A ground squirrel eating banana Photo Credit: Ayekootọ
Language and culture often suffer from misconceptions that, over time, become widely accepted as truth. Many times, what we assume to be correct when we use language or talk about some aspect of culture, but we are actually incorrect. This highlights the importance of following those dedicated to preserving and refining these aspects like Bàbáònígbà (Follow us now).
A well-known example of such a misconception can be found in the popular Yoruba proverb:
Ikú ń jẹ ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀, ikú ń rèdí, ikú ò mọ̀ pé ohun tó dùn ń pani.
“Death eats bananas and wiggles its backside yet remains unaware that sweet things can be dangerous.”
Though this proverb is widely recognized today, yet, it is still incorrect. Let us examine it more closely.
Examining the Proverb
The literal translation which suggests that ikú (death) is eating bananas, shaking its backside presents a fundamental flaw: Does death have a mouth with which it can eat? According to Yoruba beliefs, death does not have the ability to eat, drink, or take anything. This belief is reinforced by a well-known Yoruba song:
Ikú ì bá gbówó, a ò bá fún un l’ówó;
Ikú ì bá mẹmu, a ò bá rà ìgò kan.
Translated as:
“If death could take money, we would give it money;
If death could drink palm wine, we would buy it a bottle.”
Clearly, attributing eating or shaking to death contradicts traditional Yoruba understanding. This raises the question: what is the correct version of the proverb?
The proper version of the proverb is:
Ikún ń jẹ ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀, ikún ń rèdí, ikún ò mọ̀ pé ohun tó dùn ń pa ni.
“The squirrel eats bananas and wiggles its backside yet remains unaware that sweetness can be dangerous.”
The ikún (ground squirrel) is a small rodent that lives in burrows and loves bananas and fresh groundnuts. When it eats, it shakes its furry tail in a movement that the Yoruba describe as mí ìdí (fanning the buttocks). This behaviour inspired the proverb, warning that while something may be enjoyable, it could also lead to one’s downfall. Yoruba hunters use bananas as bait to trap ikún, which is why the proverb metaphorically conveys the idea that pleasure can be a trap.
Therefore, it is noteworthy that the common version that replaces ikún (squirrel) with ikú (death) is incorrect