Are you aware of what 21st February means on your calendar?
It is the day all of us should be celebrating our mother language.
Majority of Kenyans are however not aware of it.
According to UNESCO, the day is set aside to promote ethnic languages and embrace cultural diversity.
In Canada, the day is marked as a public holiday while France holds a grand party in Paris to bring together diverse communities.
But here in Kenya, i bet most of us are not aware of the day.
Most of those interviewed by the Star said they are not aware of the day.
Last week, renowned author Ngugi wa Thiong’o criticised teachers for punishing students who speak their mother tongue in school.
“The culture of teachers punishing their students for speaking their mother tongue must stop.
In fact, we should encourage them to express themselves in their mother tongue,” he said.
In a statement, UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay emphasised the need to embrace indigenous languages as a factor in development, peace and reconciliation.
Good to know
In Kenya, methinks it will take time before it is celebrated. Why? We pretend to be very civilized, we do not want to be associated with out mother tongues, we rarely speak it and at times it only when circumstance dictates. The government should come up with ways to see her people be proud of their mother tongues.