The Proverb Assignment

I'm trying to introduce this idea of "Creative writing" in my classroom. I want these kids to think of themselves as having a particular story to that no one else could tell but them. This sort of goes against what these kids have learned so far, which is that they should be good children, obedient, speak when spoken to, walk the line. A lot of composition writing here is literally copying stories or compositions word for word from other sources. If I ask one student to read his or her essay out loud, then the next week I get 16 carbon copies of that exact essay. They do this because they think its what I want from them. They write about chastity and Jesus because these are the "right answers."I decided to dive into the morality stuff because, well, there's no stopping it. So, this week's assignment was to find out a proverb from someone older than you and to explain exactly what you think it means. We then went back and took pictures based on the proverbs...
I liked hearing them talk about the rules they live by. I know these kids in class and I know they're not always well-behaved. But one thing is for sure, they know the rules and they know when they are breaking them. I loved this assignment because they say exactly what they believe and its not always the intended message behind the proverb. The moral nature of the exercise allowed them creative freedom in coming up with the words to express themselves.

Faridatu
"As a man lives, so shall he die."
I entered my father’s room and asked him to tell me one proverb. He told me, “as a man lives, so shall he die.” The meaning is a man will surely die whether he likes it or not.

"Wash your dirty linen at home"
This means don’t show the bad side of yourself in public. You must keep all your bad deeds in the house before going out so that you will not disgrace yourself or your family members.

Aishatu

"Do not count you eggs before they are hatched."
Someone is packing money for to buy something. The person has got the money and is now going to buy it, not knowing the car the person boarded, there was a pickpocket near where she was sitting. She placed the money on her knee and was asleep. She woke up without the money and the man has alighted without her knowledge. So, she has counted her eggs before they are hatched. Now, how will she buy a thing?

"Had I known is always at last."
This means do not do something before regret. A boy who would be writing his B.E.C.E examination was to learn very hard. He kept on playing around and he wasn’t ready to learn. One day, before the examination he took his book to learn, but he didn’t even take it seriously. The day of the examination came. The boy failed.

Berlinda

As you lay your bed, so shall you lie on it.
I asked my mother to tell me any proverbs and the meanings. She said, as you lay your bed, so shall you lie on it. I think it means one is responsible for the results of his own actions. I told her if you lay the bed, you shall sleep on it yourself.

Never cross the bridge until you have come to it.
It means wait for the right time to do a thing. I first thought if somebody wants to cross a bridge and the person has not reached, that person should not cross, otherwise he/she might fall.

Bushiratu

"Lost time is never found."
Don’t waste time. Maybe you have something to do. You will think there is more time. But before you realize it is time for school. For example, your teacher gave you homework. Instead of doing or solving the homework your teacher gave you, you will rather be roaming about. By the time you come home, maybe you won’t get time to do your homework. So, you can even forget and go and sleep.

Dorcas

"A begger has no choice."
A poor girl was sent by her aunty to collect some shoes. When she went, the shoes were many and she chose the beautiful one and her aunty told her that a begger has no choice. What has been given to her, she should handle it.

"Eat to live but don’t live to eat."
He went to his grandmother’s place. His grandmother prepared a very delicious meal which they all enjoyed. He said he still wanted more and his grandmother said he should eat to live, but don’t live to eat. He shouldn’t eat too much. He should just eat a little so that he can live.


Memuratu

"Love me, love my dog."
If you love someone and the person does a mistake you must not sack or tell the person you don’t love him/her again. If the person is having something and you love the person, you must love the person’s thing. If you love someone, you must love his/her mistakes. If you love someone and you don’t love the mistakes, then you don’t love the person.

"If you dig a hole, your love on will fall in it."
I went to my mother to tell me a proverb in our language. She said that if you plan a bad thing for your enemy, it will affect your love one. Like, if you dig a hole so that your enemy will fall inside, your love one will rather fall inside. But if you plan a good thing for your enemy, God will bless you and bless your love ones and even your enemy.

Patricia
"Charity begins at home."
Our obligations is first to our families before others. If you are respectful in your own house, you will be respectful in another person’s house.

"A beggar can never be bankrupt."
A beggar always has money. I chose to say this because the beggar always begs for money from people. When someone does not give him/her the money, another person will give. Anytime you see a beggar, you will not see any money in the bowl, but there is money in the bag. This proverb was said by my grandmother when I was young.

Theophilus
"Don’t climb a tree in a hurry."
My mother said it means don’t rush in life. When one rushes in life, he or she cannot get what he or she wants. To my own understanding, when you climb a tree in a hurry, you can fall off and hurt yourself.

Victoria
"Lazy people take the most pains."
When a hardworking person always works hard and one day makes a mistake, he might be forgiven. But when a lazy person makes a mistake, he will always be punished.

Letter to Supporters of the project

March, 2005
Dear supporters,

I just wanted to give all of you a quick update on the children's photo project here in ghana, which all of you are helping to support. Like a lot of things here, it has taken a long time to really set this project up, for the community within the school to know who i am to trust me with doing something that is not just uncommon, but kind of strange too. But now it really feels like we are hitting a stride.

The students are excited about the photography classes. They are shy when talking about their work, but they love seeing each other's pictures. Right now there are three classes of about six students each that meet once a week. it's been interesting to see how these photos come out. This is not a culture that is used to photography and a common photo is that fozen dear in the headlights portrait. But the kids are quick leanrers and we practice things like where to keep the camera so it can easily be used and hidden again before anyone notices. They are given loose assignments to photograph things they see in their lives: their family, their friends, games they play, chores around the house, functions like funerals and weddings.


I say "loose" assignemnts because what I want most is for them to take pictures of what excites them, although at one point i had to put restrictions on photographing the television screen during their favorite telenovela, "Juana La Virgn." (Juana was impregnated while on a routine visit to the doctor, a freak accident...Mauricio is the father. He's married to Carlota who goes nuts when mauricio leaves her for Juana...eventually mauricio has to fake his own death, etc.)
"Juana La Virgin" Sumaiya Hakibu



Nowadays, Eddie will knock on my door early in the morning and remind me to give him his weekly writing assignment if I forget. He's been getting more and more fearless when it comes to walking into the middle of the action and snapping what he sees and he's taken some beautiful portratis of his grandmother outside of their house. As I've mentjoned before, my long term goal is to create some kind of a book comprised of the children's photos and writing, which would sell to raise money to further their education in various forms. I still have to think long and hard about how that is going to work in any kind of sustainable way. Thank you so much to all of you who have helped to make this happen for the kids and for me and you'll hear from me again soon.