Why would anyone want to stop speaking the language they grew up with? that their family spoke, that they spoke in school, the language of their home country? their culture? their birth? their heritage? the songs they sang, and still sing? Why would anyone WANT to give that up? Especially if the country that took over their country, that had invaded their country, especially if THAT country told them that their language was no longer welcome. Why would anyone want to stop speaking their language, why would anyone agree to give up the language they were raised with, the language of their family and their ancestors? Hmmmm.
A month or so ago, a friend of mine loaned me the video/book/series titled “The Celtic World”, from The Great Courses. The video is 12 hours long! but it is divided nicely into 24 sessions that are 30 minutes each, so it’s easy to watch one session, then wait a bit to watch the next one. The chapters in the book follow along with the videos, providing even more information.
One of the early suppositions in “The Celtic World” was that celtic people originated in an area of Europe just north of Italy. What? Italy!?! Yes, that was what scientists used to think. But more recently they’ve changed their minds. DNA has done that. My DNA, for instance, should have Italian or Switzerland DNA in it, if that original thought was true, but my DNA has nothing but Welsh (first), then Scottish (second), then a bit of Irish (third) … my DNA also has a good bit of Viking DNA (Danish and extremely northern Norwegian). I have NO Italian or Swiss DNA in me, so the Celts did not come from that area. Maybe some Celts left the islands and settled in those areas, but the origin of my ancestors is Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, with some friendly marauding Vikings thrown in for good measure.
Watching these videos and reading the book has been fascinating to me and has given me even more knowledge of my history, culture, music, and … language. Which brings me to the point of this blog post.
If someone told you that you could no longer speak English, that American English was no longer allowed when speaking in the USA Senate or the House of Representatives, or any other area of our government, how would you feel? What if American English could no longer be spoken in school? How would you react? Ha, wouldn’t happen, right? Well, it has happened.
A very few years years ago the United Kingdom (where locally the word United is often spelled with quotation marks around it, as in “united” Kingdom, since it isn’t considered to be “united” by many of the people in that “country”, and where many of the people in that “country” do not say Great Britain, they say “britain”, they do not say “great”) … well, it happened. The UK Parliament in London recently banned the use of the Gaelic language in any government proceedings even tho Northern Ireland folks still speak their form of Gaelic, and even tho Scottish folks still speak their form of Gaelic, and even tho the Welsh folks still speak Welsh which is one of the oldest languages on earth. Sure, most folks in those areas speak English as well, but it isn’t their native language.
I knew this was happening but didn’t pay too much attention to it until I came across this video below. The “stuff” had hit the fan!!! And natural, native Gaelic speakers were speaking up!!
The video below was taken not long after the UK government “allowed” Scotland to have its own Parliament. This video was taken during a session of the Scottish Parliament. Obviously, comments had been planned during this woman’s speech. But the point was being made!
There have been more than 314,000 views and close to 1,800 comments to this video. One of the comments is this one …
“i am of mixed heritage: Zapotec and Scottish, both languages are at risk. I am so happy that there is such a strong movement for language preservation and I am so blessed to be a part of it! one day, I will no longer speak the colonial languages that I was forced to learn; fr*nch, spanish, english. I will speak the languages of my ancestors. I will dream again in my languages, my consciousness will be in my languages. with so much love”
You will want to enlarge the video below in order to read the sub-titles. Either click on the small square in the lower right corner to enlarge it … or click on YouTube and then ALSO enlarge it there. Turn your sound on.
My ancestors are Irish (my grandmother Anna McNamara from the 1800s), and my ancestors are Scottish (my dad’s heritage as one of the oldest clans in Scotland from hundreds of years ago), and my ancestors are Scottish Picts (from thousands of years ago), and they are Welsh (my mom’s father was born and raised in Wales with thousands of years of Welsh ancestry, 1/4 of my DNA), and my ancestors are Vikings from Denmark and northern Norway (who settled a bit in Scotland, and many hundreds of them settled up the river Shannon in Ireland). None of them spoke “english”. I’ve learned a bit of Scottish Gaelic online. I’ve learned LOTS about the “picts” (not the name they called themselves) and I have been to central Scotland to see the land of the Picts, their stone carvings and such.
