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Writer's pictureVaishali A. Patel

GUJARATI KEHVAT (PROVERB): SUMP TYA JUMP

Updated: Apr 27, 2021




Sump tya jump — Strength in Unity

Whenever we children fought, my dada – grandpa – would put his Gujarati Newspaper down and have us all come near him.

He would say, “Poke me with one finger.” And then ask, “Do you think that hurt?” I would say no and he would move to my brother and say, “Use my other finger and poke yourself, does that hurt?” My brother would reply no. Then he would say, “Now use all of my fingers and thumb and make a fist and now punch, does that hurt?” Our answer would be yes.


Then he would say, “Now use all of my fingers and thumb and make a fist and now punch, does that hurt?” Our answer would be yes.


Dada was trying to teach us that, one at a time, fingers are not that strong, but when they come together, they can create a pretty powerful punch. They work together to be more impactful.

He would end this story by saying “sump tya jump”- meaning, in Unity there is strength.

Here is a story of a farmer and his boys.


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