{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/dr2p55g197/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Naznin Seamon Oral History"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/010/original/Aviary_QPLlogo_192x192.png?1578574261","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2021-12-24 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Audio"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSummary of Full Interview\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn this interview, poet and teacher Naznin Seamon talks about her love for the Bangla language and reflects on her experiences as an immigrant building a life in Queens, New York. She recalls her childhood, growing up amidst the vibrant cultural and social environment of Bangladesh; and how she developed her interest in Bengali literature. She discusses the history of Bangladesh and the significant role of Bangla that lies at the core of its independence movement. She mentions how Bengalis honor and celebrate the language every year on February 21st, the international mother language day, by singing songs in Bangla and offering flowers on barefoot at Shohid Minar. She reads some of her favorite poems in Bangla and lists a couple of her favorite poets around various generations.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eShe recalls her journey to America and the day to day struggles she had to face in order to adjust to the American culture. She discusses the concept of third generation shift within immigrant households along with the struggle and importance of language preservation. As a teacher, she mentions the various work and activities that allow her to preserve the legacy of Bengali culture within young generations. Through her work she hopes to bring more cultural awareness and help others make their immigrant transitions smoother.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eএই সাক্ষাৎকারে, কবি ও শিক্ষিকা নাজনীন সীমন তার বাংলা ভাষার প্রতি টান ও নিউ ইয়র্কে একজন প্রবাসী হিসেবে জীবনগঠনেরঅনুভব নিয়ে কথা বলেন। তিনি তার ছোটবেলার কথা মনে করেন, কিভাবে সে বাংলাদেশের প্রাণবন্ত সাংস্কৃতি ও সামাজিক পরিবেশকে ঘিরে বড় হয়েছিলেন, আর তারমাধ্যমে বাংলা সাহিত্যের প্রতি আগ্রহ তৈরি করেছিলেন।\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eতিনি বাংলাদেশের ইতিহাস এবং স্বাধীনতা সংগ্রামে বাংলা ভাষার প্রধান ভূমিকা নিয়ে আলোচনা করেন। তিনি আরও বলেন কিভাবে প্রতি বছর ২১শে ফেব্রুয়ারি, আন্তর্জাতিক মাতৃভাষা দিবসে বাঙালিরা শহিদ মিনারে খালিপায়ে ফুল দিয়েআর বাংলায় গান গেয়ে বাংলা ভাষার প্রতি সম্মান ও ভালোবাসা বজায় রাখে। তিনি বাংলায় তার প্রিয় কিছু কবিতা পড়ে শোনান এবং নানান প্রজন্মের প্রিয় সব কবিদের নাম উল্লেখ করেন।\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eতিনি প্রথমবার আমেরিকায় আসার কথা মনে করেন, কিভাবে এখানে এসে তাকে প্রতিদিন কোন না কোন ছোটখাটো অসুবিধার মুখোমুখি হতে হয়েছিল। প্রবাসী পরিবারের মধ্যে তৃতীয় প্রজন্মের পরিবর্তনটি কি এবং ভাষা সংরক্ষণের গুরুত্ব ও কঠিনতা নিয়েও উনি আলোচনা করেন। একজন শিক্ষিকা হিসাবে, তিনি তরুণ প্রজন্মের মধ্যে শিক্ষা এবং বিভিন্ন কার্যক্রমের মাধ্যমে বাংলা সংস্কৃতির সংরক্ষন করার আশা রাখেন। তার কাজ দ্বারা তিনি বাংলা সংস্কৃতিকে বাঁচিয়ে রাখতে চান এবং আমেরিকায় বসবাসকারী অন্যান্য প্রবাসীদের সাহায্য করতে চান।\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCC BY-NC-SA Contact digitalarchives@queenslibrary.org for research and reproduction requests.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source Metadata URI"]},"value":{"en":["http://digitalarchives.queenslibrary.org/search/browse/42953"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Naznin Seamon (Interviewee)","Trisha Mukherjee (Interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["Interview recorded as part of the Queens Memory Podcast's 3rd Season: Our Major Minor Voices."]}},{"label":{"en":["Coverage"]},"value":{"en":["Late 1940s-2021 (temporal)","Woodhaven, Briarwood, and Jackson Heights, Queens, NY; Bangladesh (spatial)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["English (primary)","Bangla (secondary)"]}}],"summary":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSummary of Full Interview\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eIn this interview, poet and teacher Naznin Seamon talks about her love for the Bangla language and reflects on her experiences as an immigrant building a life in Queens, New York. She recalls her childhood, growing up amidst the vibrant cultural and social environment of Bangladesh; and how she developed her interest in Bengali literature. She discusses the history of Bangladesh and the significant role of Bangla that lies at the core of its independence movement. She mentions how Bengalis honor and celebrate the language every year on February 21st, the international mother language day, by singing songs in Bangla and offering flowers on barefoot at Shohid Minar. She reads some of her favorite poems in Bangla and lists a couple of her favorite poets around various generations.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eShe recalls her journey to America and the day to day struggles she had to face in order to adjust to the American culture. She discusses the concept of third generation shift within immigrant households along with the struggle and importance of language preservation. As a teacher, she mentions the various work and activities that allow her to preserve the legacy of Bengali culture within young generations. Through her work she hopes to bring more cultural awareness and help others make their immigrant transitions smoother.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eএই সাক্ষাৎকারে, কবি ও শিক্ষিকা নাজনীন সীমন তার বাংলা ভাষার প্রতি টান ও নিউ ইয়র্কে একজন প্রবাসী হিসেবে জীবনগঠনেরঅনুভব নিয়ে কথা বলেন। তিনি তার ছোটবেলার কথা মনে করেন, কিভাবে সে বাংলাদেশের প্রাণবন্ত সাংস্কৃতি ও সামাজিক পরিবেশকে ঘিরে বড় হয়েছিলেন, আর তারমাধ্যমে বাংলা সাহিত্যের প্রতি আগ্রহ তৈরি করেছিলেন।\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eতিনি বাংলাদেশের ইতিহাস এবং স্বাধীনতা সংগ্রামে বাংলা ভাষার প্রধান ভূমিকা নিয়ে আলোচনা করেন। তিনি আরও বলেন কিভাবে প্রতি বছর ২১শে ফেব্রুয়ারি, আন্তর্জাতিক মাতৃভাষা দিবসে বাঙালিরা শহিদ মিনারে খালিপায়ে ফুল দিয়েআর বাংলায় গান গেয়ে বাংলা ভাষার প্রতি সম্মান ও ভালোবাসা বজায় রাখে। তিনি বাংলায় তার প্রিয় কিছু কবিতা পড়ে শোনান এবং নানান প্রজন্মের প্রিয় সব কবিদের নাম উল্লেখ করেন।\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eতিনি প্রথমবার আমেরিকায় আসার কথা মনে করেন, কিভাবে এখানে এসে তাকে প্রতিদিন কোন না কোন ছোটখাটো অসুবিধার মুখোমুখি হতে হয়েছিল। প্রবাসী পরিবারের মধ্যে তৃতীয় প্রজন্মের পরিবর্তনটি কি এবং ভাষা সংরক্ষণের গুরুত্ব ও কঠিনতা নিয়েও উনি আলোচনা করেন। একজন শিক্ষিকা হিসাবে, তিনি তরুণ প্রজন্মের মধ্যে শিক্ষা এবং বিভিন্ন কার্যক্রমের মাধ্যমে বাংলা সংস্কৃতির সংরক্ষন করার আশা রাখেন। তার কাজ দ্বারা তিনি বাংলা সংস্কৃতিকে বাঁচিয়ে রাখতে চান এবং আমেরিকায় বসবাসকারী অন্যান্য প্রবাসীদের সাহায্য করতে চান।\u003c/p\u003e"]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCC BY-NC-SA Contact digitalarchives@queenslibrary.org for research and reproduction requests.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Queens Public Library"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Queens Public Library"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/010/original/Aviary_QPLlogo_192x192.png?1578574261","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/233/248/small/52136659786_fffd55fb38_o_aviary.jpg?1709911743","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - seamon_naznin_20211224_radioedit.mp3"]},"duration":3995.544,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/233/248/small/52136659786_fffd55fb38_o_aviary.jpg?1709911743","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-queenslibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/233/248/original/seamon_naznin_20211224_radioedit.mp3?1709911471","type":"Audio","format":"audio/mpeg","duration":3995.544,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Full Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Please introduce yourself.