Dear Saligaonettekars,
On Saturday 02 July 2011 02:31 PM, Saligaonet wrote:
Wise & Smart parents (371)!!!
That makes the remaining 4, "Foolish & Dumb"...no?
After all, when their children get to be IT Managers & the like, they
would be better off with the English language since Konkani is not
widely used in the rest of India nor is it used around the world.....
Awesomely correct prediction! *There* is exactly where the
English MoI choice will orient the 'wise & smart' towards: "the
rest of India" and "around the world".
Not to worry. There is also an *awe-fully* predictable result...
Since the predicted exodus of the 371 will cause a vacuum, entire
legions of emigrants (who learn *our* mother tongue Konkani
faster than we want to pluck it out!) will flood Saligao/Goa to
take the place of the children of the "Wise & Smart". Nay, they
are already here, in gleeful anticipation because they too are
making the same logical prediction. What is more, they are
packed into every outhouse, chawl and tiny illegal room, built by
many of those very "wise & smart" folk.
These immigrant multitudes will join the "Foolish & Dumb 4" who
will stay back in Goa, to be our 'shetkars', 'renders', 'padais',
'poders', 'ramponkars', maids, daily labourers, mobile fish
vendors, masons, plumbers, carpenters, electricians, mechanics,
motorcycle pilots, rickshaw and bus drivers/cleaners, cooks,
waiters, room boys/girls, watchmen and factory hands up in the
Industrial Estate on our hill.
Having said that, it is to be hoped that Konkani is one of the
compulsory languages in the school syllabus right from the Prep. Class
(or whatever it is called nowadays!!)
as one should know one's mothertongue.
This is one huge hope...that a solitary language class, will
strengthen and deepen the roots of our children's mother tongue.
And for what *practical* purpose, if one is going to
eventually settle down in "the rest of India" and "around the
world"? Mere sentimental and nostalgic attachment? Is it not
better to concentrate on the local language of *that* part of the
world or India?
...and let our local, migrant brothers and sisters learn Konkani
and be the 21st century's, true-blue Goans? If they are the
ones who will live here for the rest of their lives, work here,
commit to this land and build the *new* Goa with their blood,
sweat and tears...why not?
**Why not??**
We will leave you with two established conclusions of the science
of Anthropology:
*Language is the best carrier of culture*
and
*Language is the life-blood of culture.*
Warm regards and solidarity with all those who realise the true
value of doing their basic education in the mother tongue...and
*only then* learning the colonial one, just for very practical
reasons.
M&M.
PS1: So, are we against English? Not at all. Given its role in
the international arena, we fully support the teaching of English
to the level of proficiency needed in modern education both in
India and abroad.
But and this is a **big** but: let it be taught *besides* the
MoI which should be in any child's mother tongue. And let it be
taught well.
This is where the Goa Govt. is downright lazy! It does not want
to take the trouble to creatively teach English *as a language*,
to any level of proficiency needed in academic, professional and
commercial sectors, within and outside the country. It wants the
easy way out. It wants to blindly follow the British colonial
system (of teaching *in* English), designed only to create a
cadre of 'babus' to run their bureaucracy in colonial India.
We *want* English.
We *need* English to survive in a highly competitive,
industrialised, modernised, globalised economy.
We *demand* that our various governments teach the language well
enough for India's children to survive in those often hostile
environments.
But not at the expense of basic education in anyone's mother tongue.
Definitely not at the expense of Konkani, the best medium of
teaching, to scientifically and *officially carry our precious
culture to future generations*.
Not at the expense of Konkani, the life-blood of our very
'Goenkarponn' (Goan-ness).
M&M.
PS2: While we need and want English so badly, we must never
forget: as the life-blood, first of a colonial culture and now of
neo-colonial globalisation, English is the best carrier of that
culture...a culture, many of us so desperately 'choosing' for our
children.
It is a simple equation really...more English + less Konkani =
more obliteration of Goan culture + less Goans in Goa. Only 4
out of 375 is the above indication for Saligao :-(
M&M.
PS3: This reply is neither to enter the raging, state wide MoI
controversy, nor to start one on Saligaonet. It is merely a
specific response to the quoted post. Just a few random and
rambling thoughts!
M&M.
--
................................................................
there *is* anOTHERgoa
at <http://www.anothergoa.blogspot.com>
& <http://www.youtube.com/anothergoa>
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muriel & mario,
c/o "FULKAR",
6/22, sonarbhatt, saligao.
bardez. goa. 403511.
tel: 0832-2278276 / 2409999
<anothergoa AT gmail.com>
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