Òwe on Ẹrú and Ìwọ̀fà: Slavery, Freedom and Bondage
Twenty-two Yorùbá proverbs on the enslaved person, the debt-pawn, and the freeborn, and on what the proverb tradition says a person in bondage is owed, denied, and worth.
intermediatehigh·
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Twenty-two Yorùbá proverbs on the enslaved person, the debt-pawn, and the freeborn, and on what the proverb tradition says a person in bondage is owed, denied, and worth.
The Yorùbá wey dem quote, the proverbs, oríkì, ẹsẹ Ifá, word list headwords, Odù names and citations dey exactly as the corpus record dem, for every language.
Ẹrú na slave, person wey dem buy and own. Ìwọ̀fà na pawn, person wey dem hand over as security for debt and wey must work to clear di debt. Di two condition dem different under law for pre-colonial Yorùbá tradition: dem dey buy slave completely, while pawn, based on wetin dey di historical record, na person wey dem borrow instead of say dem buy am, and in principle, dem fit redeem am once dem pay di debt . For practical life, di line between di two no always clear. Pawn wey dem no pay him debt, or wey him creditor choose to forget di difference, fit end up dey live as slave for every way except by name, and at least one proverb for under here talk about dat exact situation . Dis file gather twenty-two proverbs wey get slavery, pawnship, or wetin e mean to be free person as dia main topic: wetin dem suppose give person wey dey under slavery or pawnship, wetin dem dey deny dem, how dem dey value dia death and dia labor when dem compare am to freeborn person own, and wetin people of di same house, instead of strangers, dey expose about person status.
Di proverbs dey here as Owomoyela write and translate dem , except where dem mention another source. Di short notes wey Owomoyela put inside bracket na wetin form di Used when lines; where na him exact words dey there, dem put am for quotation mark.
Dis file dey describe wetin di proverb tradition talk, no be full record of Yorùbá slavery and pawnship as historical institutions, wey be bigger subject wey specialist scholars don write plenty about . Two points from dat scholarship dey very important to understand these proverbs well. First, ẹrú and ìwọ̀fà no be di same status: dem buy slave, but pawn na person wey dem pledge for debt and wey work for di creditor while e still remain, on paper, person wey dem fit redeem . Second, dem no always follow dat formal difference for real life, and pawns wey dem no pay dia debt or wey no fit pay am face real risk say dem go treat dem as full slaves . Where any proverb for below use di difference between di two condition dem, dem note am; where proverb just talk ẹrú, di text itself no mean say any difference dey.
Literal: Ọmọ ẹni one's-own child là ḿbí is-what-one gives-birth-to; ẹrú ẹni one's-own slave là ń rà lọ́jà is-what-one buys in-the-market.
Idiomatic: "One gives birth to one's children; one buys one's slave in the market."
Meaning: Child and slave dey enter household through totally different ways, and di proverb just state di difference without any extra comment.
Used when: Owomoyela: "No one can buy children in the market"
Notes: Di proverb no primarily dey talk about slavery; e dey talk about how e impossible to buy status wey only birth fit give person. But e do dis by taking ẹrú, di person wey dem buy, as plain contrast case, dey treat di market transaction as normal and ordinary way wey household fit take get new member.
Literal: Ìbí ò ju ìbí one birth does-not exceed another birth; bí a ti bí ẹrú as one gives-birth-to a-slave la ti bí ọmọ is-how one gives-birth-to a-freeborn-child.
Idiomatic: "No birth is worthier than another; just as the slave was born, so was the scion born."
Meaning: Birth alone no dey give special value pass another person; di enslaved person and di freeborn heir enter dis world through di same process.
Used when: Owomoyela: "All humans start out equal"
Notes: Di proverb state clear say equality dey at di point of birth, wetin get tension with entry 3 and 4 for below, wey measure slave death and slave respect as wetin value less pass freeborn own. Di whole collection of proverbs no reconcile di two positions, and speaker fit choose one or di other depending on wetin di situation demand.
