Tout bwa se bwa, men mapou pa kajou

All wood is wood, but the mapou is not mahogany

One word covers both and hides the difference. The mapou is soft and grows fast; mahogany is worked and lasts.

The proverb belongs to the Haitian people. The translation and the note are our own.

Same themes

Goods that are offered fetch no price

Everything that shines is not gold

It is the taste of the broth that brings the tongue out

Salt does not boast that it is salty

Looking well does not mean being well

A fine funeral does not mean paradise