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=0.0,5.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: My name is Naznin Seamon and coming from a Bangladeshi culture or Bengali culture, usually children have many nicknames, right? So you have a family name and, you know, an official name. Then there are other names people-- like to aunts, aunties, everybody calls you by different names. So, I have like about 20 names. And Seamon is not my family name, it's my pen name actually given by my mom, my mom used to call me. My family name is different. Talking about myself: I'm a very simple human being, I guess. And I come from Bangladesh and I am actually very proud of my culture and my ethnic background, I should say.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=5.0,70.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Tell me about your childhood.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=70.0,75.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: I actually was born in my maternal grandparents' house and that is in Narail. And then I grew up in-- because my father was a government employee, we moved around the country a lot. And I have been exposed to different cultures within the same culture, I should say. And but most of my childhood I spent in Chittagong. I went to school there, I finished my college there. And then I moved to Dhaka, the capital. Now for Bangladesh, any sight, any sound, any sight, everything is adorable and very dearest to me, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=75.0,136.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: But I should say the color of the flag, which represents the Liberation War in 1971. Where, you know, people died and 2 million people, 2 million women were raped by the Pakistani army. And so the flag represents that color, you know, I'm sure you have seen the Bangladeshi national flag. It has a green square, and within that we have a red circle. So those two colors are the dearest to me, I should say. And smell: As I said, I grew up in Chittagong. And at that time, though it is a very city-like environment now, back then it was very calm and quiet, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=136.0,191.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: It was like a suburban area, and I still feel the dew on the grass. And I love to, you know, step my feet on it in the, you know, winter when I used to go to learn Arabic in the mosque, right? I still love it, the smell of tea in the tea stall outside, right, that is-- the different snacks they make, the street foods, the sounds of people calling in the morning. You know, selling stuff, everything is, you know, very dearest. So, I cannot actually distinguish if you asked me.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=191.0,248.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Why is Bangla language and history important to you?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=248.0,253.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: I should say as long as soon as I started learning, so it was because my father was a freedom fighter. And though my father never actually told us the stories, never ever we have hard from his mouth. But we were encouraged to celebrate all the national holidays, for example, February 21, which is now observed as the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO. So in 1952, there was a protest against the Pakistani government, because Pakistani government wanted Urdu to be the only language and national language. So students actually protested right away. And from there, there was a big riot. And then students were killed.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=253.0,313.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: The movement, this movement from 1952 ended in 1971, the freedom fight, and I believe if we look at history, I'm not 100% sure, but as far as I'm concerned, this is the only language and the country where the independence came-- it started from language movement. So first, we fought for language. We achieved that and then fought for our independence, which is-- so from the beginning, I saw how we observed those, even though at that time, the government we had in Bangladesh was not pro-Bangladesh. It was fundamentalist Bangladesh, who supported Pakistan, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=313.0,380.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So it was a very confusing situation when I grew up. Yet my parents made sure that we celebrated everything. And we cherished, we knew. So as far as I can recall, I have been always proud to be a Bangladeshi. I'm very proud of my culture and history. And one coincidence, though, not the same year: I was born on December 16th, which is the Independence Day of Bangladesh. Victory Day, Victory Day of Bangladesh. Yes, in 1971. So, yes, a very special day and in our house, both my parents are gone. I mean, they are no longer with us. But when I was there, we celebrated 16th December in two ways. It was a big celebration, because first of all, it is the Victory Day of Bangladesh and then it was my birthday. So we really, really celebrated this day. Yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=380.0,458.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Tell me about how you celebrated Ekushe February.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=458.0,463.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Absolutely so Ekushe February, as students have sacrificed their lives, right? And there are also others whose names are not as as remembered as it should, because you know, other people also died and they actually removed many bodies in 1952. We actually this is a culture that we have to wear barefoot-- we have to be barefooted, right? And we go to Shahid Minar. It's a structure where it represents the mother. So, the mother is the country or the language in in the middle and then the two, you know, mother and her children on the side. So, that is called Shahid Minar, and we go there we pay our tribute, our respect with flowers, we wear black and white.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=463.0,530.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/13","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So, remember, I grew up in Chittagong and the main Shahid Minar is in Dhaka. So, it was impossible for us back then, to travel back and forth. What we did was we collected bricks, pieces of bricks. From evening, from 20th evening, we would make a Shahid Minar by ourselves, right. And then we it was not a very long one structure, you know, you talk about architecture, probably there was no aesthetic value of it, but it resembled Shahid Minar, and that came from our heart and we followed all the rituals. And it started, this is the another thing to mention, is that it we do it at 12 o'clock at midnight. 12 in the morning, right? So we were up all night, we gathered flowers, and we we sang the song Amar Bhaier Rokthe Rangano Ekushe February by Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury, and that's all. And we wore black and white.