• Two men hugging

    Martinique Creole proverbs

Born in the first half of the 17th century, the Creole language is a vibrant mosaic. The Amerindian heritage was supplemented by the dialects of French colonists, West Africans, and later Coolies from India and China. Contrary to popular belief, Creole proverbs are not words from the past, or “pawol an tan lontan” (words from the past) as they say in Martinique. Proverbs are immortal, eternal, and indispensable. As they say in Martinique: “Pa konnet mové” (It is bad not to know). Click on the title to read the moral.





                                        
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
It's when a fountain runs dry that you see the value of water.
We understand too late the importance of what we have lost.



                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
It is when one has no money that we know the value of a woman.
Poverty reveals the woman.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
It is only when you open your mouth you'll notice that your teeth are rotten.
We really knows someone only if that person demonstrated complete transparency.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
This is the robin in the tree that tells you what's going on at home.
This is often from the mouth of foreigners that we learn what happens at home.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
Just because you need to pee doesn't mean you don't have a fly.
You should think before you act.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
It's not when you have to pee to think the fact that you did not have fly.
Variant of proverb "A pa lè ou fen pou mété manjé si difé".



                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
Just thinking isn't enough; you have to think about something.
It’s important to be constructive.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
It was the first grain of rain that made the corn growing.
You have to know how to be grateful.



                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
This is according to the wind as the tail of chickens looks.
Refers to a fairly suggestible person.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
If you have not slept in a chicken coop, you can not know if the hens snore.
You have to speak only of what we know.