Thanks a lot for this one, VM. This lady is a class by herself. There is a lot to learn from her. Mervyn
>________________________________ > From: vmingoa <[email protected]> > > >But not everything about culture, and cultural markers, is tinged with >gold. Culture can be the cause of dissension, a bone of contention. >Cultures are fiercely guarded, since they are part and parcel of a >peoples’ identity. A group may give up economic independence without >much fuss to outsiders who colonize their land. But let them tamper >with their culture, let there be even a hint that their language or >cuisine or music is being looked at patronizingly, and these same >unfussy people will be up in arms against the colonizers. Because of >the very fact that culture is such an integral part of our lives, we >tend to have strong emotions about it. We are fierce in our defence of >it when we perceive it to be under threat. Wars are fought over >culture, just as they are over territory, and resources. Just as there >are uprisings over food scarcities, there are language riots, too, a >case in point being the Language Riots of Assam in 1960-61. >x >(Mitra Phukan is a writer, translator, columnist and classical >vocalist who lives and works in Guwahati, Assam. Her published >literary works include four children's books, a biography, and a >novel, "The Collector's Wife". Her most recent work is another novel, >"A Monsoon of Music" published by Penguin-Zubaan in September 2011. >Besides, her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Her >works have been translated into several languages. She is the >Northeast correspondent of the Chennai-based journal of the performing >arts, "Shruti" and President of the North East Writers' Forum.) > >
