The first time going to an unengaged people group, it is understandable that the team might have no way to learn simple words and greetings in a local language. Thereafter, it is not understandable why they do not. Since 2000 we have been taking teams to mission fields where the people speak a language other than English. Team members have been blue collar and white collar, adult, youth, and a few seniors, highly educated and not, fast learners and forgetful. Some learn other languages quickly. Some find it a challenge to just to say a one word hello in a local language. But all have been able to learn at least a few words. Some surprise you in what they are able to learn.

We will not be able to share the gospel or communicate much in depth. But it shows courtesy and love when Americans make the effort to learn something in a local language.

If the team learns something during stateside training, they will more likely add a few more words or phrases when they get to the field. Most of our team members are able to say some sort of greeting in the three main languages in our area. The faster learners are able to learn more lengthy greetings even their first visit. It shows you care.
We have recorded a few sample greetings in languages local to the area we visit. If you record something helpful in other languages, we would be glad to link to them from here. Youth in your church know how to video tape with a digital camera (most regular photo cameras can record some video) and upload it to Youtube or elsewhere.

Note also the video on a typical West African greeting. It is not the greatest demonstration, but might help orient a male, first-timer if you have nothing better.

Fulfulde

Hausa

Zerma

Typical West African greeting

Where we minister, men specifically greet men. Women specifically greet women. Men and women may express a brief hello, but do not touch or have lengthy greetings as within the same sex. Older women like the chief’s wife or mother engage in slightly longer greetings with men than most women would. The team learns how to acknowledge the opposite sex without getting close. We save the American hugs for behind closed doors with other Americans.

The right hand is offered in greeting among men, sometimes with women. We slightly bow our heads out of courtesy to those older. Lower your head a little further to honor a chief.

We hold hands. We do not shake hands. The left hand sometimes holds our right wrist. Our right hand touches our heart after the hand hold to show there is nothing in our hearts between us and them. When you find a village that will not shake hands, you know there is something in their heart between them and you.

For men, greetings are exchanged while hands are held. Just like in the U.S., you are not actually asking how they really are. You ask the appropriate questions out of courtesy and receive the appropriate answers.

Greetings may be lengthy. In a village, people are busy offering their greetings, sometimes at the same time as the one greeting them. Sometimes everyone is saying greetings all at the same time and no one is really listening intently for they know the answer will be the same appropriate answer every time. They will listen to an American volunteer to learn if you understand and respond in their language. Thankfully in many languages, the same answer can be given to almost any greeting. How is your family? How are you? How is your home? How is your tiredness? The same answer for all is fine/I have peace.

When I have no idea what a person is saying in greeting in a particular language, I greet them in English. He needs to give me an appropriate greeting. I do the same even though neither of us understands the other. This technique seems preferable to me over standing there like a bump on a log and saying nothing at all. Don’t say anything silly. Someone may understand English. Have a respectful, honoring demeanor and they will get the gist of your greeting as being friendly and respectful even though they do not understand it. You will be able to recognize at least that much from their manner of greeting even if you do not understand their language.
Women sometimes greet this way and sometimes acknowledge each other with shorter greetings without touching.

Since our team also aspires to greet in each of the languages predominate in our area, we have a time during each training session when greetings are practiced in those languages by the team as a group. The trainer first through repetition (repeat after me) gets the group familiar with saying the African words. Eventually the team members need to be able to repeat the correct answer in response to the correct greeting. Our goal is not perfection. Our goal is to learn what we can in the states making the way for learning a few more greetings or responses more rapidly in West Africa. Teams who learn nothing before they leave the states, feel particularly lost and sometimes do not even try in West Africa. Even if a person only knows “hello, how are you?, I am fine,” he feels a little bit more like he belongs visiting a tribe speaking a different language.

We learn how to wave and how not to. In our area there is a strong curse word conveyed by ten outstretched fingers being thrust toward someone. We train to wave with all of our fingers together and use only one hand just to be safe. What we regularly practice in the states normally occurs out of habit on the field.