Literal: Èlùbọ́ ṣègbodò rí yam-flour was fresh-yam once; ẹrú ṣọmọ rí a-slave was a-child once nílé-e bàbá ẹ̀ in-the-house of-his-father.
Idiomatic: "Yam flour was once fresh yam; a slave was once a child in his father's house."
Meaning: Di condition wey person dey inside now no be di condition wey dem take start, and di two transformations, yam to become flour, freeborn child to become slave, show as ordinary facts about how things fit change.
Used when: Owomoyela: "No one is immune to a change in fortune"
Notes: Di pairing match direct and no be rough comparison: dem dey process yam to make flour, and enslavement, for di world wey dis proverb describe, fit happen to freeborn child through circumstance, most times war, debt, or kidnap. Di proverb no soften di second image to match di first one; e put dem side by side as parallel examples of one law.
Literal: A-ti-kékeré-ṣẹrú one-who-has-been-a-slave-since-childhood ò mọyì does-not know-the-value-of ọmọlúwàbí a-freeborn-person.
Idiomatic: "One who has been a slave since childhood does not appreciate being a freeborn."
Meaning: Person wey never know any other condition apart from bondage no get di experience wey go make am value freedom as good thing.
Used when: Owomoyela: "A stranger to freedom does not appreciate it"
Notes: Di compressed noun a-ti-kékeré-ṣẹrú, person-wey-don-be-slave-since-childhood, follow di same a- agentive prefix wey dey show everywhere for dis collection of proverbs about fixed conditions, and e summarize di whole person life story for one word. When dem read am together with entry 2, di two proverbs show say birth no dey confer worth, but to spend full lifetime for one condition fit shape wetin person fit see as valuable.
Literal: Kí ẹrú mọ ara ẹ̀ lẹ́rú let the-slave know himself as-a-slave; kí ìwọ̀fà mọ ara ẹ̀ níwọ̀fà let the-pawn know himself as-a-pawn; kí ọmọlúwàbí mọ ara ẹ̀ lẹ́rú Ọlọ́run ọba let the-freeborn-person know himself as-the-slave of-God the-king.
Idiomatic: "Let the slave know himself or herself as a slave; let the pawn know himself or herself as a pawn; let the well-born person know himself or herself as the child of God."
Meaning: Evry pesin, no mata how dia level be, get oga wey dem dey ansa to, reach di freeborn pesin wey still dey under God.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Evrybody suppose know demselves and dia position for di order of things"
Notes: Di proverb call slave and pawn as two different level for di same breath, wey be direct proof say people wey dey speak Yorùbá separate di two for dia mind even when later use come mix dem togeda. Di translation wey Owomoyela do translate di last clause as "pikin of God," but wetin dey di Yorùbá word-for-word make even di freeborn pesin slave, ẹrú, to God wey be king, wey strong and match pass wetin di English dey show: di whole point of di proverb na say evrybody na pesin ẹrú, and di superior of di freeborn pesin na just di highest one wey dey.
Literal: Ọpẹ́ gratitude ló yẹ ẹrú is-what befits a-slave.
Idiomatic: "Gratitude is what befits the slave."
Meaning: Any kind mercy or provision wey slave receive, na wit tanks dem suppose take am, no be to treat am say na dia right.
Used when: Owomoyela: "People suppose dey tankful for any help wey dem get"
Notes: Dem dey use di proverb generally for anybody wey dey depend on pesin, no be only for slaves, but e use di condition of slave as di clearest example of pesin wey wetin e dey get depend purely on anoda pesin choice, and e build di general rule on top dat specific picture.
Literal: Bí ẹrú yó bàá jẹ ìfun if a-slave will manage-to eat intestines, ibi ẹ̀dọ̀ ní-í tí ḿbẹ̀rẹ̀ it-is-at the-liver that-he begins.
Idiomatic: "A slave that would eat intestines must begin at the liver."
Meaning: Pesin wey no get high level wey want get beta ting suppose start from di place wey easy pass to explain and work reach dia, instead of to target am directly.
Used when: Di note wey Owomoyela write treat dis one as advice say make pesin dey follow small small steps reach wetin e want when e no get way to reach dia directly .