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=530.0,621.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/14","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So it was, of course, my family. So I grew up in a very extended family, even though my father was a government officer, so we had those small apartments, very tiny apartment right? Yet, we have my uncle, aunt, not only immediate ones, but even someone from the village. They were always in our house. And we never knew how to separate: we knew uncle, aunts, cousins. And you know, that's all. So yes, my family and then we have friends. So we lived in a colony and all the children, they came, and my uncle used to live with us, and he was the General Secretary of the political party, under which political party, Bangladesh was liberated, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Awami League.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=621.0,678.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/15","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So he was part of the Student League and his friends also came. So it was a big gathering. And many times it also happened as I said that at that time, the government was supported by fundamentalists, so many times it happened: we built the Shahid Minar. We went to change our clothing and would come back. When we came back, it was all diminished by people, yes. Because it was the government did not-- the government, then government-- because 1971 Bangladesh was liberated.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=678.0,745.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/16","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Then 1975, our Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed by Bangladeshi people, but it was backed by ISI, the Pakistani government. Right? Because Pakistan lost in 1971. They wanted to take revenge again. So it was a political game and now, not all Bangladeshis wanted Bangladesh to be independent. They preferred to be a part of Pakistan. And I believe, as far as I understand, or what I read, it has a lot to do with religion. Right. So, and if I talk about religion, it is-- I was born Muslim, and Islamic culture, it is prohibited to do anything like that. They think you are worshiping a statue. So it has a lot of, you know, details in it, which I cannot probably cover in a short short period of time, yes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=745.0,817.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/17","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [How do you feel about being Bengali?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=817.0,822.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/18","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Absolutely, I felt very emotional. Proud, of course, and as of today, as I'm talking to you anything about Bangladesh brings tears to my eyes. So, I am like top to bottom, I am a very, very proud Bangladeshi.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=822.0,851.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/19","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [What was it like coming to the US?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=851.0,856.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/20","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: It was a great shift for me, I came here as an immigrant, of course, after I got married, so my husband sponsored me, actually. And there, I came into a new culture, new language, of course, I am-- in our country, unlike many countries, I believe, I'm not 100% sure about all countries-- but in our country, we learn English from childhood. However, you would know that, you know, knowing a language and speaking it, and using it in an academic area, right, are two different things. So it was a difficult shift for me. I had to take a lot of challenges. Many obstacles came, hopefully. I mean, I did my best to endure as we all do, that's life.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=856.0,925.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/21","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Can you tell me about those challenges?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=925.0,930.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/22","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Oh, sure. So one of the biggest [challenges] was, you know, of course, clothing, right? I am very traditional. When it comes to clothing. And at that time, I'm in my country, we did not use like, not everyone, there were, yes, a few who would wear shirts and pants, right? We have our own types of clothings. And here, I had to change that, you know, to when I went to work, of course, I wouldn't wear my traditional clothing. It doesn't make sense. So that was a big shift. Right? Then, of course, food was, you know, big change. Language was a big change. And I still can recall when I went to my first job, so my first job was at Wendy's. And I used to work in the kitchen. And being the you know, eldest in my family, I got so much love and attention. I did not pretty much have to do anything.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=930.0,1008.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/23","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Now here I was cutting 10 pounds of onions in the morning. So think about that, you know, and then, because I used to work in the kitchen. I did not have to speak a lot of English. But then one day, I was in the front and my manager says \"lemme see it.\" And all I'm thinking: \"What is lemme?\" I'm looking at the foods, and all these items and, you know, utensils. I'm like \"What is Lemme?\" And I couldn't-- because in my country, we learned British way of English. And the accents are very different here. Right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1008.0,1065.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/24","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So it was a great challenge. And then I came home and started like, at that time, there was no internet. No Google, you couldn't just Google, you know, so I had to use the dictionary. And dictionary did not give \"lemme.\" It tells you \"let,\" \"let me,\" but no \"lemme.\" So it took me a while to understand and that is I still remember that day from where, you know, how I felt and I couldn't-- I was so embarrassed that I couldn't ask anyone, what does \"lemme\" mean? And I remember, you know, when I started college here how how difficult, like how much I had to-- I had to put extra effort, because I was learning everything in English.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1065.0,1113.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/25","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: I used to carry dictionaries with me. I bought an electronic dictionary, so everything I heard I translated, and that's how I learned. And think about it. When I was in Bangladesh, I used to get very high scores in English. And I was very proud of myself. Yeah, I know the language. It opened my eyes when I came here and you know, was like, thrown this harsh reality. And then I realized, no, I don't know enough. You know?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1113.0,1155.