Word of the Month: Ashia

So my next ‘word of the month’ is a word that truly has no equivalent in the US. Ashia (Ah-SHEE-ya) literally means ‘courage’ or ‘take courage’. It transcends dozens and dozens of languages spoken in the area. I hear this word many times every single day without exception and it never seems to get old.

There are various uses of ‘ashia’. Simply, if you see someone working hard, maybe carrying a load of sticks or water up a mountain, you would say ‘ashia’. The response would be a polite ‘thank you’. Sometimes, it’s almost used as a greeting in the operating room. A nurse will poke his/her head in and say ‘ashia’. Or you could bid someone ‘ashia’ if you find out they are sick or that they are going through a difficult time. I could have told Kelly ‘ashia’ when she broke her arm (I didn’t by the way). You can also say ‘ashia for work’, to encourage someone when they’ve worked hard that day. Ashia for this woman, working with a baby on her back.

I’m almost jealous that we don’t have a word like this in the American culture. You could sometimes equate it to the camaraderie one feels when you find out someone has the same alma mater as you. Kinda like "hook ‘em" for me, being a Texas Longhorn. It’s a wonderful word that truly builds others up, encourages, shows sympathy, and brings peace. It’s the first word I teach to a visitor to Mbingo.

So the Schmedes crew bids you a sincere ‘ashia’ tonight in whatever your task is for the day.