Ahmar Mahboob

PART III: After the Maps Faded Read Part 1 and Part 2 The Collapse of the Old Maps High upon the hill, the Wise Houses continued their work. Meetings were held. Reports were written. Maps were updated. Corrections were carefully planned. From the towers, the forest still appeared orderly. Lines were straight. Borders were clear. Territories were neatly labelled. The system looked perfect. But far below the hill, the forest was becoming difficult to describe. The Kangaroos continued to bound. They followed the grass. They…

PART II: When the Forest Began to Listen Read Part 1 and Part 3 The Meeting in the Valley The Wise Houses had declared that the Eastern Valleys would need to be corrected. And so the correction began. Messengers arrived carrying instructions. Surveyors arrived carrying measuring sticks. Officials arrived carrying scrolls and expressions of considerable authority. They studied the land very carefully. They measured rivers that had never considered being measured. They inspected burrows that had never applied for inspection.…

PART I : The Towers and Their Maps Read Part 2 and Part 3 The Wise Houses on the Hill On the tallest hill in all the Great Forest stood a cluster of houses, tall and magnificent. Their towers rose high. Their banners shone bright. And their mirrors—ah, their mirrors—were polished so carefully that those who lived inside them could look and always see wisdom, nobility, necessity. Because of this, the creatures of the towers became known as The Wise Houses. Or rather, that is what they called themselves. From their hill, the…

“Some people just can’t seem to let go of colonization; they still continue to blame it for their living conditions even though they have had local governance for years.”

And, what is the point of speaking and writing about the International Mother Language Day when our languages continue to be disempowered today?

Ano ang subaltern linguistics? Ahmar Mahboob University of Sydney Salin sa Filipino ni Louie Jon A. Sánchez Translated into Filipino by: Louie Jon A. Sánchez Ang subaltern linguistics ay isang uri ng lingguwistika na ginagawa ng isang komunidad para sa kanilang ikalalakas, ikagagaling, at ikauunlad. Maaaring gawin ng sinuman ang subaltern linguistics. At, maaari itong gawin sa anumang wika—hindi nito kailangang gumamit ng anumang jargon o umasa sa Ingles. Ang layon ng subaltern linguistics ay lumikha ng mga ekonomiya,…

Poster Boy – a poem Ahmar Mahboob, University of Sydney I wrote this poem when I accepted who I had become over time: a Poster Boy. Playing the game of the colonizers, I had learned to climb up the ladder of “success”, as defined by the colonials and internalized by us. This ladder being one that many of us learn to climb from childhood. “Success” is: to learn English (at the cost of mother tongue and other local languages), study in English medium schools, go abroad (preferably to the US or another western country), get a…

Subaltern linguistics is a linguistics carried out by and for a community’s self-empowerment, well-being, and prosperity. Subaltern linguistics can be carried out by anyone. And, it can be done in any language – it does not need to use or rely on English or on technical jargon

Modern linguistics is “non-sensical”? Ahmar Mahboob University of Sydney, Australia This essay responds to the broad question: Why is it that a study of hard or applied sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, biology, medicine) is more “desirable” and considered more “valuable” than a study of language and/or linguistics? A one-line answer to the question is: because a study of language/linguistics makes limited (and sometimes no, or even negative) contributions to people or community. Or, put another way: we value things that…

I am subaltern That’s why they don’t like me I am subaltern That’s why they deny me I am subaltern That’s why they devoice me I am subaltern That’s why I don’t know Stupid Crazy Wrong Weak Incorrect That’s what they think of me Rude Arrogant Bull-shitter Unread Fucked up That’s what they think of me I am subaltern That’s why they ignore me I am subaltern That’s why they forget me I am subaltern That’s why they override me I am subaltern That’s why I don’t know I am subaltern That’s why I don’t…