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/26","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Did you move to Queens when you arrived in the US?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1155.0,1160.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/27","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Yeah. Yes, yes. I started in Queens. Yeah, I was in Briarwood. And from there, I came to Woodhaven and from there I did not move anywhere. I love Queens. Yes. So Queens is-- if you asked me, \"Where would you live?\" If you have to choose a place right. So my, my first preference would be Bangladesh. Of course, if I have the chance, if I can really manage it, I would definitely go back to Bangladesh. And that's my plan actually. Going back to Bangladesh at some point. After that, I believe New York City. Queens is so diverse. The diversity in it amazes me and I believe people are very open minded here. I am a foodie. So I can try all different foods you name it. Like which country's food, where? I can tell you where to go. And the transportation I love. And the movements for the immigrants-- I appreciate it. All the movements we do, the cultural activities of different communities. Altogether I love it.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1160.0,1254.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/28","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Was there a Bengali community around you?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1254.0,1259.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/29","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: No, where I was, in Briarwood. I did not know anyone, any Bangladeshi community. To know Bangladeshi people, I had to come to Jackson Heights where most Bangladeshi people are. And on the way, if I saw Bengali people, right, a Bengali person, I would literally-- my eyes would, you know, get widened in surprise. And then \"oh, like, oh, a Bengali people, a person!\" And that has changed. I'm sure there were Bengali people at that time. But I did come across any there.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1259.0,1307.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/30","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [When did you start writing?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1307.0,1312.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/31","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: My writing started-- I think I started writing at a very early age. I told you about my uncle and his friends. So one of them was very much into literature and literary movements. He used to take us-- he used to-- every evening, or at least twice a week, we would sit in the open field and we would recite, dance, sing. And then he started a wall journal. So, it was like handwritten and the journal was posted throughout the colony we lived in like on every building. And that was my first published poem ever and then I somehow did not stop. And please excuse me, because I strongly believe at that time I did not know what poetry is. I used to think everything that rhymes is poetry, right? But that has changed.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1312.0,1391.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/32","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So, after coming to America-- my husband is actually a very renowned poet, Hassanal Abdullah, and he introduced me to this, you know, huge collection of books. And I started reading different time periods and so on. And then I started-- being a student of English literature here, I was exposed to more poetry so I was able to compare or have a clearer, a parallel vision, I would say about Bengali literature and English literature, European literature. Not European, I should say British literature. So gradually I started writing again. My husband is the publisher of Shabdaguccha Magazine and editor of Shabdaguccha Magazine, it's a bilingual magazine and it goes to different parts of the world, different poets from different parts of the world have been published here in this magazine, and I started writing there. That's how I started again.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1391.0,1479.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/33","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [What does it feel like to write in Bengali?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1479.0,1484.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/34","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: It feels terrific, I feel. because I know English. You know that saying that if you don't dream in a language, you don't know that language very well. Yes, I can dream in English now. I can, yes, communicate, but I still believe Bengali is my strongest area and and that is my mother tongue. So, every word is important for me. And my emotion, I try to, you know, convey my emotion or the, you know, of that moment or my experience through words. And I try to write in English too, I have written some.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1484.0,1544.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/35","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: I see the difference how I can convey something very easily in Bangla, not very easy in poetic term, right? That's not what I'm saying, but English, I have to still probably search for the word. So, that is a struggle. And Bangla is such a rich language. It has such a wonderful history as more than a thousand years old, right. And at one point, we know that people from the west went to the east to learn Sanskrit, to learn the culture, and literature. So, I am from that culture. Obviously, I feel very proud.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1544.0,1600.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/36","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Tell me your thoughts on translation.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1600.0,1605.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/37","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So, it depends on, first of all, who is translating. For a poem to be translated into a different language, in my opinion, I believe whoever is translating has to be a poet, first of all, and have educated knowledge in both languages. Otherwise, you cannot capture the feeling, capture that emotion. And then the second step is: even though we know both languages, somebody can be a poet, there are words that cannot be translated into a different language. There are emotions that cannot be transferred from one to the next. So many things loses in the process of translation.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1605.0,1661.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/38","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: However, translation is still important because that is the only vehicle to reach out to the others because there are so many languages. Other than translation, how would you actually reach your thoughts, your ideas. to other people? And that is-- I just want to add--that is one of the reasons, I believe, that lack of translation. Because of that, Bengali literature did not have any more Nobel Prize or any notable prizes after Tagore. Because Tagore took the initiative to translate his poems. Other poets--we have so many great poets, we have so many so many great pieces of literature in prose right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1661.0,1728.