• 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.





                                        
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
All rosary has his cross.
Every coin has two sides.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
Each dog is scratching his back on his way.
Each person is different, but equally capable.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
All games are games. Break of wood in the back of a macaque is not a play.
All jokes are not good to do.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
Each pig has its Saturday.
No one escapes his destiny

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
All "stupid" died at Saint-Pierre.
Sometimes it takes evidence of observation to really understand the situation.
This proverb tells the story of St. Pierre in 1902. Thus, according to this maxim during the eruption of Mount Pelee, only those who did not believe the given warning signs by the volcano died.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
Everybody poops like dog, but that is the tremor that is difficult.
Imitate is not always a breeze.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
All the drums do not sound good
The appearance is not a guarantee of quality.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
As long as we have money we have tools
Money is power.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
"Too rushed" does not make the day begin earlier.
It is useless to run, it is better to do things with confidence.

                  

      

    

                                    
    

      

        
      

      

        

                      
There are twenty years that the back was taken, the before did not know.
We do not see quickly a thing that happens at home.