Rob Ayling, yer Gonzo Grande Fromage, writes:
"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Thom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied within seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not?"
INDIGENOUS REVIVAL
RECENTLY,INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES'
were placed on an ENDANGERED
list.
This means actions need be taken to
locate,understand and retrieve
languages of the people and lands beneath
our changed Empires&borders.
For some,it may be too late-no native
speakers of ancient languages exist
for Raetic,Etruscan or Lemnian(part of the
Tyrrhenian language family)
Agglutinate Elamite was once spoken in
Mesopotamia (along with Sumerian &Akkadian),
but its pictograms and logographic symbols
pre-date Sumerian cuneiform,and remain lost to us.
The Hittite Empire of the Mitanni Kingdom
spoke Hurrian.We cannot translate .
Ancient Vinca ("Old European")pre-dates both
Sumerian Cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphics.A mystery!
The Siculi of Sicily came from Liguria or
Latium.They spoke Sicel.We cannot translate.
Same with Ainu from Hokkaido.Even using
Japanese Kana characters,its meanings are lost to us.
As are Sumerian cuneiform meanings.BUT
Basque languages survive because they are still spoken!(Unlike
Etruscan)
North and South Picene was spoken by the
Picentes people of Italy.They have long gone.We do not understand
Picene
The secret is simple-do not exterminate
indigenous.Languages are lost to us when their speakers are muted,
whether by death or proscription.Let living
tongues wag in diversity and oral vernacular.
Let us learn from our elders and
ancestors.Always,often and well-let us listen,preserve and tell our
children
the many ways speech protects and preserves
our genetic,linguistic and cultural heritages..
"The first prayer is listening.The second
prayer is respect!"
Rob Ayling, yer Gonzo Grande Fromage, writes: 