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/39","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Who are some of your favorite Bengali writers?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1728.0,1733.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/40","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Yes, so, we have great poets, major poets like Nazrul Islam, Kaji Nazrul Islam, who is the national poet of Bangladesh. We have Jibanananda Das. We have Sudhin Dutta. We have even Madhusudan Dutta, right? From the earliest period. And then we have Dr. Humayan Azad, we have some Shamsur Rahman, we have Shahid Qadri. We have right now, in this postmodern era, I should say and it's not favoritism, but I strongly as a reader, I would say Hassanal Abdullah, and then there are other poets. Why are we not known? Why did not we get that recognition? Because of translation. We have Debirprasad Chattopadhyaya who wrote wonderful prose, right? Novels. We don't know-- the West doesn't or any other readers other than Bengali speaking readers, know about them. That is tbecause of lack of translation. We wouldn't know Chinua Achebe if he was not translated, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1733.0,1820.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/41","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Why is Bangla a special language?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1820.0,1825.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/42","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So, if I talk about the function it is--okay. Let me make it very simple because otherwise it will be too technical. Right. Think about first of all it is the language itself is more than-- it is very old. Right? It is a very old language and it has evolved throughout. So if we divide the language, it would be probably three-- academicians divide it into three phases: old Bangla, medieval Bangla, and then modern Bangla. What happened was different people came from different parts of the world throughout centuries. And as they moved in, they brought their own languages and cultures, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1825.0,1887.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/43","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: The Bengali language got borrowed words from them. So that is one way, right? It borrowed a lot of word from Sanskrit. And it actually came from the language. So, this is the history, I don't want to go into there. Then Sanskrit has a lot of influence in it. And then other languages, for example, you name it, Persian, Arabian, Turkish, of course, English, Portuguese, so, we have many, many languages infusing into the same language. And I'm sure you have, you know, according to UNESCO survey, Bengali is the sweetest language of the world. Right? And just to mention one thing, just to show that I have a colleague and friend, she calls me Didi, and Didi is a Bangla word, right it means my sister. And I call her Didi too, she prefers Didi instead of her name. Because just by hearing the sound and just by knowing the culture, tasting the food, she fell in love with this culture. Right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1887.0,1954.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/44","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So it is and then I'm talking about the, you know, forms. If I talk about the forms, Bengali has two forms, Sadhu and Cholito Bhasha. So, one is the the verb form, it is like long. So for example, I can say he did it, \"she koriyechilo\" that is the sadhu form. And then the Cholito form, \"she koreche\" same thing, so I hope you see the difference, right. So those are two forms. And then we have formal written language. Right? Then we have called colloquial, and within the colloquial language, we have dialects. Each part-- you move from one part to the next part, they have their own dialect. And it is like almost a new language.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=1954.0,2013.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/45","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: If you go to Chittagong where I grew up, if they talk, I promise, you wouldn't understand a word, even though they're speaking Bengali, but in a dialect. Go to Sylhet, they had their own language, even alphabets at one point, that actually died or you know, extincted for different reasons. And you go to my district where I was born, that's a different dialect, you go to Rajshahi, that's a different one. And it shows richness for sure. And then, think about the English, if I compare, English has 26 alphabets all together: five vowels and 21 consonants.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2013.0,2070.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/46","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: If I talk about Bengali... 11 vowels and then the consonants. And then vowels and about-- vowels mix up to make different marks. There are different N sounds, there are two n letters in Bangladesh that serves different purposes. There are three different r sounds, three different s sounds, s sh. Many languages do not have that. That makes a language very, very rich. And if I talk about the literature, I would never if I even read one book a day or one book in half an hour, I would not be able to read everything still. And it is spellbinding for me.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2070.0,2135.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/47","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [What is your favorite poem?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2135.0,2140.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/48","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: I would say the poem Saswati by Sudhindranath Dutta. This is one of the--I have read different love poems right from-- in translated version many different poems. I have heard many love songs. This is one of-- this is the best I think, in my opinion, best love poem ever. And the language is so rich. It is so intense like I cannot explain it.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2140.0,2175.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/49","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Can you read it?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2175.0,2180.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/50","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Sure, I can actually. I think I memorized the poem because I love it so much, right? But it would be better if I pull it up give me a moment.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2180.0,2200.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/51","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: And you understand poetry in Bangla?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2200.0,2213.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/52","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Yes. Right, right. So, let me read the best part. I think.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2213.0,2221.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/53","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: [Naznin Seamon reads the poem Saswati by Sudhindranath Dutta.