The first time I was in the very small town of Miegle in Scotland and walked into a museum that houses stones carved thousands of years ago by the Picts, without knowing my history as one of them, without knowing my ancestry, without having a clue about any of that or what my reaction would be when I walked in there, when I saw that first carving, I fell to my knees in front of that stone with tears in my eyes, I absolutely knew that I was home. Thankfully, no one else was there except the curator who understood perfectly, and the friend of mine traveling with me who didn’t quite understand but who loved me. The curator walked over to me and gently touched my shoulder and then told me to touch the stones, even though the signs said “DO NOT TOUCH THE STONES”. She said “you are home, touch the stones.” She knew. Later, when I came back to the present in that museum, that woman told me and my friend that this happens once every 2-3 years, when someone walks in without a clue that they are Pict.
Each of us has history. Maybe we don’t know specifically what it is, but we have it. It’s in our bodies, our blood, our minds, our beings, dare I say it is in our souls … it is in our DNA. Let’s explore that! Let’s enjoy that! Let’s celebrate that! Ah, but yes, back to the English Parliament banning Gaelic. No, we Scots will speak whatever language we want to, we will speak the language that is ours to speak. You “brits” do not control us, nor we you.
Remember a few years ago, when I posted a blog about the UK not allowing Scotland to stop using a coal-fired plant to produce electricity? Well, not only did Scotland shut down the coal plant and stop using it, they blew it up!!
What’s your DNA? Who are your ancestors? What language did they speak?
Slàinte agus saoibhreas, agus sith, do na h-uile.
I am Sioux, who are mostly from the great plains area of the USA and Canada. But I had my DNA tested a few years ago to find that there’s a bit of French DNA in me as well. That’s not too uncommon with us. Nevertheless I’m proud to be Sioux. And find it fascinating to learn about other people. I like your history! 🙂
I like your history too, Sesapa. Your ancestors were here forever, long before mine were. Ah, yes a bit of French DNA crept in many native tribal folks I think, or so I’m told. Thank you. Thank you for your voice. It sure does matter.
One of us is African, the other Mexican. But neither of us has had DNA testing. There’s a good chance of other stuff in there isn’t there. But it would be interesting to find out. I don’t have a clue what language my ancestors spoke because I don’t know who they are/were, but DNA would help with that maybe? My wife speaks Spanish, the Mexican variety and greatly enjoys talking with others who have that native language. Yes, it’s important! Interesting about when you visited that museum and how you reacted. Makes me want to find out where I came from. Thank you.
A good friend of mine recently found out she has African ancestors, tho she looks “white”. She was very much thrilled, whatever her heritage is, she loves it. I hope you find out where you came from, M. I’d love to know. Keep me posted ok? I mean that. It would be so cool to know. Mejores deseos.
Another Scot here, aye! 🙂 And me too, I have a bit of Danish/Norwegian “viking” in my DNA, but mostly it’s Scottish. Dinna know anything about that banning of gaelic by the UK, but I’ll keep my eye on it now for sure. I could say more, but I’ll stay polite. 🙂 My granddad’s ancestry is the outer Hebrides, not the land of the Picts. I envy you that connection! And yet I love my connections. Haven’t been back there for 20 years, time to go back. Tapadh leibh.
Oh, Babe, I envy you the connection with the outer Hebrides! 🙂 Yes, time to go back. I’ve been to Scotland twice, only twice … maybe I have time yet for one more visit? I hope you go. Mo dhìcheall dhut.
My folks told me we were German and Italian and Romanian, but I don’t have a clue about my DNA and what I really am. Still have two sisters but they don’t know either. We have now all agreed to get DNA testing. This is really fascinating. And kind of scary, what if we aren’t really at all what our parents thought. BUT, that would be cool too! Thank you for opening this door. This really is the best blog ever, thank you!
