Abstract:
This research is an examination of whether there are contradictions in the cultural worldview of the
Shona people as the proverbs they use seem to promote co-operation but at the same time they are
those that apparently encourage individualism. It stems from the realisation that the Shona, just like
other African cultural groups, adopt a communal approach to life shunning individualism. Since
proverbs are an integral part of the people`s cultural values , they should be seen to be promoting the
cherished values but ironically they are proverbs which seem to contradict each other in terms of the
information they disseminate. The proverbs discussed in this research have been randomly selected
from some written sources as well as from the researchers` own life experiences. The research
methodology employed is the content analysis approach as it is relevant in the endeavour to unravel
the philosophical inclinations of using the conflicting pairs. The contradictions that have been noted do
not suggest that the Shona people live a confusing life but it shows that proverbs are chosen carefully
in relation to the context. This in itself is a reflection of the flexibility on part of the Shona people to
treat each case differently. The contradictory pairs point out to the fact that there are always different
angles of viewing certain issues and situations. It is the context which determines the proverbs that
ought to be used and this ensures that the people do not live within a confusing worldview.
