Endangered African Proverbs Collections: Zinza (Tanzania) Proverbs: Volume I

                     One of the follow-ups to the African Proverbs Project (1993-1996) is the collection of African proverbs in languages that are small, not well known or in danger of dying out. These are called “Endangered African Proverbs Collections.” A modest collection of 100 to 200 proverbs in these languages is being carried out through our four Regional Resource Centers in Africa. The most recent example:

                     A “Collection of 105 Zinza (Tanzania) Proverbs” has just been carried out under the direction of the Hekima College Library in Nairobi, Kenya, the Regional Resource Center in Eastern Africa. Zinza is a language used in Tanzania on Kome Island near Mwanza in Western Tanzania. The plan of this collection of Zinza proverbs is as follows:

1. Original proverb from the Zinza language.

2. Swahili translation.

3. English translation.

The “Front Page” of the booklet of these 105 Zinza Proverbs is printed below:

Endangered African Proverbs Collections
A Continuation of the African Proverbs Project

Collection of 105 Zinza Proverbs

Kome Island in the southern part of Lake Victoria near Mwanza in Western Tanzania

Collected and Complied by Joseph M. Lupande and Wilbard J. Lupande
in conjunction with

Sukuma Research Committee
Sukuma Cultural Centre, Bujora
P. O. Box 76
Mwanza, Tanzania

February, 2000

Some examples of Zinza Proverbs are: 

• Echala chimo tichitanda. (Zinza)
  Kidole kimoja hakivunji chawa. (Swahili)
  One finger cannot kill a louse. (English)
• Obwato ubuzenda mpola bugoba. (Zinza)
  Mtumbwi uendao taratibu hufika. (Swahili)
  A slow sailing canoe arrives. (English)
• Enkolomi tizila luhala lumo. (Zinza)
  Jogoo wawili hawakai banda moja. (Swahili)
  Two cocks never stay in one hut. (English)
• Amizi geta luziha. (Zinza)
  Maji humuuwa muogeleaji. (Swahili)
  Water kills the swimmer. (English)

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