1 00:00:00,340 --> 00:00:01,520 Friends 2 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:02,870 Loved ones 3 00:00:03,036 --> 00:00:04,176 Brothers 4 00:00:04,312 --> 00:00:07,402 I welcome you all this Sunday 5 00:00:07,843 --> 00:00:09,963 Today, I don't want to speak too long 6 00:00:10,393 --> 00:00:11,933 But I'll talk a little about myself 7 00:00:11,933 --> 00:00:13,693 And if I have time, I'll continue 8 00:00:13,820 --> 00:00:15,320 My name is Collins Agyeman 9 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:16,870 But my house name 10 00:00:16,870 --> 00:00:17,750 or my Fante name 11 00:00:17,750 --> 00:00:18,880 is Papa Ekow 12 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:20,440 My family calls me Ekow 13 00:00:21,783 --> 00:00:23,093 I am 18 years old 14 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:24,920 and I am a Fante 15 00:00:24,985 --> 00:00:26,375 I was born in America 16 00:00:26,510 --> 00:00:28,360 in a city called New Orleans 17 00:00:28,598 --> 00:00:31,148 But I lived in Ghana for about 8 years 18 00:00:31,488 --> 00:00:34,128 So that's where I learned the Fante language 19 00:00:34,850 --> 00:00:37,590 Right now, I go to Vanderbilt University 20 00:00:38,170 --> 00:00:40,780 In the American city of Nashville 21 00:00:40,790 --> 00:00:43,050 And I am majoring in History 22 00:00:43,110 --> 00:00:44,293 or how we say in Fante 23 00:00:44,293 --> 00:00:45,510 Abakosem 24 00:00:45,510 --> 00:00:47,593 And I'm also studying the Arabic Language 25 00:00:48,283 --> 00:00:52,013 I am very fascinated by all the languages in the world 26 00:00:52,180 --> 00:00:55,249 So one day, I decided that I would record a video 27 00:00:55,511 --> 00:00:57,261 And upload it to WikiTongues 28 00:00:57,337 --> 00:00:58,937 So that the people will see that 29 00:00:58,937 --> 00:01:01,037 The Fante are also here 30 00:01:01,530 --> 00:01:06,000 What many people don't know about the Fante language is 31 00:01:06,216 --> 00:01:07,686 No matter what 32 00:01:07,686 --> 00:01:09,703 English is part of it 33 00:01:09,703 --> 00:01:11,713 Even someone who has never been educated 34 00:01:11,963 --> 00:01:12,905 You will hear that 35 00:01:12,935 --> 00:01:13,979 When he's speaking Fante 36 00:01:13,979 --> 00:01:15,735 There is a little English mixed in 37 00:01:16,094 --> 00:01:19,508 Because if you look at the history of Ghana 38 00:01:19,508 --> 00:01:20,438 You will see that 39 00:01:20,438 --> 00:01:22,795 In the olden days, where the Fante lived 40 00:01:22,795 --> 00:01:24,547 was near the sea 41 00:01:24,547 --> 00:01:27,196 And that's also where the British came from 42 00:01:27,196 --> 00:01:29,836 And while we're on the topic of the English 43 00:01:29,836 --> 00:01:32,487 You will notice that many Fante 44 00:01:32,487 --> 00:01:33,987 have English lastnames 45 00:01:34,059 --> 00:01:35,041 It's not everyone 46 00:01:35,041 --> 00:01:37,972 But many have English lastnames 47 00:01:37,972 --> 00:01:40,609 My own uncle is called Thompson 48 00:01:40,609 --> 00:01:42,052 And before my mother got married 49 00:01:42,052 --> 00:01:43,081 she was called Ghartey 50 00:01:43,081 --> 00:01:46,045 So you see that there are many English names 51 00:01:46,211 --> 00:01:48,897 And also, there isn't just one Fante language 52 00:01:48,991 --> 00:01:51,534 The people of Cape Coast speak their Fante 53 00:01:51,534 --> 00:01:53,271 The people of Swedru speak their Fante 54 00:01:53,271 --> 00:01:54,821 The people of Gomoa speak their Fante 55 00:01:54,902 --> 00:01:58,751 The Fante I'm speaking right now is known as Takoradi Fante 56 00:01:58,881 --> 00:02:01,941 This is the dialect spoken in the Secondi-Takoradi area 57 00:02:02,171 --> 00:02:05,351 Everything I'm saying comes down to this 58 00:02:05,571 --> 00:02:07,352 If you know your native langauge 59 00:02:07,352 --> 00:02:08,842 Never stop speaking it 60 00:02:08,842 --> 00:02:10,871 Those of us who were born overseas 61 00:02:11,011 --> 00:02:14,341 There are so many who can't even speak with their own extended family 62 00:02:14,469 --> 00:02:16,414 Because they never learned the langauge 63 00:02:16,414 --> 00:02:17,831 Nobody taught them 64 00:02:17,831 --> 00:02:19,801 So let's keep on teaching our culture 65 00:02:19,901 --> 00:02:21,571 Our history 66 00:02:21,746 --> 00:02:23,271 and our language 67 00:02:23,521 --> 00:02:24,930 So that in the future 68 00:02:24,930 --> 00:02:26,175 It remains 69 00:02:26,251 --> 00:02:27,821 Peace be unto you all