Hamna! hamna! -ndimo mliwamo.

 

Hamna - is nothing; is empty

Hamna! hamna! -ndimo mliwamo.

Translation: There is nothing inside! There is nothing inside! -it is in that (vessel, at least,) that the food is (meant to be) eaten.

-The exception proves the rule/the exception tests the rule.

The background to this aphorism can be a scenario where a banquet has been cooked and all the various foods have been placed in various pots/containers. The feast-goers then open pot after pot only to see plain rice inside. They keep opening more pots to find in which pot(s) the stew could be contained. After much searching, they then reach a particular pot where before opening, they are met with vehement opposition from the cooks that the stew couldn’t possibly be there. The cooks even suggest they should try searching for the stew in their pockets or check the stacked plates. The hungry feast-goers are bewildered. They know that the general rule is that stew is contained inside pots but they’re being asked to check their pockets and stacked plates where it’s impractical or impossible to contain stew, or at least edible stew. When they finally insist on adhering to the general rule that “stew is contained in pots” and open the pot they are being dissuaded from opening, they find the stew, and it is in this case where it is said that “the exception proves(tests) the rule”.

This speaks to the tendency of people having something to hide, to politically attempt to dissuade others from scrutinizing things they consider “too sensitive”. There are often common phrases used such as “don’t go there!”, “don’t touch that one!”. Overcoming such obstacles is crucial in affirming general rules/axioms which are building blocks of knowledge production.

Proof of rules/axioms is a factor of inductive reasoning. It is based on repeated and reproduced observations of natural phenomena, or even controlled experiments. This is followed by explanations and classifications based on similarities and differences in fundamental characteristics. The rules formulated have to be sufficiently convincing. This form of reasoning is the basis of the sciences, that is, biology, physics, chemistry, as well as psychology, and aspects of individual personal knowledge.

From these axioms/rules, people can deduce non-contradictory necessary truths in the deductive reasoning process to arrive at valid and sound arguments and conclusions.

References

Taylor, W.E. (1891). African Aphorisms: Saws from Swahili-land. Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, London.

TUKI (2001), Kamusi Ya Kiswahili-Kiingereza; Swahili-English Dictionary. Published by Taasisi ya Uchunguzi wa Kiswahili (TUKI), Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.