The Oral Literary Tradition of Ghana: Folklore & Proverbs

By Hannah May
By going and coming, a bird weaves its nest.
~ Ghanaian Proverb
Certain words will always linger.
When I left Africa, I was speechless. Several tears spoke for me. I had only spent just shy of a month on the continent, but it was an extraordinarily defining experience that both affirmed and reformed me. Already missing the bounty of local food I had relished throughout my stay, the Twi words, "E dong bi ri bo" echoed in my mind as I boarded the plane, feeling an emptiness beyond their literal sense. Translated simply into English as, "there's a bell in my stomach," the proverbial...