This quote metaphorically speaks to the internal conflict and challenges of navigating change, particularly the tension between embracing new paths and remaining rooted in one's origins or values. It captures the struggle to reconcile dualities.
Quote by Amadou Hampâté Bâ: “Man has two feet, but only one heart. One goes, the other stays.”
Man has two feet, but only one heart. One goes, the other stays.
Insight
Historical Context
Bâ explored the challenges faced by Africans navigating both traditional ways of life and modern influences. This quote symbolizes the internal conflict and the difficulty of fully embracing one path without leaving a part of oneself behind.
About the Author
Malian writer, oral historian, and diplomat who devoted his life to recording West African oral traditions before they were lost. He represented Mali at UNESCO in the 1960s and 1970s, and his memoir Amkoullel, l'enfant peul remains a celebrated document of pre-colonial Sahelian life. He coined the phrase that became the rallying cry for African oral history.
View all quotes by Amadou Hampâté Bâ