Mother Dearest, What Is My Tongue By Cecil Savio Pinto
When I was born I knew no language; My Birth Certificate is in English. You gave me a name that sounds British, But was actually The first name of my late great-grand mother, Who was also Goan And proud to be a Goan. I’m glad you didn’t give me a Hindu name As was the trend at the time, Thinking that it was an Indian name. All names are Indian All Indian citizens are my brothers and sisters. You gave me a second name That was of an Italian saint Who died young. And our surname is Portuguese, Probably from a Portuguese nobleman Who converted our clan. Mother Dearest, You sang me to sleep in English While Mai sang me Konkani lullabies. The woman who massaged The Devil out of me as an infant Cursed in Marathi, I think. I studied English I studied Konkani I studied Hindi I studied French I studied French again in high school I studied French again in college I still can’t understand French well. I had my first French kiss at fifteen And found it unhygienic. I adore Lorna’s Konkani songs As much as I adore Sonia’s Portuguese fados Or Lata’s Hindi film songs. I know a little Tamil And a little Kannada >From supervising workers My wife wants to learn Russian To speak with Russian clients Who want to get married on the beach While the sun sets. Her brother is in Dubai But has acquired a Portuguese Passport And speaks fluent Arabic. I fill my Saral Tax Form in English To pay my taxes, Which taxes I suppose are used To subsidize my sons’ education. I want my sons to study in English, Like I did; And study Konkani And Hindi and any languages they want to Why do they have to study in Konkani? Isn’t being Goan and proudly Goan good enough Am I being unpatriotic to Goa If I want my sons to study in English? You studied in English And Konkani didn’t die; I studied in English And Konkani didn’t die; How will my sons studying in English Suddenly kill Konkani? Tell me Mother Dearest What is my mother-tongue? What is my sons’ mother tongue? And why is the mother tongue more important Than learning well? And living well? ======== -- "He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day" - Demosthenes 338 BC
