My Sari

Find an image of each of these pieces of clothing. Then find out where it is worn. • kilt • kimono • sari • kanga • gákti • poncho • shalwar kameez

Rani is the Hindi word for queen.

washing line tørkesnora mango leaf design mønster med mangoblader wraps around me omslutter meg ripples lager krusning spine ryggrad stand tall står rakrygget Debjani Chatterjee (1952–) is Britain’s best-known Asian poet. She was born in India.

DEBJANI CHATTERJEE My Sari Vurderingseksemplar

Saris hang on the washing line: a rainbow in our neighbourhood. This little orange one is mine, it has a mango leaf design. I wear it as a Rani would. It wraps around me like sunshine, it ripples silky down my spine, and I stand tall and feel so good.

Saris are a traditional kind of women’s clothing. They have been worn in India for thousands of years. Women also wear saris in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. The word “sari” is from the Hindi language. It means “strip of cloth”. A sari is a long, loose strip of cloth wrapped around the body. There are more than fifty different ways to wear a sari. Saris come in many different colours, patterns and fabrics. They are an important part of Indian culture.

240

UNDERSTANDING Choose task 1 or task 2. 1 Make an illustration for this poem. Compare your drawing to a partner’s drawing. How are your drawings similar? How are they different? 2 Answer the following questions. a What is hanging on the washing line? b Which sari belongs to the poet? c What design does her sari have? d How does she feel when she wears her sari? VIEWPOINTS 3 Discuss the questions. a Why do you think this sari is so special to her? b Is it true that what you wear says something about who you are? Why or why not?Vurderingseksemplar

WRITING WORKSHOP

4 Describe your favourite piece of clothing. • What is it? • What does it look like (colour, material, pattern)? • When do you wear it? • Why do you like it?

5 Write a short poem about your favourite piece of clothing.

Describe the man in the picture to a partner.

Great Soul

robes her: kjortel recognize gjenkjenne spectacles briller suffering lidelse human rights menneskerettigheter non-violence ikke-vold arranged marriage arrangert ekteskap lawyer advokat possessions eiendeler decent anstendig rule styre exploited utnyttet starved sultet demanded krevde jail fengsel moved her: berørte, gjorde inntrykk på protests protestaksjoner hunger strikes sultestreiker grieved sørget

People everywhere recognize this man in white robes and spectacles. His name is Mahatma Gandhi. In a world of conflict and suffering, Gandhi represents peace and hope. His ideas about human rights and non-violence changed the world. Gandhi was born to a rich Hindu family in India in 1869. At thirteen, he married Kasturba in an arranged marriage. Later he became a lawyer in Britain. He worked in South Africa before returning to India in 1915. Gandhi followed the values of truth, tolerance and non-violence. He was a vegetarian and had few possessions. Gandhi spoke of love and respect for all humans. He thought all people should have the right to a decent life. India was a British colony during Gandhi’s life. Many Indians were unhappy with British rule. The British exploited the Indians and treated them like slaves. Millions starved to death. When Indians demanded their rights, the British used violence. Thousands of Indians were killed or sent to jail. Gandhi worked to free India from British rule without using violence. His speeches, writing and actions moved people. He told Indians to stop working for the British. He led protests and hunger strikes and spent time in jail. In 1947, the British finally agreed to leave. India became an independent country. Tragically, in January 1948, a man shot and killed Gandhi. The whole world grieved. Gandhi was a powerful leader with a big heart. He believed that people of Vurderingseksemplar “Nonviolence different religions and ethnic groups could live together in peace. The Indian people is a weapon of gave him the name Mahatma, which means “great soul”. Gandhi’s ideas still the strong.” inspire people all around the world.

Mahatma Gandhi

Vurderingseksemplar

Mohandas Gandhi was born in 1869 and killed in 1948.

UNDERSTANDING

1 Make a quiz with five questions and answers based on the text. Use your questions to quiz a partner.

VOCABULARY

2 Work with a partner. Each of you should make a card with eight words from the text. Don’t show your partner! Then try to explain each word on your card to your partner without saying the word. Your partner should try to guess the words.

Then it is your partner’s turn. When you finish, take your partner’s card, and work with a new partner. 3 Find the missing noun or adjective from the text. noun adjective a peace peaceful b ___ hopeful c wealth ___ d ___ tolerant e ___ violent f ___ loving g ___ respectful h decency ___ i unhappiness ___ j ___ dead k power ___ l difference ___ m ethnicity ___ Vurderingseksemplar n ___ peaceful

4 Adjectives a Look at the adjectives in the word cloud. Find out what each one means. Choose five words in the word cloud that you think describe Gandhi.

inspiringselfish brave intelligent kindfunny violent powerful anxious cowardly

hard-working fearless humorous

generous b Find three positive words in the word cloud that describe a classmate. c Find three positive words that you think describe yourself. DIGITAL DIVE 5 Search online to find out more about Mahatma Gandhi. Vurderingseksemplar Write 5–8 facts. Then present your findings in small groups. 6 In groups of two or three, use the internet to find out more about one of the main religions in India. Write 5–8 facts. Then present your findings in small groups.