The Tasmanian Language Cafe is a set of interviews focussing on the diversity of languages spoken in Tasmania, Australia, and the importance of language for the maintainance of culture and identity.
The purpose of the project is to explore the importance of language in maintaining culture and identity, both for immigrants to Australia and for indigenous Tasmanians.
The idea was developed and realised by Sonia Parra following on from her work organising the Hobart Language Day which has been running since 2015 in Hobart, Tasmania.
She explains:
“This is the first part of an audio tour of the languages we brought with us to Tasmania. This is how the world’s languages sound in Tasmania: a journey through of some of the languages that are heard in Tasmania thanks to migrants.
Our planet holds a treasure: 7.000 languages are spoken in the world. Some of them, such as Hindi, have a billion speakers. Arabic, English or Spanish have hundreds million speakers, while others, such Yoruba or Swahili have around 40 million. Some others do not exceed a hundred.
This linguistic journey begins in South Asia and the Middle East, where Bangla and the Arabic languages come from. During this trip we will have stops in different places all around the world such as Nigeria, Tasmania itself, Paraguay, Georgia and many other countries, some of whose citizens moved to Tasmania and brought with them their mother tongue. Here we speak 170 different languages. All these sounds will be played here.
Our passionate mission: to inspire people to speak and maintain their mother tongue in Tasmania.”
Blessing Adejorin and the Yoruba language from Nigeria
On the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, 70% of all African Languages have their origin.
There are about 800 languages in Nigeria and Cameroon. It is believed that this is due to the comings and goings of nomadic peoples and also due to the families of cultures that emerged in this area.
Although English is the only official language in Nigeria, each of Nigeria’s 36 states teaches one or two local languages in the schools.
Migrant social worker Blessing Adejorin talks about her language connection (transcript further down the page) and how it forms part of her and her country’s identity.
You can hear more of the Tasmanian Language Cafe series at their website.
Transcript
Blessing: Okay, so …
Tasmanian Language Cafe:
She’s talking by phone with one of her friends in Nigeria. Blessing is Nigerian, and she has been living in Australia for four years. The last year in Tasmania. Each time her phone rings, she replies in English or Yoruba, her mother tongue.
Blessing:
Yoruba dialogue….
I came here to study. Back in Africa, I studied nursing of a Bachelor of Nursing Science. And while I was coming to Australia, I was enrolled on my master’s in public health. I recently completed my programme. And that’s my master’s in social work.
Tasmanian Language Cafe:
She has been working as a social assistant and social worker, she came to Tasmania to do her placement as a social worker, the profession that she discovered in Australia and loved it, and she’s planning to work in it for her future, even though her bachelor degree is in nursing.
Blessing:
When I was back home, I had passion to care for people. So, I did not really know anything about social work. So, then when I completed my first postgraduates programme, I spoke with my agent and you know, told them about, like, what I’m interested in, and he mentioned social work. And that was more like, the first time I was going to look in depth into what social work meant. And when I began my research, it just made total sense to me because I’ve always had the passion, to one day, maybe after I make some money, go back to my own country, and start a non governmental organisation. To begin with, I’ll be focusing on girls or females who have been abused. And right and that’s also a special place in my heart.
TLC:
All right, so that means that you really discovered what social worker means as a professional, as a role?
Blessing:
Yes. When I was the nurse in OMC, back home, you know, I’ve heard of charity organisations and all of that, but, you know, social work. It’s more like social work mapped out: like, you know, I could see a clearer picture of how to go about that. And yes, I am. If I’m not grateful for anything, I’m grateful for coming to Australia, and that opened my eyes. So, right, give me a clearer understanding of my plans for the future.
TLC:
Tell us a little bit about Nigeria.
Blessing:
Okay, so I would say that Nigeria, like I mentioned earlier, is located in the western part of Africa. And I don’t know if we are the most populated African country, but our population we are over 200 million as a nation, and lots of 100 million, and we have over 250 ethnic groups, or ethnic tribes. So, there are several languages,
TLC: right?
