with proverb #100 Submission which reads
"Gele o dun bi ka moo we, ka moo we o da bi ko ye'ni."
This is my attempt to translate it literally below :
"The beauty of the African head tie (gele)
lies not only in being able to tie it,
but in being able to tie it fittingly well."
Toto, o se bi owe, eyin agba, e dari ji ni.
Practical application? It's not just enough to be able to do something, it's about being able to do it exceedingly well.
Practical application? It's not just enough to be able to do something, it's about being able to do it exceedingly well.
Awon gele orisi risi (different headtie styles) follows below - I know the proverb is not really about headties but what better excuse to showcase some of our ingenious ways of styling and tying them?
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| O ga ju! |
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| Red gele aso oke ... |
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| Green gele aso oke. |
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| Very traditional blue gele aso oke... |
Ati gele bulu, ati gele pupa...
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| K'elenu so enu e ni ti gele yi o ! |
I leave it to the elders for any different take on the literal translation and to extrapolate the meaning and practical applications. Comments pls in the comments section below.
Funke Abolade, M.D.
Publicity Secretary.
Great proverb, well illustrated!! .
ReplyDeleteLiterarily the interpretations are appropriate for Gele and also doing things exceedingly well. It also calls for one not only to master his or her craft well but choosing a role that one is best suited for.
Mr. Babatunde took the proverb from one of my favorite Nigerian musician - Lagbaja....Just joking but Lagbaja made a song from that proverb.
ReplyDeleteJide