Mother Tongue Day marked

The government does not implement a policy which promotes local languages. Out of 123 linguistic minorities, 31 are not recognized.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – Linguistic minorities in Nepal this week celebrated "International Mother Tongue Day". "I am worried about the state's policy to neglect indigenous languages," Gopal Shreshta, a Nepalese Catholic youth who belongs to the linguistic Newar minority, told AsiaNews. He said his minority, like most Nepalese people, could speak and read Indo-Aryan Devanagari, which is the official language of the country.  "Nevertheless, we find it stale and bereft of the uniqueness and flavour found in our own ethnic Newari language. We are not against the national language; we are concerned the government is neglecting indigenous languages." Shreshta added that the problem was faced by "dozens of ethnic and linguistic minorities".

He continued: "Thanks to UNESCO's intervention, linguistic ethnic minorities in Nepal have been able to celebrate their 'mother tongue' day every year on February 21. This does not mean that a mere one-day celebration can resolve the problems, but it's clear this celebration helps in kindling interest, awareness and concern among our youths, who realize that they should strive to preserve their languages, which are the living treasure troves of their age old culture, values and history."

Sant Bahadur Gurung, vice chairman of the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN), said: "There are some 123 living ethnic languages in Nepal, but the government has only identified 92. Linguistic minorities represent some 35% of the total population yet they have been pushed to the periphery of society. Nevertheless, the 'mother tongue movement' has greatly picked up in Nepal since 1999, when UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Tongue Day. Over a dozen organizations are now engaged in promoting and preserving the interests of ethnic minorities and their languages."

Jeevendra Dev Giri, a linguist and member of the Royal Nepal Academy (RNA), said "thanks to this day devoted to mother tongues and to the many organisations born to support it, minorities are now more aware of the importance of their mother tongue."

Fr Jojo Vadakkel, a Catholic priest, told AsiaNews: "I work in a school of the ethnic Chepang minority. The Chepang are a primitive ethnic community but their language is very, very rich, full of symbolisms. It would be wonderful if the 'mother tongue movement' could boost the languages of such marginalized groups. The world at large could also reap the bounties of the cultural heritages currently entrapped in their mysterious languages."

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• day