Blessing:
Spoken in Nigeria,
TLC: Nigeria is an African country, the hearts conserve a greater number of languages. They speak around 500 languages plus the dialects. Is not easy to divide into undefined languages and dialects.
Blessing:
These three major languages they now have, like that, and some other tribal languages like, let me say tribal dialects. Yeah, let me put it that way. So, it’s, and we also speak like pidgin English.
TLC:
Ah, as it’s interesting. What is Pidgin English?
Blessing:
Yes, Pidgin English is the most commonly used language by those who don’t really understand English, and it’s a mixture of English and other languages. So, if I’m Yoruba, I can decide to mix my English with Yoruba or I can decide to, it’s English boy, it’s not clean English. So if I want to say how you are, I can ask you: how your day? and that’s pidgin English.,
TLC:
English is the official language in Nigeria, Arabic is used in some parts of the country.
Blessing:
My mother’s language is Yoruba. It’s a very beautiful language.
TLC:
Nigeria has 36 states, and each one has a different language that is learned in school for at young age. In a country with more than 500 different languages., it is interesting to know how Yoruba became a Blessing mother tongue.
Blessing:
It’s interesting because my mum is Yoruba, but I’m also Yoruba. My dad is also Yoruba. But my mum and my dad, my parents are from different states. So Nigeria has 36 states. And my mum is from a different state. My dad is from a different state, still in the western part of Nigeria. My mum has a language and that is called Igbo. My dad is Ijaw. So, there is now a common denominator, which is Yoruba. I can understand my mum’s language, but I don’t really understand my dad’s language, and they are still Yoruba. We speak Yoruba at home. The official language is English, and that’s because we were colonised by the Europeans so yeah, and you know from there we like to cope with the language, so the common official language, let me put it that way, is English.
TLC:
Yoruba, one of the major languages is also official there?
Blessing:
It should be official because, like this, English is a boarding language for us. It’s a boarding language, and different states obviously have their own languages. And yeah, we don’t need anyone, you know, tell us this is an official language.
TLC:
So, how is the school? How was your school? Did you study in English?
Blessing:
Years from kindergarten and everything. Kindergarten, primary, secondary, and all go in English.
TLC:
So, this is why you really don’t understand when people asked you, why do you have a beautiful English?
Blessing:
It’s a times, it’s gonna be a times. Well, it depends on my mood. At times, I find it offensive. When someone tells me, Oh, you speak so well. Like, really, you can just keep that in your head without telling me that.
TLC:
Multilingualism in Nigeria is the norm. The main languages of Nigeria are different depending on where you come from. Yoruba, is the western. Igbo, from the east, Hausa, in the north of the country, and Eked, from the south region of Nigeria.
Blessing:
Igbo, is spoken primarily in the eastern part of Nigeria. So, from the western part of Nigeria, and Igbo from the eastern part of Nigeria. Hausa, is the language is spoken in the northern part of Nigeria. And it’s also the southern part of Nigeria. So many of them speak Pidgin English, they have other languages like Urhobo, and they speak languages in delta states like that. So, like, it’s very interested. Yeah. I feel very proud of myself. I’m proud of my culture and I’m proud of my heritage. You know, it’s beautiful to be here, you can easily forget where you’re from. If you find yourself in places like this, you know if you’re not very grounded in your tradition, so I always love it. When I’m in the midst of other people from my tribe, you know, I carry so much pride in speaking.
TLC:
How do you speak Yoruba?
Blessing:
Whenever I find myself like, I think it just comes on automatically, like, in your head. Once you see someone from your country or someone, especially not just someone from Nigeria or someone who understands Yoruba, what I say , I just think it all through. But yeah, I think it’s very fulfilling and satisfying when I can finally speak it.
TLC:
Do you have anyone from your family, or friends here that shares the same language with you?
Blessing:
Yeah, my uncle is here in Australia, but he is in Sydney. And also the church. My church is an African, like, very dominated by Nigerians. So, every Sunday is always a time for me to, you know, speak language. And because of where I stay, you know, I always look forward to going to church on Sundays. And that’s majorly because I’m going to meet my people.