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2221.0,2280.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/54","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: And the poem goes on, right? And this, if I just briefly translated, is like one word with hesitation at the peak of it, right? There were seven heavens. I cannot translate it but I just you know spontaneously. And then a moment just at the big street or avenue and time eternal time has stopped right there. So, think about it, like it's amazing.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2280.0,2326.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/55","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [It's very philosophical.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2326.0,2331.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/56","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Yes, it is philosophical in part. It is revolutionary, there are revolutionary poems also. So, it has different tones, different genres and all Bengali poems I believe, like I shouldn't say all but you know, Bengali poems or Bengali literature is filled with imagery. It's very vivid, you know?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2331.0,2359.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/57","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [What is your writing process like?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2359.0,2364.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/58","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Sure, um, I cannot tell you about the process, I guess, because I have a very selective memory I should say. You know, I have seen poets, very famous poets. I met them, I live with a poet and they would have said, they would remember every teeny tiny details. Why they wrote it, when they wrote it, what inspired them. Me? Nothing. It came. I wrote probably. So one of them and this poem of mine has been an included into the 20th century poem collection of Bangladesh. So I would read one from there.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2364.0,2418.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/59","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: [Naznin Seamon reads one of her poems.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2418.0,2492.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/60","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [That's a beautiful poem.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2492.0,2497.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/61","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Yes, that is the significance of Bengali language I believe. And as you mentioned earlier that, you know, this poetry is very romantic, right? I think Bengali language itself, the daily communication itself, is very romantic, very cute, very charming and soothing to your ears. And also Bengali people in general are very humorous.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2497.0,2548.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/62","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So, but when you talk about my, you know, that the moment when I wrote-- I think people, many people have said that, you know, instead of writing about romantic poems, and all these, many readers have said they see about women, like, you know, women empowerment and political messages in my poem, I mean, so I consider myself to be yes, I am a very proud Bangladeshi, but I also believe I'm the citizen of the universe. So, what happened somewhere else-- that still bothers me, right? What happened in any any part of the world, any injustice, that bothers me. So, many of my writings are inspired by that, I should say.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2548.0,2613.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/63","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So, if you, if you allow me to read, to give you an example, I can do that, for example, and this is, this poem has been published in from here, one of the books, Hollowness on the Horizon. This has been published from here, and it is a translated poem. And the poem goes by if I can find it-- Human Race from the East. So it was again, originally written in Bangla, but then it was translated into English by Hassanal Abdullah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2613.0,2656.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/64","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: [Naznin Seamon reads the poem Human Race from the East, translated from Bangla to English by Hassanal Abdullah.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2656.0,2737.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/65","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So in this poem, I did not talk about only Bangladesh. I did not-- I tried to I raised Yes. Oops, sorry. Sorry. I think I pressed something. Yes. So it is not only the War of Independence that I described before, in 1971, right? 1971. It's not only that, think about it, how many worlds have we gone through where they're necessary. And think about when a woman gets raped, we are raping, we human beings are raping the world and digging through its vagina like that, right? We are so crude for, really, selfish reasons.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2737.0,2804.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/66","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: And the East has been-- even though the east was very resourceful. Right? People went to the east to look for resources, to look for knowledge. And now that had shifted, and we are now very west centered. And all the add that kind of combat, you know, adds everything, like there's such a--how should I say it-- such an imbalance between the East and West and within the west, country to country, such an imbalance. And that's what I wanted to capture in my poem that yes, there was Nobel Prizes and all these but you know, what is the actually distance from human race? Right. From the east. That's what I wanted to capture here.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2804.0,2873.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/67","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [You are also a teacher at the bilingual English-Bangla John Adams High School.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2873.0,2878.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/68","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Thank you, thank you. Yes. Yes, that is correct. As of now, yes. We used to have a full program but gradually that has changed for whatever reason, could be budget and all these. I don't want to go into details. But yes. But other than that, Long Island City High School, had probably some Bengali programs and Hillcrest High School, probably has something. I used to work at Hillcrest High School too, not as a full time teacher, but I used to work there. They have huge Bengali community. I used to do cultural activities over there too. But yes, John Adams High School has, and we have faculty members in every disciplinary area-- English, math, science, social studies-- who speak Bengali so I am-- Yes, that is amazing. I am very proud of that. Yes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2878.0,2949.