A boat stalls when each person rows independently. — Swahili proverb · Smartyfair

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A boat stalls when each person rows independently. — Swahili proverb · Smartyfair

A boat stalls when each person rows independently.

Swahili proverb

Source foundTeamworkAncient

In plain words

If everyone rows their own way, the boat goes nowhere.

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boat
stalls
each
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rows
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Where these words come from

How sure this is: 80% sureThese words were traced back to where they first appeared. That source is listed below.
What turned up: Swahili proverb (Chombo hakiendi ikiwa kila mtu anapiga makasia yake, #1243) from the University of Illinois African Studies department's scholarly Swahili proverb archive.
Sources checked: swahiliproverbs.afrst.illinois.eduChecked using claude-sonnet-5, 20 August 2026University of Illinois African Studies dept. proverb archive, cooperation category

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