TLC:
Ah right. This is interesting. Is the church in any of the Nigerian languages, or it s all in English?
Blessing:
Yeah, the church we speak English, like when during the summons, and you know, right, but at times some of our songs, we sing like them because remember, it’s an African church, and majorly by Nigerians and so, which means there are other tribes, not just Yoruba. Yoruba, Igbo, but you know, we infuse everything together, Igbos, you know, they have their time where you know, we sing their song, and Yoruba, we have our time where we sing our songs, and you know, it’s just very beautiful.
TLC:
How is the traditional greetings in Yoruba?
Blessing:
Yoruba is Bawoni, and that is how you are? The Bawoni, is across so many things, but when it can be, how are you? Can be how are you doing? Or how are you feeling? It can be a hello; it depends on the context, like if it’s just for multiple purposes.
…And you word it’s more like
TLC:
The linguistics richness of Nigeria can only be explained it by the common experiences of different people and cultures between the same country. People who come, and come back.
Blessing:
So, it says : “ Yoruba poem…” and translation is, so for you to be able to, for instance, plant an Iroko tree, I don’t know what it’s called in English, but it’s just a type of tree. If you want to prune it, prune it while it’s still young. So that when it’s because it grows taller, when it’s bigger, then you will have to ,you know, make some sacrifices, like when they believe in God, so you have to make a sacrifice. So train up your child now. So that at your old age, you will have peace of mind. And f you don’t train up your child, you know, for instance, you are focusing on, you know, I just have to be successful, you’re accumulating all this wealth, and you just abandon your child, leaving the responsibility for the teachers, and for the mates. Once the child gets older, all the wealth you have accumulated, because you did not train, the child will end up, you know, selling everything you’ve worked, because he did not train them. So, it’s an advance, and in the real context, it’s actually very true. If you fail to train your child, if you fail to put in the work now, because in Nigeria, we value family, eventually, you will have the rest of mine, that you know, that this child is not coming to give my family a bad name.
TLC:
Very good advice. Is there any word in Yoruba, that you can’t translate into any other language?
Blessing:
Like “wah wah Bia” That is come. It’s Igbo. That is like instant the same, come we say like BIA. I don’t know if I’m correct.
Sonia Parra
When you are doing movements with your hands, does mean that you can say something?
Blessing:
Come , BIA, “Yoruba sound” More like if you’re talking to a child, but if it’s you’re talking to an adult, you cannot just say ..”Yoruba sound”, because that comes with respect. You can say “ Yoruba sound”. Like, please come.
TLC:
Could you also talk with your hands, like you move your hands?
Blessing:
Yeah, we can.
TLC:
Because in Yoruba, or in any of the other 500 languages in Nigeria, do the people still talk a lot by hand?
Blessing:
Yeah. with expressions, because it gives more meaning, like, you call me like, Oh, wow. So at times, you’re not paying attention. Yeah, just carried away, or just like, just gesticulating, like, call me. And it’s more, you don’t really do that with strangers. It’s more with people you are very comfortable with. Yeah.
TLC:
Is there any particular word that you say I had to say the word, but also just to do some kind of hand sign?
Blessing:
That should be with maybe parents to children, right? In my country, parents, non verbally communicate with their children a lot. Especially, I’ll give you an instance. Maybe you go visiting a family and, you know, this child is already misbehaving, and you don’t want to talk, or you just, you know, just looking at them, they get the message, or in some gestures, they already understand what it means when my mum looks at me like this. I know I’m in serious trouble.
TLC:
Alright, so they don’t need to talk.
Blessing:
They don’t need to talk.
TLC: A couple of years ago, I was watching a documentary about Nigeria. It is true that the traffic jams are huge and almost impossible for people to go through, and they had to wear pyjamas because they had to sleep in the car and they have to bring food because they had to eat in the car. Is it all true?