Gosh, thank you Nebraska. What a nice comment and compliment. Makes me smile. 🙂 And YES, get your sisters and you together and get DNA testing done. Lots of folks here in the USA have German and Italian ancestry … maybe not so many with Romanian. Do it, don’t wait. And please feel free to post another comment here about what you find, I’d like that! People all over the world are so wonderful aren’t WE? 🙂
I love the sound of the language that the woman is speaking. Is it Scottish Gaelic? It’s so smooth and wonderful. I have a few friends who learned English as a second language and they say that English is so harsh sounding, not as guttural as German but, in a way, more harsh sounding. I like that Scotland is taking its language back, in spite of the English ban on it.
Yes, Cindy, it is Scottish Gaelic. I love it too, smooth and wonderful. The Scots won’t take “no” for an answer that’s for sure.
Hi. This has nothing to do with Scotland, Ireland or Wales, but the preservation of a language.
Keali’i Reichel, a Maui born Hawaiian, is spearheading the effort to preserve the Hawaiian language and culture.
He came to my attention as a singer with a voice like velvet. He is a songwriter and has incredible talent.
He stopped singing (in public) and is teaching and working to maintain the Hawaiian language and culture.
He is well worth listening to his music. I have all his CD’s and have seen him twice in concert.
Marif, I just listened to some online audio tracks by Keali’i Reichel. What a gorgeous voice. And, indeed, his work to preserve the Hawaiian language and culture are so important. Interesting that he gave up much of his music career to focus on teaching. Me thinks he’s a right-thinking sort of human being. And yes, this blog post is about language … also music, and ancestry, etc, but mostly about language and heritage and ancestry. I’m glad you’re here, always.
I have some native Yakama ancestors. When I was growing up in central Washington, I had other kids, playmates, who spoke some of that language. I never hear it anymore, not here in Nevada. I sure miss it! Yes, language is important. There’s a tune to it, a cadence to it, that’s different than English. I liked your post about camping near the Yakama reservation a few years ago, and I liked how much respect you showed for the Yakama people and the museum there. You shared a link to a short audio of the Yakama language. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve played that! Thank you!
Ah, Yakama. 🙂 I like that Nevada. Many people who live in the state of Washington call the people “Yakima”, but that isn’t the correct spelling. The State of Washington misspelled the name of the town even! It’s Yakama, not Yakima. Ok, let me email you more of those audio files. In fact, I’ll try to figure out how to email you the entire CD that I bought. Hang tight. 🙂
Just received your email with the whole CD. Thank you!!!!
And I just sent the Yakama Tribe Museum $20 for it. Didn’t realize they had CDs, I’ll probably buy some from them. This is great, thank you.
My wife was Japanese and spoke Japanese. When we moved back to the states from Japan she lost her community, and almost all of that connection. She hungered to speak her language to someone who understood. In that regard, she was so alone. Language means a lot!!
Walt, I grew up in the Philippines, we traveled a lot to Japan. I loved that language. I didn’t learn it, but I sure heard it a lot and it was so beautiful to hear, to listen to. Thank you for that memory, makes me feel good to remember.
I take it that your wife is gone now … she is surely happily speaking with other Japanese folk now. And I’d bet she likes your comment here. 🙂
Yes, language means a lot. As does kindness and memories. Thank you.
I’m Italian, mostly, I suppose, but I haven’t done my DNA, better do it. Would be cool to find out all of what I am. I don’t speak Italian, but I just found a really easy web tutorial for it. Grazie! 🙂
Hi Joe. Yes, I agree, get your DNA tested. And I hope you are totally, completely, deeply Italiano! That would be so cool. 🙂 But even if there’s a bit of other “stuff” in there”, that’s great too. We’re all in this together after all. Sei il migliore!
Well said!
What a powerful experience you described in Miegle…..that must have been so validating. Thank you for making history so compelling and connecting.
🙂 Thank you for being a part of this blog, and a part of my life.