Intore? Mashallah!

Explore with me some of my favorite African Expressions.

Starting with Rwanda of course, land of my fathers’ fathers. “Intore”- Aside from being a traditional dance and part of UNESCO’s intangible heritage, Intore represents the ideal human. You will often hear, “Intore Izira Umugayo” that is, a sort of scolding to never attract shame on ourselves, our family name, our nation.

Let us now cross to SAHEL into Burkina Faso, la terre des hommes intègres. I find “Bon arrivée” to be such a warm welcome. Everytime you enter into a Burkinabè home, office, etc, they will greet you with, “Happy Arrival to You”. Speaks on the duty of good hospitality – which is a major theme in African traditions.


Let us dive back down to the Great Lakes. In DRC, I find the phrases “Mwana Mboka” (Child of the Nation) or “Ne Jamais Trahir le Congo” (Never betray Congo) to be beautiful reminders of cultural identity.


A Journey into Senegal and many other Muslim African nations. “Inshallah” (Ex: See you tomorrow, “Inshallah” (If God wills it)). “Mashallah” (Ex: You have a beautiful home, Mashallah (“For God has willed it”)). “Alhamdulillah” (Ex: A new job? Alhamdulillah. (Praises be to God))… I find the casual reference to God throughout the day very pure.

What are your favorite African expressions/phrases?