I’m sure you’ve noticed that the closing on each blog post has been a Caribbean Proverb. This is an intentional decision. So much of our teachings and wisdom are done through oral tradition. These wise, sage and sometimes cryptic sayings are, most times, said to us by the elders in our community. And they can offer a proverb for every situation. Whether it's about relationships, money, conflict, discernment, spirituality….there is an applicable proverb. That when told to us gives us wisdom and insight but also strengthens our connections to our history, culture and ancestors.
If we’re not careful, these things can be lost as modernization and globalization continues to spread. And we don’t want that! So closing each blog post is my way of keeping us connected to our roots and culture.
I also want to share some resources that I absolutely love on this topic of Caribbean Proverbs. The website WIWords.com is such a great website that list proverbs from around the Caribbean and the country that is known for the proverb. Another great resource is the page Jamaican Proverbs that is listed on the National Library of Jamaica's website. What I like about this page, similar the the first one, is how the proverbs are listed in is Caribbean dialect, creole, patois (whatever word you choose to us) and then it is "translated" to "formal" English.
And here are two books that I find to be excellent...
Every skin teeth ain't a laugh
Caribbean Proverb
Cara
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