Proverbs are an essential learning tool for students of African languages. In the African Languages Proverbs Project, the Boston University African Studies Center has collected short performances by African theater troupes in their native languages. These languages include Wolof from Senegal, Hausa from Niger, Amharic from Ethiopia, Xhosa and Zulu from South Africa and Swahili from Tanzania. Each performance focuses on one of ten common proverbs and places them within a cultural and social context. These videos are designed for advanced students of the languages and are an invaluable tool for developing language proficiency and cultural competence. While they stand on their own as authentic, and entertaining, learning resources, they can also be used as supplements to the African Languages Proverbs Project workbooks.
This video features the Hausa proverb 'Iya ruwa hidda kai.'
For further information on the BU African Language Program, please contact: Professor Fallou Ngom, Director of the ASC African Language Program (fngom@bu.edu) or Dr. Peter D. Quella, ASC Assistant Director (pdquella@bu.edu).