Notes: Di liver and intestine na two parts of animal wey dem kill wey slave fit get only if di household gree, and di proverb assume say get order of which meat dem dey easily give and which one dem no dey quickly give, using dat household detail take make general point about strategy wen pesin level low.
Literal: Bí a bá ránni níṣẹ́ ẹrú if one is-sent on-an-errand of-a-slave, à ń fi jẹ́ tọmọ one carries-it-out as-of-a-freeborn.
Idiomatic: "If one is sent on an errand like a slave, one carries it out like a freeborn."
Meaning: Di way pesin take do work depend on di pesin own standard, no mata say dem look down on di work, or say di pesin wey give di work no respect di pesin wey do am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Pesin wey dem train well dey comot di mistake for message wey dem send am, or work wey dem give am make e do"
Notes: Di proverb praise diligence as personal character wey still dey stand even when di work dey bring pesin down; e no talk about slavery as system, but e use slave errand as clear example of work wey dem give without respect for di doer dignity, wey dem come take measure freeborn pesin own behavior.
Literal: Àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ a-prior-agreement kò jẹ́ does-not let kí ìwọ̀fà di the-pawn become ẹrú olówó the-slave of-the-creditor.
Idiomatic: "A standing arrangement keeps the pawn from becoming a slave of the creditor."
Meaning: Clear agreement from di beginning na wetin dey stop debtor worker temporary level wey e fit redeem make e no go turn to permanent slavery wey dem own.
Used when: Owomoyela: "To agree from beginning na to prevent confusion later"
Notes: Na dis particular proverb for di set talk straight di mechanism wey history record: pawnship and slavery different under law, as dem dey drop pawn against debt instead of to buy dem, but pawn wey dia terms no clear and dem no respect am dey real risk say dem go treat am as slave for practice . Dem dey use di proverb generally for any arrangement wey need terms wey dem settle beforehand, but wetin di proverb directly talk about na dis serious change from one level to di oda.
Literal: Ṣe-ǹ-ṣe the-habit-of-doing dìwọ̀fà made-him a-pawn, bó ṣe é if he keeps doing-it yó dẹrú-u wọn it-will make-him their-slave.
Idiomatic: "The habit that made a person a pawn, if the person persists in it, will make him or her a slave."
Meaning: Behavior wey don already make pesin lose dia independent level once go make dem lose di remaining part finish if dem no correct am.
Used when: Owomoyela: "Pesin suppose stop things wey don show say no get gain"
Notes: Like entry 9, dis proverb take di move from pawn to slave as real step-by-step drop instead of one-time event, and e use am as example take give general warning about any habit wey dey already cause damage wey people dey see. When pesin read entry 9 and 10 togeda, dem show di same fact about di system, say pawnship fit spoil enter slavery, wey dem present one time as prevention and anoda time as warning wey don already late.
Literal: Aráòde people-outside ò mọ ni lẹ́rú do-not know one as-a-slave; ará ilé ẹni people-of-one's-own-house ní ń nawọ́ ẹrú síni are-who point the-hand of-slave at-one.
Idiomatic: "Outsiders do not know that one is a slave; people of one's household are the ones who point one out as a slave."
Wetin e mean: Strangers dey fit see say person status low only because di pipo wey dey close to di person don show am out.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "If pipo for person house no disgrace am, outsiders no go fit disgrace am"
Notes: Di proverb place di pawa to expose or cover person level inside di house instead of di outside world, and na position wey dey repeat for inside dis collection of work, wey dem also see for di proverbs about shame for entry 40 of owe-iwa-character. For here di matter sharp pass dat: to expose person no be just to cause shame, but na to call out di legal and social status wey get real trouble wey dey follow am.
Literal: Adásínilọ́rùn person-who-embroils-one-in-trouble, obìnrin ọ̀dọ̀gọ an-idiotic woman: ẹlẹ́rú ń wá ẹrú ẹ̀ the-slave-owner is looking-for his-slave, ó ní she says kí wọ́n jẹ́ kí ọkọ òun ti oko dé ná let-them wait-until her-husband arrives from-the-farm.
