On International Mother Language Day, UNESCO Cities of Literature worldwide will present a new digital exhibition: No Tongues Left to Chant. The exhibition is an international collaboration initiated by Manchester City of Literature, featuring poems in 16 endangered languages, including Frisian, Platdeutsch, Gaelic, Welsh, Yiddish and even two languages with no remaining first-language speakers.
Leeuwarden UNESCO City of Literature contributes to the exhibition with an untitled poem by Frisian poet Jan Kleefstra (1964). His poetry explores the impact of humanity on the earth and the inseparable connection between all living things. For Kleefstra, writing can only be the expression of a childlike fascination. Writing should express what the senses perceive in an abstract way – and the reflection of this perception breaks down into fragments, which form part of a larger never-ending whole.
His poem was first published in collaboration with Belgian artist Christophe Ywaska for the project ‘Teleferick’ (2021).
Jan Kleefstra’s poem in English, translated by David McKay:
Collaboration with Bremen UNESCO City of Literature
Specially for International Mother Language Day, Cities of Literature Bremen and Leeuwarden translated each other’s poems into their respective languages. The Länderzentrum für Niederdeutsch provided a Low German translation of Jan Kleefstra’s poem, while Ytsje Steen translated into Frisian the poem Christine Glenewinkel from Bremen contributed the digital exhibition. In Selenslötel, she writes about the deeper meaning of language and what it means to write in another language – here is a passage from the Frisian translation:
Yn it Platdútsk gie it skriuwen as fansels. Want yn it Platdútsk wie it in oar ik yn my dy’t skreau. In earlike stim, dy’t as in bern oan ’e hân fan in folwoeksene rint, dy’t dat bern gewoan dwaan lit. In stim dy’t him net earst skammet, mar earst fielt. In stim dy’t net klaget, mar docht en wit dat it hert gelyk hat.
The full translation can be downloaded below, and Christine Glenewinkel’s original text can be heard in Plattdeutsch on the Manchester City of Literature website. You can also find the entire digital exhibition there, which is free to visit. Take a look and discover remarkable scripts, readings, recordings, illustrations, and pictographic language!
With special thanks to Manchester UNESCO City of Literature, Bremen UNESCO City of Literature, Literaturhaus Bremen and Länderzentrum für Niederdeutsch.
