A unique book in childrens literature
 The
author of the book Paadal Moolam Thamil (Thamil through Songs), Punitham
Perinparaja, has done a tremendous job of service to the young Thamil
people living in other parts of the world, particularly in the United
Kingdom, by writing and publishing this illustrated book of 58 pages.
The songs in this book were written in Thamil with transliteration in
English and music composed by her. She is a Language Specialist, and a
musician living in England. Bilingualism (Thamil and English) is to her
advantage.
As we all know Lankan born parents living abroad find it difficult to
teach their offsprings their own mother tongue because these children
have less opportunities to speak , write and read their native language.
Some of these children are born in the emigrated countries and learn the
language of the adopted country.
|
Punitha Perinparaja |
In such a situation transliteration of Thamil poems into English
could be of help in some respects particularly when the children learn
these songs to sing. Additional feature of the book is the incursion
translation of those songs into English. Even non –Thamilians can
understand what the songs are about.
In this context, I would like to quote what Prof. Chelva
Kanaganayagam, a Lankan born Canadian Professor of English at University
of Toronto, has to say about the significance of the book:
“Teaching methods that were suitable in a homogenous context –Thamil
taught as a first language in Sri Lanka – can be ineffective in a
western context.
If the mother tongue is to be acquired and retained by the next
generation of young students overseas, then teaching practices must be
proactive and useful. With in mind, Punitha has composed a number of
songs that have both a local and global relevance drawn from her
expertise music, and teaching experience”
In fact C K goes to the core of the text and explains adequately why
the book is praiseworthy thus my not repeating.
“She makes them lyrical and memorable, combines them with gestures
and imagery, and offers others them with translations and illustrations.
The songs are quite stunning in the way they point to cultural values
and conventions without being perspective.
As the explanatory notes indicate, many of them have been found to be
very effective with Thamil students, and invaluable to teachers. The
songs work with individuals as ell as with groups, thereby allowing for
both private and public pedagogical settings.”
 Should
I add more?
Now, we must know something about the writer as the present younger
generation might not have heard of her.
Punitha Perinparaja of Yaalpaanam is a Thamil Special graduate of the
University of Peradeniya. She also specialized in Carnatic music
(devotional, vocal and instrumental (violin)) Shad been teaching
multilingual pupils in British schools and Thamil bilingual pupils at
weekend community schools in U.K. She had been training Thamil teachers
for the Royal Society of Arts Examinations and correcting examination
papers for the Institute of Linguistics.
It would be interesting for Lankan Literary critics in English to
know that Punitha is one of the older sisters of A. Sivanandan, the
Editor of Race and Class and the author of When Memory Dies.
She was a delegate to the World Youth Festival in Moscow soon after
she graduated from Peradeniya. A research Secondment to the
Multi-cultural Unit of the Institute of Education led her to visit
British schools in London and the Midlands.
You may like to know how the book is planned. The writer explains:
“The songs are presented in the following order: starting with a
school song, the simpler children’s songs are at the beginning. Specific
topics chosen to introduce vocabulary and relevant information to
motivate children to learn about the Thamil culture include religious
stories festivals, and aspects of Thamil identity and heritage.
A few songs published in English with Western notation are added in
the appendices along with notation for a few Thamil songs. Appropriate
illustrations for the songs are included in the Thamil version.”
Elaine Scott, music educator, violinist, and researcher of Harrow
Music Service in Middlesex U K add that “accessibility is the hallmark
of Punitha’s researched publications which include some of her
compositions published in An approach to Indian Music, Song and Dance
for Schools. Her book is available in all bookstalls and she could be
reached through by e-mail: [email protected].
This is a Kala Anjali Publication.
[email protected]
|