Idiomatic: "Person-who-involves-one-in-trouble, idiotic woman: a slave owner comes searching for his missing slave, and she says he should wait until her husband returns from the farm."
Wetin e mean: Person just use her own hand give out information wey put her own household for danger, out of total careless talk instead of say any obligation force am to talk.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "Mouth wey no get brake na dangerous tin for di owner and im family"
Notes: Di proverb na like small drama scene instead of plain statement, and e assume say na household wey hide slave wey run commot, wey be real and dangerous situation since say slave owner wey dey look for im missing property get legal right to pursue di matter. Di carelessness of di wife to confirm say person wey reach to wait for dey come back na di whole joke and na di whole warning.
Literal: A kì í bá ẹrú mulẹ̀ one does-not make-a-pact with the-slave, ká bá olúwa mulẹ̀ and make-a-pact with the-master, ká má da ẹnìkan and not betray one-of-them.
Idiomatic: "One cannot make a pact with the slave and make a pact with the master and not betray one of them."
Wetin e mean: To dey loyal to two parties wey wetin dem want dey fight each other no fit stand; one commitment go eventually scatter di other one.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "Person no fit join body wit pipo wey wetin dem want dey clash"
Notes: Di proverb take slave and master as di clearest example of relationship wey wetin di two sides want naturally dey clash, and e use dat clear example take talk general point about divided loyalty, without to add any extra comment about di relationship itself.
Literal: Ẹrú kan one slave ní ḿmúni bú is-what causes-one to-insult igba ẹrú two-hundred slaves.
Idiomatic: "A single slave causes one to insult two hundred slaves."
Wetin e mean: Di bad behavior of one member reach to bring total condemnation ontop whole group, for number wey too much pass di offense wey happen.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "Di bad behavior of one member of group dey bring shame to all members of di group"
Notes: Igba, two hundred, dey function here as Yorùbá round figure for plenty pipo instead of exact count. Di way di proverb use di enslaved pipo of di house as di group for di matter na just example for im real topic, wey be collective blame, and di same structure dey show again wit other groups for other places inside dis collection of work.
Literal: Ẹrú kú a-slave dies, ìyá ò gbọ́ his-mother does-not hear-of-it; ọmọ́ kú a-freeborn-child dies, ariwó ta an-uproar breaks-out.
Idiomatic: "A slave dies, and the mother does not learn of the death; a freeborn dies, and lamentations erupt."
Wetin e mean: Di death of slave dey pass without public mourning or even to tell di family, while di death of freeborn person, whole community dey open eye cry for am.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "Pipo no be di same, and dem no dey value dem equally"
Notes: Dis na di most direct and straight statement for di set about di real social cost of slavery, wey dem talk without to soften am or make am sound general like most of di other entries for here do. Owomoyela own explanation no try to preach moral about di observation; e just state di inequality as fact wey di proverb record. Wen dem put am beside entry 2, wey stand ground say no birth better pass another, dis proverb na direct proof say dis collection of work hold di two positions and e no try to settle di contradiction wey dey between dem.
Literal: Áásìkí tí a fún ẹyẹ ọ̀sìn the-regard given a-domesticated-bird a ò fún igún is-not given the-vulture; áásìkí ẹrú the-regard of-a-slave ò sí lọ́dọ̀ ọmọ is-not present at the-freeborn-child.
Idiomatic: "The regard that a domestic bird enjoys is denied the vulture; the regard a slave receives is not the same as a freeborn enjoys."
Wetin e mean: Status na wetin dey determine di kind respect wey creature or person dey receive, and di respect wey slave dey get definitely low pass freeborn person own, just as scavenger bird no dey get respect reach bird wey dem dey care for.
Wen dem dey use am: Owomoyela: "Pipo no get luck di same way"
Notes: Di way di proverb take join vulture, wey be bird wey no clean for Yorùbá thought and wey dem dey attach to sacrifice and death, together with person wey dey under slavery, na comparison wey di proverb make without any clear fear or shame, and e good make person read am straight beside entry 15 instead of to soften am: di two entry dem dey state di same social fact, say slave life and death get less weight pass person wey dem born free, using two different image dem.
