The usage of proverbs in J.J. Ncongwane et al.'s 1987 Siswati short tale anthology Emahemuhemu is critically examined in this article. The goal is to investigate how proverbs are employed as narrative devices to communicate traditional wisdom, cultural values, and behaviours. Selected proverbs were identified and interpreted using a textual analysis approach, taking into account their grammatical structure, metaphorical meaning, and place of origin. The results show that Ncongwane skilfully in-corporates proverbs into story titles as well as conversations to support cultural themes like morality, community, and human interconnectivity. According to the study's findings, proverbs enhance narra-tive by giving character and plot development more nuance and realism. In order to conserve indig-enous knowledge systems and cultivate a respect for Siswati language and culture, it is advised that academics and educators continue to support the usage of proverbs in literature
Mdhluli et al. (2025) studied this question.