Don't forget your root...!!!
I have this friend at my workplace that converses in English with thick accent as though he was born bred in the US or UK.He proudly talks about the English songs and movies .It not that he has forgotten “Tamizh” but he behaves as Tamizh is alien language. A language unknown to him.The moment you say something he will ask for it’s meaning.
To my surprises both his parents are well verse in Tamizh and where did they neglect him. During our talk he behaved as if he never knew ‘Tamizh’ and replies in English for every other question asked in Tamizh. If were born in a different country, where the mother tongue is not spoken and if they behave like this it makes sense. We can at least understand that they are not used to it. But I could not tolerate this. Let the mother tongue be any language. I could not believe that someone could forget his mother tongue after growing in adult hood. Neither listens to any Tamizh songs or watches any Tamizh movies. But proudly carries himself as a Tamizh. I asked him what does he speak in house with his parents and wife, proudly says English.This actually tested my patience but I had to calm myself.A person that does not respect to speak his own mother tongue.
Also, I have found that people who live in India, will try to talk to me only in English when we visit on holidays. Even though I reply them back in pure Tamizh and also tell them I’m a Tamizhachi proudly still they intend to speak in broken English which is very embarrassing. Why? Should they not understand that I could speak the common language well, and continue conversation in our mother tongue ,Tamizh?
Personally, people need to understand that just because someone lives far away from the home land does change a lot. People are all the same everywhere in this world. There are people who would love to know about our Mother tongue.
My aunt migrated to UK about 15 years now, maintains Tamizh strongly with her kids.Despite leaving in an Englishman’s country, my cousin attend Tamil classes and do keep up with our culture and trend. During Ponggal, they do the celebration as what we were taught to do even its winter outside the house.My cousins are fluents in Tamizh and also do play veena very well.Nothing is left behind and they are proud to say we are Tamizhan.That’s the spirit of preserving the language and culture by not ignoring them forever.
That’s is our history, our root and that’s us.
I share your sentiment. However, I am surprised that someone living abroad, feels this way about Thamizh. I have always been a Thamizh enthusiast. But, became a lot more so when once I moved to the US. My initial years here as a student were awful because the University I went to, had a very small Indian population and not a single Thamizh speaking student. I used to long to be able to speak in Thamizh. My daughter sings "நிலா நிலா ஓடிவா" "அம்மா இங்கே வா வா" better than "Mary had a Little Lamb". I wish people weren't ashamed of speaking in Thamizh - I've seen many who are when I was in India, especially in Chennai.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Anita.I'm not leaving abroad,but was bron n bred here.My grandparents migrated long time ago to Malaysia for business and settled here.But they did not forget their root and preserved it very well,the following 2 generation in this family are still practicing them.Our root comes from Thanjavur and Tiruchy and I often go back to India for holidays. I am proud when I speak tamizh and am not shy to say I don't know Tamizh as its a disgrace if I do so :P !!!
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