Blessing:
Yeah, it’s very true. So when I came to Australia, I realised that I tend to say when I see people complain about some things, I’m just, you know, I’m not trying to you know, water down whatever it is you’re trying to say, but at times, I just feel like going to experience Africa. ‘Go to my country, you will worship your government’. So, yeah, the traffic is crazy, especially in Lagos, where I live. It’s Lagos, which is the most populated. Sydney is even bigger than Lagos, and Lagos has over 20 million people living in it, and it’s well smaller than Sydney.
TLC:
All right.
Blessing:
So the traffic is like crazy, like people will follow one way, take one way driving, and it will still cry you. Are you blind? Can’t you see? So yeah, I think the major problem is, you know, once the government starts having structure, then so many things will begin to change.
TLC:
It’s true. I was thinking that was something they were making up for the documentary.
Blessing:
It’s actually very true.
TLC:
So, attention people in Hobart, don’t be stressed about the traffic.
Blessing:
Don’t be. I know, have you spent 8 hours?
TLC:
Eight hours?
Blessing:
Eight hours in your neighbour moving up to two kilometres in eight hours. You cannot leave your vehicle. I’ve spent over six hours in a place less than three kilometres away. Yeah, I’ve spent, and you can say you don’t walk on because it is not safe for me to walk at midnight. It’s only on the highway. It’s not safe. I can either be over there or not. Yeah. So you just stay and wait. And it’s even funny, that, even while you’re waiting, some people can get robbed in the traffic. If you’re trying to struggle, they can stop you, like, with lots of ridiculous things. Yeah. So things that we you know, when you say them, if you don’t experience them, sounds unbelievable when you say them, but that’s our reality.
TLC:
As a Nigerian woman, for Blessing to maintain the mother tongue, and preserve the language is something that is part of themselves.
Blessing:
It is very important for me. I find it interesting when I see Nigerians, and especially people that I’ll talk to, because I’m here in Australia, so, I’ll talk using Australia as an example. I’ve found out that, you know, some families don’t pass on, especially the children that were raised here, when they were very young age, or perhaps they were born here, I’ve seen my cousin not wanting to speak Yoruba.
Yeah, it’s because he finds it funny. And that’s goes a long way. You can’t be either; you weren’t born yet, you’re still an African. So be proud of who you are. Some people are trying to, you know, wear a mask just to be accepted. They believe in language sounds funny to them. And I’m like, No, this is who you are. So, see a few years down the line, you know, when you grow older, you will be unhappy that you don’t understand your language.
When you see the Asian people you know, they’re proud to speak their language anyway. So why are you ashamed to speak your language? My language is beautiful. If I had the opportunity, I would, and it’s very interesting, I would say to people that if you want to speak with an accent, you know, you want to sound British to be accepted. Bla bla bla, it is even for me, I would be very proud to say Yoruba.
You wonder what I speak. And then I tell you, at least I can try to speak English. Can you speak my language? No, it’s a thing off, so I think people, parents, and guardians should try as much as possible, you know, embrace this. Embrace the language. Whether you like it or not, whether you’re a citizen of Australia already or not, your roots are still in Africa.
The only thing I want to say in your book is be proud of who you are, like, any. Okay, I forgot this word. But it’s more like. Just be proud. Wherever you find yourself, make use of the opportunity, you have something “Ohun gbogbo ni awoke re. Rii daju pe o ni igbo ti o ba ni”. So, that’s all I have to say. The interpretation is: everything has its time, just make the most of every time you have.
Oo dabo, will be for, let’s say, a younger person. If you’re talking to maybe an adult, you can say che gone, or che is singular, and she is like plural respect. Like you know, there’s respect in Yoruba. English does not have respect. You use the same thing for everyone. Okay.
TLC:
Okay.
Oo dabo.
Blessing:
Welcome. Kaabo.
Language Cafe is produced with the assistance of the Department of Communications via the Community Broadcasting Foundation, CBF. Thanks also to Hobart FM 91.6, the community and multicultural radio station.
