Amma is just at home?!

Paintings from Mother Series by S. Nirmalavasan

AMMA IS JUST AT HOME? !

Hi kutti How are you Kutti? What were you doing?
I was dancing kumi just by the ammi – I was not idle
Hi kutti how are you kutti? What were you doing?
I was comforting the little goat - I was not idle?
Hi kutti how are you kutti? What were you doing?
I was brushing the teeth of the baby snake – I was not idle

(Folk song)

(Arrive in a procession singing the above song and form a circle by dancing)


Sangupithala saruhupithala
Engum eapadi raja kattalai
This is a command of the king
Will you listen?


Sangupithala saruhupithala
Engum eapadi raja kattalai
This is a command of the king
Will you look at this?


Sangupithala saruhupithala
Engum eapadi raja kattalai
This is a command of the king
Will you answer these questions?


Teacher: What is your name?
Student: Sivakumar
Teacher: What’s your father’s name?
Student: Kandasami
Teacher: What’s your father’s job?
Student: Carpentry
Teacher: What’s your mother’s name?
Student: Annaluckshumi
Teacher: What’s your mother’s job?
Student: Amma is just at home

Person 1: Does just at home mean, from the time she gets up in the morning until night she is sitting on a mat?

Person 2: or perhaps she is sleeping on a bench?

Person 3: If not may be she is sitting on a chair and swing her legs

Person 4: She is not just sitting at home she is doing something. All of us know that.

Person 1: Then, if we know she is not just sitting why do we say so?

Person 2: That’s true. We never say she works

Person 3: Why? She is not paid a salary for this work?

Person 1: If so, a work that is not paid for has no value?

Person 2: That is a mother’s duty

Person 1: Amma does these out of love and affection

Person 3: Can you account for love and affection?

Person 1: You need not account for love and affection, but try to account for the work she does!

Person: If we were to pay for the labour of Amma, how much should we pay?

(All discuss)

Person: Still not finished calculating? Lets go home, think well, consult others too and make a decision.



(Song)*

When I was a little girl
I did not see this world – I was ignorant
Suffering of women - I knew not
Then, I knew not

When Amma was at home she was never idle – when
my amma was at home she was never idle
She would protect us as the pupil of her eye
She made our meals even taught us lessons – but
there is no value for her labour – yet
no mothers are idle at home

Women are the revenue to our country
Developments are through women
Women working in the plantations
women working in the garment factories –
no end to their hardship and silent suffering – yet
never paid worth their toil

Many are the women we see
Standing tall – self determined
Striving to create a perfect society
This is a transparent fact, known by all – yet
Still why the suppression?

Person 1: Even if you cannot pay her, keep an account for what she does for you.
Only then, will you never again say that Amma is just at home.



Sangupithala saruhupithala
Engum eapadi raja kattalai
This is a command of the king
May I take my leave?


Sangupithala saruhupithala
Engum eapadi raja kattalai
This is a command of the king
Are you all happy?


Sangupithala saruhupithala
Engum eapadi raja kattalai
This is a command of the king
Will you forget the sum?


Sangupithala saruhupithala
Engum eapadi raja kattalai
This is a command of the king
What’s the sum?


S.Jeyasanker
2006

*Song: when i was a little girl

In Thamil by S.Vijikala

Translated by: Lallini Tisseverasinghe

· Kutti: Young women in Thamil
· Kummi:
· Ammi: Grinding stone
· Amma: Mother
· Sangupithala saruhupithala, Engum eapadi raja kattalai: Chorus of a children’s game played in Sri Lanka