Aunty | southasiansinhk

Why do you choose to speak Urdu with your children and not Punjabi, or English?
I want them to be able to speak with their compatriots when we go back to Pakistan. I had a friend from the UK whose husband was raised and born there and could only speak Punjabi. As a result, at gatherings, he couldn’t communicate with the others because they didn't know Punjabi, and so he was left out. Most people know Urdu, but only a small circle know Punjabi so I consciously make the effort to teach the children Urdu. If the children want to learn something (i.e. on a school subject), I teach them in English. Otherwise I speak to them in Urdu.Their father speaks to them in Punjabi, though, so they can understand it and speak a little. My daughter mainly replies us in English and my sons reply in Urdu.

Do you want your children to be even better in Urdu?

I don’t mind that Sa'ddiya replies in English but I do wish that she would speak more Urdu. The boys speak more Urdu because they have more interaction with other Pakistani children. I tried to teach the children Urdu (reading and writing). But busy and children don’t take too much interest.

What language do you read the newspaper/watch TV/write emails in?
I mainly watch the English news, though I sometimes watch the Chinese news. Generally I'm not fond of TV. I prefer reading or using the computer. I read Urdu newspapers to keep up with what's going on at home, and I also read the SCMP (in English).

As for writing, I'm starting to get slower in writing Urdu. It takes longer to recollect how to write some words. I email home in English. I don't like to use the romanization of Urdu, and I don't have much practice for the Urdu typing. English is easier.

Does not knowing Cantonese create a barrier even though you’ve been in HK for over 20 yrs?

“It’s a shame, I should know the local language.
It’s a must wherever you live,

you should know the local language.”

Yes. If you don’t speak their language you feel a bit…distant.
I wish I could learn Cantonese to mix more with the locals. Learning to speak it would be good enough. I believethat to acquire a language one must practice and put lots of effort into it. First the listening, listening, listening and then speaking.

"I think I should watch more cartoons

- to learn more Cantonese."

But that's really my wish. I want to learn Cantonese. I think being able to communicate in English makes me lazy.

Does your husband know Cantonese?
Yes, my husband speaks fluent Cantonese. He was born and raised here. He attended primary in school in police department, then later went to a local school. He now works in the Correctional Services so he has to use Cantonese all the time. He's pretty much Chinese. He thinks in Cantonese. He even speaks English with Cantonese-British accent. Sometimes we even get into an argument, and he'll say something that sounds strange in Punjabi. When I ask him, "What are you saying?", he tells me that translated the phrase from Chinese!

What do you identify yourself as?
I would still say that I am Pakistani. I have a strong bond with Pakistan – I was born there, educated there, my parents and siblings are there. Pakistan is my home country. I go back every 2-3 years.

Do you feel that the HK government is doing enough to help South Asians?
Overall I'm happy with whatever the government is doing. There are organizations to help SAs learn Cantonese. The Gov’t also runs classes in community centers, but since we live so far away from the city center and I have to take care of the children, I don't have much chance to join those kind of activities.

However, though the government is doing a lot, the benefit is not great. There could be a better spending of money in other areas.

Aunty (Sa'diyya's mum)

Interviews (Home) Sandy Aunty Sa'diyya Lee Ho Shing Sanna and Zeeshan

Her story...

In the autumn of 1989, Aunty left her home in Pakistan and travelled half way around the world to join her husband in Hong Kong. Her husband, who was born and raised in Hong Kong, served in the Hong Kong Correctional Services like his father before him. A couple years later, Aunty started her PhD in Biology at HKU and also worked as a demonstrator. These came to a premature end when she gave birth to her first child, Sa'ddiya, and dedicated her time to caring for her daughter. After almost 5 years, Aunty came out to work again, this time teaching Urdu, Economic and Public Affairs, and History at a school with kids from Pakistan, India, Nepal, the Philippines and a handful local Chinese. However, this round also ended at a short 9 months as her daughter fell ill again and needed her care.
Old home, new home. Local, foreign. Husband, children. Pursuing her own studies, teaching the next generation. What languages does Aunty use??

"I speak…

Punjabi as my mother tongue. It is the language that my parents speak. It is also my husband’s mother tongue, so we converse in Punjabi.

Urdu, the national language of Pakistan. I was educated in an Urdu-medium school up until Form 5 (~16 years old). I speak to my three children in Urdu. When I talk on the phone with my Pakistani friends here in Hong Kong, or when I see them at gatherings or at the mosque, I will use Urdu. Of course I also taught Urdu to Pakistani children for about a year.

English. Since Form 5, since I studied science, classes were taught in English. I became more fluent after coming to Hong Kong. I’ll usually speak English when I’m outside, and at the mosque since most of the Muslims there are Chinese or from different backgrounds.
Limited Cantonese when I’m buying vegetables in the market. Otherwise, I get by with English. It’s a shame, I should know the local language. It’s a must wherever you live, you should know the local language."