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There is that great proverb - that until the lions have…

“There is that great proverb - that until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter. That did not come to me until much later. Once I realized that, I had to be a writer. I had to be that historian. It's not one man's job. It's not one person's job…” quote by Chinua Achebe
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“There is that great proverb - that until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter. That did not come to me until much later. Once I realized that, I had to be a writer. I had to be that historian. It's not one man's job. It's not one person's job. But it is something we have to do, so that the story of the hunt will also reflect the agony, the travail - the bravery, even, of the lions.”

Chinua Achebe

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The proverb warns that history is biased toward the victor; to achieve balance, we must also record the perspective and suffering of the defeated.

In simple terms: History favors the victor; we need the defeated's view too.

Key Takeaway

Document all sides of a story.

Themes

history power perspective justice

Mood

thoughtful concerned

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • journalism
  • education
  • policy making
  • memorial projects

Key Concepts

narrative bias ethical responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

  • Who decides which narratives dominate?
  • How can marginalized voices be amplified?
A Different Perspective

One voice may not fully capture the complexity of events.

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