Friday, June 12, 2009

The Cultural Cant of Itchy Palms

Please coach me on how many ‘clectic cultures are ’caroused’ by itchy palms. I would have placed it with the pilfering proclivity, but, in Ghana, it promises deluge-Dollars and endless Euros. To put the passé theory on trial, would you say that the S.O.L in straitened slums do not catch cacoethes in the palm? Or try asking the Makola mendicant how many times an itch has crystallised in cash for them. So, I came to the realisation, this monsoon morning, that an itchy palm means ... there’s an itch in your palm; nothing more!

14 comments:

  1. hahahahahaha, (old people keep on lying to us) de myth behind itching palms aight! Some elderly people still believe in dis kinna myths but dey r all not true because I’ve not seen a living prove to be put right(all lies). Wat abt de cocks dat use to fight?

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  2. Yes, Naa, no proof that there's a link between itchy palms and money. What's the myth about cock fights? Pray tell...

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  3. he he, Nana Yaw, see, you and I both know that an itchy palm is an itchy palm. Nothing more! But you see, in Africa, even if we know it's not soooo true, they still enjoy the fact that it's superstition and enjoy it. Remember whistling at night? like my sis Naa said,(whisper) the old people lie to us all the time.

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  4. lol you've made me laugh yet again.
    But man do you have a vocabulary..I think i've said that before. I find myself going to Merriam-webster all the time while visiting your blog.

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  5. It is amazing how widespread this belief is.
    I think it is believed throughout all the continents.
    I have had my palms itch a couple of times this past week, however I am not sure if it is predictive of an incoming moulah.
    The question of the body 'knowing' in advance that one is going to be receiving some money needs to be scientifically tested though.No?

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  7. @ Nii Saki:Yes, I remember whistling at night. And many others. Your comment has sparked a discussion in my office on all these superstitious tales.

    @ Adaeze: I am happy if you understand my context. I swear I do not know a lot of the vocabulary before I actually start writing.

    @ Posekyere: It is all explained that we had no scientific means of telling children about the dangers of the world (even dangers at home) so we had to weave terrible yarns. I thnk it is more funny than sad.

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  8. @ Nana Yaw, they say, wen two cocks r fighting then you will be aving a visitor. Also wen u sweep at nite u r sweeping all ur wealth away(lol). Oh! Nana, one more thing, do you know the myth surrouding the clouds?hmmmm the old woman who was pounding the fufu knows something about it(is it true)

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  9. Wow, the grand spectacle of two fighting cocks anti-climaxes into a simple visit? Oh no! Hey, I remember there is one chestnut about the clouds and the old woman, but I do not recall the details. Want to give them?

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  10. well, I don't know if God brought the clouds down to ma level(I can't tell)buh dey said as she pounds de fufu(she likes fufu huh!) de stick pulls it upwards small small small....den...den...den....oh! I don't know if the man pounding de food is dat tall to de sky buh can see he is really really tall, I will be like ant b4 im gee)hmmm, dis bi real toooly

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  11. funny stuff.

    so human beings have come and long way!

    all sorts of myths to caress our nipples and belly-buttons!

    so one still wonders why all the 'madness' that goes on today, the 21st century as we have come to measure it. today, the information age!

    my palm is itching!

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  12. I like your 'explosive' comments, Nov. Thanks.

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  13. Where is your faith? My palm has been itching of late and as sure as day is day and night is night I'm going to be rich! That's my plan and I'm sticking to it. lol

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  14. Lol, Toks. If it works for you, I'm happy. You're gonna be rich, anyway. I know you!

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