July 2, 2007

Awo isikoppo ikor akunne ntak ikpok (The advice of someone dressed in tattered cloths is seldom heeded.)

If the cloth makes the man or woman it is not a surprise that many have learnt to show their economic and social status through their dressing. In the past the Annang were known for their weaving of “ekpang” which looked much like the modern blue jeans. When the Europeans brought Asian designs and fabrics form the Far East, the new economic class who became wealthy as a result of trade with the Europeans, exchanged goods for the new fabrics. Individuals could announce their social class from their dressing and so commanded respect and influence. Generally, those with economic means tend to command political power.
Things have not changed much in our own time and those with access to economic power still control political power. At the individual level, we pay more attention to the rich than the poor. We hang on to the latter’s every word and provide them the audience to voice their opinion. The result is that economic status determines how we treat each other. Those with limited means are treated less than humans and in the process we miss the important lessons we would have learnt from each other. Douglas Bloch, the American inspirational writer, once wrote that everyone is your teacher. We learn about love, humility, sacrifice and forgiveness from those around us including our children. The lessons of life are not only taught in school, but in relationships from those that the universe has placed around us. When economic status becomes the basis for dealing with others we limit ourselves and deprive ourselves from the important lessons to be learnt. Money, status and power become objects of worship and we miss the important point that how wealth is acquired is more important than the wealth itself.
We learn from difficult situations and hardships than we do from positions of comfort. We learn from those who are struggling than those who are comfortable. We learn from those that providence has put on our path than we learn from seeking out the comfortable. Everyone we meet is our teacher and we miss the important lessons of life if we only heed the words of the wealthy and neglect the poor that we meet. Treat everyone that you meet as important, that is how to attract the blessings of the universe.

Full Version

 

Annang Wisdom is an inspirational letter produced as a service of the Annang Heritage Preservation Project. No part of this publication may be transmitted, forwarded, copied, stored or recorded without the permission of the Annang Heritage Preservation Inc. Please send all comments and requests to ancientwisdom@annangheritage.org.

July 2, 2007

Awo isikoppo ikor akunne ntak ikpok (The advice of someone dressed in tattered cloths is seldom heeded.)

If the cloth makes the man or woman it is not a surprise that many have learnt to show their economic and social status through their dressing. In the past the Annang were known for their weaving of “ekpang” which looked much like the modern blue jeans. When the Europeans brought Asian designs and fabrics form the Far East, the new economic class who became wealthy as a result of trade with the Europeans, exchanged goods for the new fabrics. Individuals could announce their social class from their dressing and so commanded respect and influence. Generally, those with economic means tend to command political power.
Things have not changed much in our own time and those with access to economic power still control political power. At the individual level, we pay more attention to the rich than the poor. We hang on to the latter’s every word and provide them the audience to voice their opinion. The result is that economic status determines how we treat each other. Those with limited means are treated less than humans and in the process we miss the important lessons we would have learnt from each other. Douglas Bloch, the American inspirational writer, once wrote that everyone is your teacher. We learn about love, humility, sacrifice and forgiveness from those around us including our children. The lessons of life are not only taught in school, but in relationships from those that the universe has placed around us. When economic status becomes the basis for dealing with others we limit ourselves and deprive ourselves from the important lessons to be learnt. Money, status and power become objects of worship and we miss the important point that how wealth is acquired is more important than the wealth itself.
We learn from difficult situations and hardships than we do from positions of comfort. We learn from those who are struggling than those who are comfortable. We learn from those that providence has put on our path than we learn from seeking out the comfortable. Everyone we meet is our teacher and we miss the important lessons of life if we only heed the words of the wealthy and neglect the poor that we meet. Treat everyone that you meet as important, that is how to attract the blessings of the universe.

Full Version

 

Annang Wisdom is an inspirational letter produced as a service of the Annang Heritage Preservation Project. No part of this publication may be transmitted, forwarded, copied, stored or recorded without the permission of the Annang Heritage Preservation Inc. Please send all comments and requests to ancientwisdom@annangheritage.org.