Prep talks- Cultures, Zorastrian, Water

This audio is an intro to the topics and prep going on with Phase-II of the C Designing Inquiry.

Transition from Water to Environment talks

After a period of talks on Water in various languages, we are transitioning to discussions on ‘Environment- Inner and Outer talks starting from 5 June 2023 as part of Environment Day 2023 celebration. We will explore the various aspects of Environment and its relation to human awareness.

Storytelling and language learning

Dr Sowmya Anand translates a Tamil Folklore told by her grandma. (Story in Tamil at approx 1:15min)

Julia Wang shares her methods of teaching the mother-lanaiuge and talks on her Chinese poem (at approx 12::50min)

Water Poetries from different languages

This language meet was dedicated to Poetry month. The excerpts are from talks with our Guests-

• Nazanine Agassi sharing an Azeri poem on Caspian Sea.

  Poem “Sea, skies, love” By Nebi Xazri

• Julia Wang sharing a Chinese poem

• based on Xi Hu lake by poet Su Shi (Starts at approx- 4:40 minutes)

• Additional notes by Julie Nieset, a Wetland Scientist, as our guest and a friend.

  Listen to Nazanine Agassi’s Poem in Azeri from 1:30- 2:50 minutes

  listen to Julia Wang’s poem in Chinese from 4:50- 6:05 minutes

Translation of Azerbaijani Poem “Sea, skies, love”
Poet- Nebi Xazri (1924-2007)

“I give you the sea as a gift...”
I said…You looked at me and smiled.
The light of dawn reflected on your face.
“And I...am giving you the Skies”, you said...
We parted, with strange gifts!
The skies are as dear to me as is my love.
We parted with the sea, with its snowy waves,
How can you take the sea with you? The sea is the sea.
I gave you the sea as a gift,
So if I am gone, you’ll come to seashore,
and talk and laugh to me, because the sea and I are one.

“If we don't meet, the sea will be our mountain”,
Repeated I, so many times.
You can go back to the seashore,
But Do the Skies have shore?
 Where should I go?!
I thought, if we were to part,
You’ll be the flame that lits my love.
Is that why you gave me the Skies?
To be as far away from me as the sky?!

I am a sea, my love is a dawn,
My waves are my memories,
I am thinking of you again, my dear!
May love reach the shorelines of your soul.

Translated by Nazanine Agassi from the Azerbaijani language.

04.20.23 Urbana, IL.

Cultural influences on Language

Excerpts of discussions on the influences of Cultures on Languages. Guests-

Mrs Mohan. Tracy shares her poem and Cultural experiences during travels.

Dr Yuling You discusses the methods and issues for teaching Mother languages.

Memories with Waters

We are thankful to Tesfaye Wolde-Medhin for sharing an Ethiopian Song  in this link- YEHAGERE YEWENZIE LIJ & SHEGITU KIRAR SONG and discuss its cultural background in context with its language.

The audio is a compilation of edited clips, please excuse any sharp edges.

Thanks to Nazanine Agassi and Kuldeepa to join the discussion.

Listen to song from- o4- 14 seconds. Full song on the link above.

‘Languages of Water’ intro

On this International Mother Language Day, we resume the language-Arts project 2023 and invite all to share their Languages, their corresponding cultures with the theme- ‘Water’ 

Notes from the audio-

Aqua, agua, nero wand

wasser water voda jan

panni shui zou tu

yei vesi duo wai

How many names of water

could you identify?!

So many languages

That many ways

to approach water

what a rich world is mine

full of variety 

at times chaos yet harmony underlies

we all different yet something common binding us all

Just like water that is in ponds 

in running streams

in gushing waterfalls

resting in the cleavages of the rocks

its everywhere that life is seen

though different forms

the common factor is WATER for them all

Lets explore Waters

near or surrounding lands

far away or passed to us 

from our ancestral hands

How does your culture see water 

from different dimensions, 

is there any Poem any Song, 

any literature that sings of Waters glorious forms?

Did your mother 

teach you any scientific theory?

Did you grandpa tell you a story

that revolved around water's glory?

How can you relate

to Water thru your 

own linguistic stance

As an Arts platform we would like to approach Water not just as a survival element but explore the many emotional, psychological, artistic spiritual or any other dimensions of water thru our own cultural languages.

Please join us for this fun family exploriation that will encourage inter-generational dialogues. Lets celebrate languages and our cultures and our lands and ours waters an ur skies, for they are all interrelated as also are we.  like water that connects us all. 

Here is a small hym amongst india cultures that was typically recited while having bath and revering the water, by including names of all major rivers of their lands. 

And a small poem to start our Language Arts project on this Unitted Nation's international Moher-Langage day. Stay tuned for discussions and Questions and debates and poems and songs and music and dance revolving around our languages our modern cultures that celebrate water in all its forms! 

Contact us to get involved.