A literal translation of this proverb would be: “If you are not giving to the poor, do not break his bowl”.

‘Kwi’ is a something people make out of the fruit of a tree called ‘kalbas’ in Haitian Creole. They also use this fruit to make ‘tcha tcha’ a kind of music instrument people use in ‘rara’, to make ‘godo,’ a kind of receptacle people use to carry water and to make jewelry and art items.

This tree is widespread in Haiti. It’s accessible, and poor people can take one, cut it into two pieces and get rid of the inside. After it dries, they use it to beg. They extend the ‘kui’ to the person they are begging from so that they can have something: food (raw or cooked), money, and whatever the person wants to give them. They also use the ‘kui’ to take water out of the rivers to drink or to bathe. They also put it on their heads when the sun is too hot. But the ‘kui’ is also fragile. It can break.

Given that the ‘kui’ is a very important/useful tool for the beggar, Haitian people estimate that taking the ‘kui’ from the beggar is a great insult and abuse. So they use this proverb to tell people not to prevent someone else from having assistance or help from someone else if we cannot or do not want to help him/her. In other words, do not be a barrier from someone and the potential source of his assistance.

This proverb does not encourage begging, it only encourages people not to prevent the poor/beggar/people in any kind of need to find help from somebody else.