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/69","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [What do you think are the benefits of a program like this?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2949.0,2954.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/70","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: I think really it benefits-- and it has many folds, right? So first of all, think about any new, you know, newly immigrant student, the support, the emotional support, the language support, the student needs, we can definitely provide that to the student. Just talking to someone in Bengali, in your language and know that, you know, knowing that someone is there, is such a, you know, relax, it's relieving for you, which I did not get when I came here, right. I had to look for, you know, things and like I said, you know, I had to do-- translate and everything, and learn the hard way.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=2954.0,3010.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/71","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So I think we are making the educational journey and and, you know, getting into this new culture, knowing the new culture and norms and everything, we are giving them a smooth transition as much as possible, which is a, you know, they become less fearful. And so, yes, it is definitely beneficial and fortunately, after all these years, I'm not-- I did not get an official email or anything, but I know that social studies regions exam will be first time ever given in Bangla this year. So hopefully, yes, hopefully, that is authentic news. And it's, so think about how students will benefit from it. Right? So hopefully English will be-- not English, I'm sorry-- science will be given in Bangla as well, I hope so, soon. So, these are some advantages.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3010.0,3078.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/72","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: And also, I teach English mainly, but I also teach one class in Bangla. I teach Bengali literature, where we talk about not only literature, we talk about the history of Bangladesh, right, the things we should be proud for, proud about. We celebrate all the national holidays: Victory Day, Mother Language Day. So I don't want them to forget their roots. Because often what happens is there's a theory called the third generation shift. So, when immigrants come, yes, they continue their own language, own mother tongue. However, their children, they try to, you know, learn the new language, but they would use some of the mother language.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3078.0,3150.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/73","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: As soon as their children come, you know, are born they are more inclined to speak only English. So by third generation, the mother tongue fades away, right and many languages die each day. We should stop it. And especially whe our Bengali language-- and at the same time, when I'm talking about Bengali language, I also at the same time want to mention that all languages are equally important, everybody should practice their own mother languages, right? Language is a skill. And so practicing, knowing, reading as is really, I think, knowing two languages is a privilege, knowing three languages even better.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3150.0,3207.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/74","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Yes, and the theory, scientific theory, also says that when a child is exposed to different languages, because when the child's brain is growing right as an infant and then later on, it absorbs everything like a sponge. At that time, if a child is exposed to three to four different languages, he or she can effectively learn those. So why not take this advantage? Why limit your child to only one language. And Bengali is not only the sweetest language, Bengali is the seventh most spoken language in the world. So I am very, I should say, lucky to work in an environment where I can teach that language, talk about that language, and also speak in that language.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3207.0,3275.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/75","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [In my experience, it is very hard for kids born in the US to maintain their Bangla.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3275.0,3280.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/76","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Right, yes, definitely, and may I just add in my opinion or in my experience-- and I make the still the third generation shift-- I am yet to experience because I tried, when my son was born, I tried to speak to him in Bangla right because I knew as soon as he goes to school, he will learn English with no problem. And believe it or not it or not, my son is speaks Bangla even though he was born here, he is raised here as good as any native Bangladeshi boy. He has no accent. So he reads Bangla, he writes Bangla, writes in Bangla. And I am waiting to see when my son's children, if they are exposed to Bengali, as my son was, does the third generation shift still apply? So I want to see that in my personal life, and I believe that will be a great opportunity for me.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3280.0,3356.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/77","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: And I don't know why I don't know, I'm not a fortune teller, if I am alive, definitely teaching Bangla to my grandchildren. It doesn't matter right. And many parents actually complain I hear complaints they are newly immigrants and their children do not speak Bangla. And I believe it is their-- it's not their fault. The reason is the parents because when our children are going through a shift, right, and they want to of course-- outside, they're going to use English because English is the primary language, they would lose interest in Bangla.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3356.0,3414.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/78","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: But if you create that opportunity for them, that environment, when my son I spoke to-- when he was three years old, he started calling me mommy one day and I did not respond. Half an hour he was crawling after me right everywhere I went he followed me: \"mommy, mommy.\" I did not respond. The moment he said Ma, I responded. Since then I did not have to teach him anymore. Right? So I believe if parents do that-- English they will learn. Trust me, English, they will learn, they are exposed to it. Keep your original-- if you don't know your roots, how are you going to be a complete person?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3414.0,3465.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/79","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [At school, do you celebrate all the Bengali holidays?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3465.0,3470.