Literal: Ọba, èmi lẹrú ẹ king, I am your-slave; Baṣọ̀run, èmi lẹrú ẹ chief-adviser, I am your-slave; àti ọba àti Baṣọ̀run both king and chief-adviser, wọn ò mọ iye ẹrú tí wọ́n rà? do-they-not know the-number of-slaves that they bought?
Idiomatic: "'Oh King, I am your slave; Oh Chief Adviser of the king, I am your slave'; king and chief adviser, don't they know how many slaves they bought?"
Meaning: Person wey dey use over-flattery and sweet mouth wash two ruler at di same time, e dey easy make dem catch am, since di two men fit just count di slave dem wey dem actually get and see say di person wey dey talk no dey among dem.
Used when: Di note wey Owomoyela write treat di proverb as example of clear, cunning flattery wey dem plan to take find favour instead of to show real relationship .
Notes: Baṣọ̀run na senior chieftaincy title, di main adviser to di king for some Yorùbá society, so di proverb call two real office instead of just ordinary two powerful men. Di comedy depend on di fact say slave ownership na sometin wey dem fit count and record, wey on its own be evidence of how dem take run di system: dem expect say slave owner suppose know exactly how many slave e get.
Three things stand out across dis twenty-two proverb dem wey no single one of dem talk on its own.
Di corpus distinguish ẹrú from ìwọ̀fà and treat di difference as sometin wey get heavy weight, no be by-the-way matter. Entry 5, 9 and 10 call di two status separately and, for di case of 9 and 10, describe di specific way wey pawn person temporary position wey tie to debt fit deteriorate enter permanent slave position. Dis match wetin historian dem wey study di system document: pawnship and slavery different under law, and di main danger of pawnship na exactly dis kind slide . Person wey dey read only from di English word "slavery" go miss di point say di proverb tradition itself keep di legal distinction wey later history of di system come erase sometimes.
Di corpus hold two position about value wey completely no agree with each other, and e no choose between dem. Entry 2 talk say no birth pass another birth and slave and freeborn dey land for world di same way; entry 15 and 16 talk say slave death no dey bring mourning and di respect wey slave get far low pass person wey dem born free. Dem confirm di two, dem talk am plain without qualification, and na likely di same set of people talk dem for different occasion. Di other file dem for dis corpus wey talk about matter wey get double meaning or contest (see, for example, wetin owe-iwa-character read about proverb on destiny) show di same pattern: proverb na tool wey dem dey pick for particular occasion, no be law inside fixed doctrine, and to pack all of dem join into one position dey misrepresent how dem take use dem.
To expose and to hide lower status na sometin wey dey inside household, no be for outside world. Entry 11 and 12 both show say outsider no fit see wetin person own household choose to expose or protect, wey extend di way dis corpus dey treat household generally as di place where secret matter take dey become public knowledge (compare owe-iwa-character entry 19, on household as di only body wey get position to correct person blind spot). Here di matter wey dey on ground heavy pass ordinary personal fault, and di power wey di household get to expose am, dem treat am as danger instead of just plain talk.
Fifty-eight Yorùbá proverbs on character, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Forty-eight Yorùbá proverbs on the ọmọlúàbí ideal, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Sourced Yorùbá proverbs about telling the truth, the mechanics of lying and self-deception, and the value placed on a person whose word is reliable.
Forty-three Yorùbá proverbs on sùúrù, patience, presented with the original, a literal gloss, a named translation, and the situation each is spoken in.
Fifty-five Yorùbá proverbs on pride, arrogance, humility, and the limits of what a person can know about themselves, each given with the original, a literal gloss, and a named translation.
Thirteen sourced Yorùbá proverbs on shame, disgrace and reputation, presented with the original, a literal gloss, and a named translation, honestly reflecting how thin this theme is in the digitised record available to this corpus.