I remember a few weeks ago while on board back to Houston, one of the passengers heard me talking with another passenger. He starred at me for a while and finally said to me:
"Hello young lady. How're you doing? Where are you from? I can hear an accent. I like the way you speak."
"Thank you. Yes, I do have an accent just like you do. I am from Nigeria. I am Ibo."
"I have an accent?"
"Yes Sir, you do. You are American so, you have an accent. I am African, I have an accent."
He paused for a second then said:
"Hmmm, you are right. We all have an accent."
He introduced himself. When I told him my name, he said;
"Oh, my granddaughter's name is Kem too; short for Kimberley." Ifukwanum eshishi. How did I go from Nkemdilim to Kimberely? LOL. We had an interesting conversation. I learned a thing or two from him.
When I speak in my native tongue; The Igbo Language, I LOVE IT & I am PROUD. I speak it to my kids, sometimes they understand it and most times, sadly they do not. My kids are definitely aware of the fact that they are Ibos, and not just because of the food they eat. They know the language I speak, but not literally sha. I am of the millions of parents guilty of not being consistent with communicating with their children in their Mother Tongue. Now, I am on a mission.
It is interesting how my kids are able to sing gospel songs in the Igbo language. They know the songs are worship songs, yet the meanings they do not comprehend completely.
Well...
This summer, I decided we go back to the basics. I started to teach them: a, b ch, d, e, f g, gb, gw....; One = Otu; The parts of the body and more. The first day was HARD for them especially my older children. Chima aka Igwe who is 4 years old was able to pronounce every word like I would. The fact here is the age differences. Kids tend to assimilate languages faster at a young age. However, it does not mean that the older kids cannot learn as fast. It was also interesting how they are becoming aware when and where to put the dots under letters like: o & u...the difference between 'Ukwu;' Waist and ' Ụkwụ;' Leg. I know how hard it can be though I was nurtured in Igbo. However, when you put your mind to what you want to achieve, sky is the limit.
Anyway, each day, I give them Igbo homework. I also have a reward for not just the effort, but for when they fully understand what they are learning. So far, it has been awesome. It is getting so exciting for them especially my first three.
Though they were born, raised in the States and have not yet been to Nigeria, they know where they are originally from. They understand and appreciate the meanings of their names and who they are.
I remember in the early spring, my 8yr old son came back from school feeling not so good, because of an incident that had happened at school. His friend had made fun of his name; Chinedu. He was feeling bad because he forgot the meaning of his name. So...I reminded him. When he came home the next day, he said;
"Mommy, I told my friend what my name means, Chinedum means: God guides me. Then I asked him the meaning of his name. He did not know and he also said his parents have no clue. Thanks mom."
Just like many Nigerian kids home and abroad, they are aliens to their native language. Many parents are proud when they say: 'My kids understand my language, but they cannot speak it.' How about the kids born and raised in Nigeria, yet they do not speak in their native tongues because mom and dad want them to speak and be like the oyibo? Oyibo nwanu ekwero ha osusu. However, the Asians, Hispanics & even the Indians make the English Language their second language instead. They are proud of their native tongue.
Uhhhh... How about this? 'My parents are Nigerians. I am American.' This is classic. Who is to be blamed?
Anyway, when it is noisy in my home, I tell my kids to speak in their mother tongue. And, all of a sudden, the house is quiet. Not funny, but it works. Then, they make every effort to communicate with me in the language. If they are not sure how to say it in Igbo, they ask for permission to say it English, for me to translate it to them. Today, they wanted to know what's for breakfast in Igbo. I said, "Fresh croissants and akwa." The next question was: "What are croissants in Igbo?" Anyone??? HELP!!! LOL
This morning, my 6 year old daughter was practicing ONE, TWO, THREE...in the Igbo language. When she pronounced the numbers, some of the numbers in Igbo were sounding more oyibo than Ibo. My 9 year old said to her;
"KeleChi, it is like a rubberband, so you stretch it. Each word has a tone. Remember that word "Akwa? It has several meanings because of the different tones." I am glad and proud that they are beginning to understand that my language; their language is a tonal language therefore, unique. It has a ring to it. It is musical.
The bottom-lines:
· It does not matter where you were born or where you live, teach your kids your native tongue (If you know it).
· If your spouse is non-Ibo, it does not matter, teach your children your native tongue (If you know it) and if you do not know it, learn it together.
· No matter how much you try to be more like the oyibo, you are who you were the day you were born and not who you are trying or hope to be.
· Some of us yearn to learn other languages like French, Spanish, Chinese....but NOT our native tongue. Now, that's a shame.
· Even if your parents made the mistake of not teaching you, do not make same mistake.
· When you teach your kids, they teach their kids and this cycle continues.
· No matter what, CULTURE MATTERS.
· Be proud of who you are and not who you are trying to be.
Oh, in the last few days, when my kids see me in the morning they say:
"Good morning Mommy. Ilarukwa ofuma?" Now, that's a start.
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