1.8 Connections Report -
Theme: Diversity and Tolerance
Connection: Multi-cultured are not able to connect with both the traditions and the values so they tend to disconnect with their own culture to feel more modernised amongst the society.
Title of Text and Name of Author/ Singer/ Director
Text Type
Notes - How the text relates to my connection
Evidence from Text - Quotations or close references to the text
‘Half-Caste’ by John Agard
Poem
Agard is half African and half Guyanese - as people call him ‘Half-Caste’ he challenges them to see him as a ‘whole’ person instead of calling him half-caste. People get really ignorant about what they call someone, they don’t know that it can be offensive.
“Excuse me/ Standing on one leg/ I’m half-caste…” …show more content…
Lyricist/ singer Gurdas Maan talks about how multicultural are not able to connect with both the traditions and the values of both the sides so they tend to disconnect with one’s culture to feel more modernised amongst the society. This demonstrates that the youth prefers ‘English’ society over their own, where their parent(s) were grown. The evidence of this is illustrated in the line “Gidhiyaan di rani fashionaan ch rul gayi” (Queens of traditional dance now following fashion of the western world) ‘Ki Banu Duniya Da’ matches the concept about how modern and traditional culture is being mistaken in today’s world. This song identifies the differences, Indian youth is facing. An important instance of this is seen when Maan shares his opinion on the language “Hello Hello thank you karan nadiyan” (Hello and Hi are now used instead of greetings in our language.) Maan talks about how the modern culture influenced Indians in such an extent that the youth no longer wants to be associated with their language, dance or traditional wearings. This can be recognized when he brings up the line “I don’t like the Punjabi Hindi nu” (Youth these days doesn 't like their own language, feel low or insulted speaking in Hindi or Punjabi.) Traditional clothings are no longer to be seen in the …show more content…
A challenge because it is addressed directly to the reader who may hold prejudiced views. Similarly, racism is also a point that Agard discusses on. The issue that Agard focuses in this poem is about the incorrect use of the term ‘half-caste’ people use to ‘label’ others. Labels have been given to those who are of a mixed ethnicity from which, one of those terms is half-caste. Agard’s parents’ were from Portuguese and the Caribbean resulting of him being of a mixed culture. He had been called this vague term many times which forced him to pen this poem in which he does his best to persuade the reader to not title people of mixed heritage as half-caste, rather celebrate the mixing as they bring in a new colour to the world. Agard repeatedly tells the reader to “Explain yuself”, and asks him “Wha yu mean” when you use the term half-caste. Several times he repeats this certain point to make the poem sound more strong and powerful. It can be seen that through his words, there is anger that makes the poem sound personal. Similarly, the use of phonetic language is encouraged throughout the poem to show the pronunciation of the word from his dialect. This can be noticed through the words he uses “yuself, wha, yu, an, de, dah, dem.” Broken English is purposely contrasted to show that Agard is proud of his
Theme: Diversity and Tolerance
Connection: Multi-cultured are not able to connect with both the traditions and the values so they tend to disconnect with their own culture to feel more modernised amongst the society.
Title of Text and Name of Author/ Singer/ Director
Text Type
Notes - How the text relates to my connection
Evidence from Text - Quotations or close references to the text
‘Half-Caste’ by John Agard
Poem
Agard is half African and half Guyanese - as people call him ‘Half-Caste’ he challenges them to see him as a ‘whole’ person instead of calling him half-caste. People get really ignorant about what they call someone, they don’t know that it can be offensive.
“Excuse me/ Standing on one leg/ I’m half-caste…” …show more content…
Lyricist/ singer Gurdas Maan talks about how multicultural are not able to connect with both the traditions and the values of both the sides so they tend to disconnect with one’s culture to feel more modernised amongst the society. This demonstrates that the youth prefers ‘English’ society over their own, where their parent(s) were grown. The evidence of this is illustrated in the line “Gidhiyaan di rani fashionaan ch rul gayi” (Queens of traditional dance now following fashion of the western world) ‘Ki Banu Duniya Da’ matches the concept about how modern and traditional culture is being mistaken in today’s world. This song identifies the differences, Indian youth is facing. An important instance of this is seen when Maan shares his opinion on the language “Hello Hello thank you karan nadiyan” (Hello and Hi are now used instead of greetings in our language.) Maan talks about how the modern culture influenced Indians in such an extent that the youth no longer wants to be associated with their language, dance or traditional wearings. This can be recognized when he brings up the line “I don’t like the Punjabi Hindi nu” (Youth these days doesn 't like their own language, feel low or insulted speaking in Hindi or Punjabi.) Traditional clothings are no longer to be seen in the …show more content…
A challenge because it is addressed directly to the reader who may hold prejudiced views. Similarly, racism is also a point that Agard discusses on. The issue that Agard focuses in this poem is about the incorrect use of the term ‘half-caste’ people use to ‘label’ others. Labels have been given to those who are of a mixed ethnicity from which, one of those terms is half-caste. Agard’s parents’ were from Portuguese and the Caribbean resulting of him being of a mixed culture. He had been called this vague term many times which forced him to pen this poem in which he does his best to persuade the reader to not title people of mixed heritage as half-caste, rather celebrate the mixing as they bring in a new colour to the world. Agard repeatedly tells the reader to “Explain yuself”, and asks him “Wha yu mean” when you use the term half-caste. Several times he repeats this certain point to make the poem sound more strong and powerful. It can be seen that through his words, there is anger that makes the poem sound personal. Similarly, the use of phonetic language is encouraged throughout the poem to show the pronunciation of the word from his dialect. This can be noticed through the words he uses “yuself, wha, yu, an, de, dah, dem.” Broken English is purposely contrasted to show that Agard is proud of his