Editor,
Becoming a mother awakened something deep within me – a longing to pass on more than just love and care. I want to pass on my roots, my voice, my culture. And at the heart of it all is my native language.
As a new mom, I often find myself dreaming about the day my child will speak their first words. And quietly, I hope those words will be in the language I grew up with, that is Nyishi, along with Arunachali Hindi (but this time I want exclusive Nyishi to be passed) – the language that shaped my childhood, held my earliest memories, and carried the voice of my ancestors.
It’s not just about words and phrases. It’s about identity. I want my child to feel proud of who they are and where they come from.
I want them to speak in Nyishi and pass on this precious gift as a generational wealth. Teaching our children our native language is one of the most precious gifts we can pass on to the next generation – a gift of identity, connection, and cultural pride.
But if I’m honest, the thought is also a little daunting. I sometimes question whether I’ll be consistent enough. Will I manage to speak it regularly? Will my child embrace it or push it away in favour of the more dominant language around them? These worries linger, but my hope is stronger.
I believe it starts small – songs at bedtime, simple words during playtime, stories from my childhood shared in the language they were first told to me, and most importantly, spending more time with the baby. These tiny seeds, I hope, will grow roots of familiarity and pride.
I may be just beginning this journey, but I know one thing for sure: teaching my child our native language is one of the greatest gifts I can offer. It’s a bridge to their heritage, a key to their identity, and a bond that ties generations together.
And so, as I whisper Nyishi lullabies (currently pop songs ‘Morom Tho’ and ‘Naso Soto’ are what my Rissi is being sung to everyday, even though my Rissi is just four months old but his milestones are way ahead) in my native tongue, planting the first gentle seeds of a legacy I hope will bloom in the years to come.
Dr Ngurang Anam Techi