Mother Tongues (Voice of Ireland) - Stephen James Smith @sjswords

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ICYMI here is my poem ‘Mother Tongues’ which was commissioned for the Sky Arts TV series ‘Voice of Ireland’. My part was filmed on Curracloe Beach, Co. Wexford, June 12th, 2021.
I’m delighted to say, in April it won the award for Best ‘Specialist Factual’ from the Royal Television Society.
Special thanks go to Imelda May and Moya Brennan for inviting me to be part of the series. Big thanks also to Red Shoe Productions and all the team involved.
The series also featured; Colm Tóibín, Panti Bliss, Stephen Rea, Emmet Kirwan, FeliSpeaks, Moya Brennan, Julie Feeney, Amy Huberman, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Sharon Shannon, Loah, Pillow Queens, Olwen Fouéré, Barry McGovern, Pauline McGlynn me and more.
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[@matheryn03]

This expresses a thought I've been having for a long time. Language is one of the most powerful cultural identifiers we have. It keeps us connected to each other, to our ancestors, to our stories and our histories. Thus, the deliberate destruction of language is one of the most powerful tools of subjugation and assimilation a colonising power wields over another culture. As an Australian, one of the first things we did to our first nations people was strip away their language. Well, after we decided that wholesale murdering them all was altogether too much effort. We stole their children, took their language, and along with it their most important link to their ancestry and culture. I saw the same methods used against the Pueblos of New Mexico at their cultural museum. First, you take their children: their future. Then you take their language--their present. Then, you watch as their ability to connect with their past erodes away.

[@colintaylor]

Just followed a link on Reddit. This was very powerful. Can’t wait to show my wife

[@sjswords]

Thanks, I hope they like it.

[@davethecrow]

beautiful. and my favourite place in Ireland.

[@sjswords]

Thanks!

[@useyouredge]

Absolutely brillant stuff!

[@sjswords]

Thanks for watching!