Foreigner - Tumblr Posts

Foreigner was pretty good! Thanks @aldieb for putting it on my radar!

To clarify, the posts I put up here involving the culture and/or the language usage never come without a purpose or translations below (especially in the latter case). I may use the tongue in occasional posts & even in the hashtags combined with other elements, but it remains in conscious efforts to help others learn about the culture & history as well hopefully to reach out to the titular people & others regardless to better understand the cultures through time & space. Any hashtags you see here in the language will of course include a translation in similar hopes of reaching out. Iyayraykere.

Outsiders are not not saving a language by learning it.

While I’m personally grateful services like Tribalingual exist, creating some academic access to Indigenous languages, particularly for Indigenous diaspora (if they can afford it), I’m extremely dubious of the notion that a outsiders learning an Indigenous language is somehow “saving” it. There was a testimonial from some white American girl learning Ainu itak, and she spoke of it as if she were collecting some rare Pokemon card before it went out of print or something, framing it in typical dying Native rhetoric. What is she going to do with Ainu itak, except as some obscure lingual trophy?

If you want to save a language, save the people.

Language means nothing without history and culture breathing life into it, and in turn we are disconnected from our history and ancestors without it. Support Indigenous quality of life, ACCESS to quality education, quality health services (mental and physical), land and subsistence rights, CLEAN DRINKING WATER, advocate against police brutality and state violence, DEMAND ACTION FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN.

Damn, if you really want to “save the language” pay for an Indigenous person’s classes for them to reconnect to their mother tongues. I’m not saying outsiders shouldn’t learn languages they’re invited to learn, but don’t pretend like you learning conversational Ainu itak is saving it from extinction.

Heya!

Just something I felt like doing ... because, honestly, I've had this song stuck in my head all week--and have also been constantly rewatching "Rock Of Ages".

So yeah. Thats what brought all of ... this ... on.

I hope you guys like this. I think it's pretty cool looking.

Have a good day and peace out ✌!

I am lost here,

In this land i call home.

My feet burn and blister from the sand they walk over;

My mouth twinges and stings from the air it swallows;

My body spasms and twitches from the heat it withstands,

And I realise once more:

I was not made for this.

For where is the subtle brush of grass that should greet my every step?

Where is the smoke my lungs were made to breath?

Where are the monsoons that should shower my skin?

Where are they?

I am growing desperate, now.

Each day a new petal falls off me,

A thorn growing in its place,

And I find I am more cactus than jasmine today.