What She Said

“I be ki je ko?” These are the first words spoken in my new short film script and it is the fundamental question posed throughout the story, “Where are you going?” The protagonist, Obi Yagazie, has a school project due on Monday about his family history and he needs to solicit information from his mother. It is already Saturday but he has not started on it. His nonchalant attitude and uninterested demeanor towards this project doesn't help him because failure to perform well on it will mean his grades will slip even further and he would have to quit his band, which is the last thing he would ever want to do. When an unexpected incident renders his mother physically unable to communicate with Obi he is faced with the angst and anxiety of finding someone to provide such specialized knowledge on such short notice. He seeks hope in his grandmother, who is currently visiting from Nigeria, but he doesn't know how to converse with her because he doesn't speak her language.

“My Mother’s Tongue” is the name of this script and its scenario is all too familiar in the immigrant community. Obi doesn't speak his native language, at least not well, thus he can't communicate effectively with his extended family members who do not share his fluency in English. His mother serves as the liaison between Obi and his familial culture. She tells him about “home”, instills in him the values of her upbringing, and, most importantly, interprets her native tongue for him to be able to understand the idioms and wisdom of her people.  But what happens if Mom can’t play that role anymore? What happens if Mom is not there to translate the words and ideas of the long line of ancestors that came before him? Essentially, how important is it for children of immigrants to learn their mother tongue?

Many people in my generation point their fingers to their parents for why they do not speak their local language. While there is some merit to that argument, I also argue that we are grown up enough to learn it on our own if we so choose to. We parade around in our native wear, break into “accents” to tell jokes or make points, and defend our people when they are being abused by non-natives, be it physical or psychological. Yet, without speaking our native tongues how connected are we really to our cultures? By no means am I, or this film for that matter, trying to denigrate this generation for its lack of linguistic competency. However, I am simply presenting a scenario that is meant to challenge what we value. Just as we learn other world languages for business, career, or pleasure, we could do the same with our own languages if we felt the feat worth it. This issue of cultural transmission can stop where it began and pick back up where it left off whenever we choose to proactively do something about it, for without the ability to communicate with your ancestors, seriously, “Where are you going?” 

This film will be produced by Afropolitan Legacy Theatre and its fundraising campaign will begin in the coming months. Please check www.afropolitanlegacy.com and/or www.chikestory.com for updates and more detailed information about the project. 

Dalu so...or thank you very much.