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“A village without elderly people is like a well without water.”
- Maliancommunity
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Meaning

Communities need the guidance and memory of their elders to thrive.

Cultural Context

The famous Malian saying that when an elder dies, a library burns echoes this proverb. Griots and elders are the living archives of community knowledge.

Origin

Malian

Language

Bambara

Related Proverbs

“An old man sitting down sees farther than a young man standing up.”

Igbo

“The old woman looks after the child to grow its teeth, and the young one in turn looks after the old woman when she loses hers.”

Akan

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