must continue working, especially if the school is no longer part of the reliable child care plan. Many grandparents assist with homeschooling or virtual schooling during this time. Of course, if the grandparents have underlying health concerns, such as having cardiac issues or diabetes, it may be out of the question for them to be around grandchildren.
In the first two months of the pandemic, we did not see our grandson. We were all miserable! Their parents are also following strict quarantining. Maintaining a positive mental health status during the pandemic has been challenging. We have fun. Grandchildren help grandparents stay active physically and socially.
Without my grandchildren, I would not have been to the Gathering Place thirty times.
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