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/80","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Since I started at Adams and even before, Hillcrest, I always tried to celebrate all the Bengali national events. We even do Pohela Boishakh the first day of Bengali calendar, right? Or Bengali New Year. So my students, it was a project for them. So they built the Shahid Minar so that I brought back my childhood memory when I used to bring Shahid Minar, right we used to build Shaheed Minar and we used to appreciate that day, their sacrifices of the martyrs. I wanted to instill that into my students. So all I had to do is just explained the project and I was really amazed seeing the enthusiasm in them.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3470.0,3527.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/81","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: They built this gigantic Shaheed Minar-- it is still in our school in the art room, right? Last year, we couldn't celebrate because of COVID because we were all remote, but they built it and we placed it in the auditorium. We wore white and black and even our colleagues, my boss, everyone, and students from other cultures, right, they were invited they were-- and when we went on the stage to give flowers right, we all took our shoes off. Not we as Bengali people, but the other cultures too.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3527.0,3586.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/82","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: And they learned about-- and in the beginning of our discussion, I have mentioned that yes, we know only a few names of the martyrs, there were others. For example, one name is Ahualullah, right, he was very young and he was not part of this movement. Because of the shot he just fell, you know, he was in between and he was killed and many people do not know these names. So, my students did the research and they wrote all the names of the martyrs. So it was also very informational.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3586.0,3629.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/83","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Do you think Bangla is growing or shrinking?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3629.0,3634.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/84","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Bangla is going to like, you know, I talked about our generation shift, I talked about you know, entered endangered languages. Yes, languages are dying each day. But Bangla is not. I don't foresee Bangla is dying, I see it will flourish because-- not only because of the immigrants, but there are many people who really celebrate Bangla, Bengali, literature Bengali, the history of Bangladesh and they teach-- there are many children, I mentioned my son, but there are other young generation, you know, young people who are involved into music, they sing they dance and once that is done and there are so many restaurants Bengali restaurants.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3634.0,3699.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/85","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: The delicacies in the food, right. There are so many clothing stores, and one of my colleagues is-- she's an American, and she's marrying an Indian person. And she's now looking for an Indian bridegroom's clothing, bridal dress. And she asked me for my advice and of course, I suggested. So, you see it is not limited, it is spreading. And because of its own quality, because of its sweetness because of its, you know, many different dimensions. Bengali people are also attracted by it. And I have seen that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3699.0,3760.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/86","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So I see Bengali well, and if I just go back only a few years, you know when I first came here, this area didn't have enough Bengali people. Now everywhere I go I see Bengali people. So, Queens is like really heavily populated and Jackson Heights is highly, very heavily populated by Bengali people. You go there you will see the same adda we had in Bangladesh. And through culture-- I mentioned Shabdaguccha-- so, through it we try to, you know, publish other poets from different -- so, this is a cross cultural breach kind of right.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3760.0,3805.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/87","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So, we are trying to spread our literature also as as much as we are welcoming them. So, it should be given back. Tagore said something that debe aar nebe, mila hoi debe, right. Give and take, we are one. So, I see that. I see that coming and I believe in the political field too. Soon we'll see many Bengali plus there are yes, already many Bengali people, but more Bengali people will be included. We need to just move forward. And there was no Bengali-- there was no like, you know, if a couple of years ago, cricket was not known. Now cricket is a big thing. Right and and many Bangladeshi boys and men, they are playing in the teams. So, there are all different avenues, through all these avenues Bengali is spreading, is flourishing, as it should be.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3805.0,3870.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/88","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [What do you hope to see in the future of the Bengali language?]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3870.0,3875.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/89","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: I mean, talking about Bangla, and how much I know, I know very little, right. But, you know, the literature is really huge, it's like ocean size, right. So, I believe like you are promoting Bangla in one way. And, you know, just to add that, you know, think about few years ago, Jamaica Library or Queens library, probably did not even think about it right? Now, the young generation is going everywhere. And so more people will know about Bangladesh and the language and it is very-- once again I want to say that you know the literature and the language itself-- the culture is very old right, it is very rich.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3875.0,3930.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/90","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: So, there are so many things to learn from it we need to know the history, not the details as where it came from, but know the history because if you know this is the only this is the language which people sacrificed their life for. How many languages do we know in the world that happened and that which led to the Independence War right. So it is very-- we should take pride for it, and I believe once we take that once we understand the history, the legacy behind it, the sacrifices, we will definitely appreciate it more, and we need to learn the literature, I think this literature needs to be translated, and reach to people.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3930.0,3984.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/91","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Trisha Mukherjee: [Thank you so much Naznin.]","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3984.0,3989.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248/transcript/65432/annotation/92","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Naznin Seamon: Of course.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1826/collection_resources/125740/file/233248#t=3989.0,3995.544"}]}]}]}