What started as poetry to let go of the everyday stress and challenges as a teacher, Josephas Thongni, a musician and composer from West Khasi Hills recently released a Khasi music video that depicts the life of the primary school teacher which has left most viewers teary-eyed and concerned, even though for few minutes..
The saying, “Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches” fits well with the song titled ‘U Nonghikai LP” which translates into “The LP School Teacher”. Thongni was able to portray the joy and sadness, the extreme poverty and great responsibilities, feelings and emotions of people working as LP school teachers in poorly paid private schools authentically in the lyrics.
D.Rynjah, a teacher in Shillong described the song as ‘melancholic’.
“It portrays the hidden truth in reality. It is heartfelt and touches every teacher’s heart and has a profound meaning,” Rynjah added.
Thongni told Highland Post that he first wrote the poem in 2011-2012 soon after he resigned as a primary school teacher from a private institution and went to work as a daily wage labourer.
Music has long been an effective way to communicate to the masses, and lyrics have played a massive role in delivering this communication, he said, adding, “Therefore what I wished to communicate to the people is that all teachers must be respected and given the same status as other teachers in terms of being paid and private school teachers are not even noticeable during Teacher’s Day celebrations.”
No doubt lovey-dovey and syrupy romantic tunes attract a huge chunk of listeners in the state even as a few songs tend to deal with the eventualities of life especially when covering the realities of living in the world as a teacher. But ‘U Nonghikai LP’ sung by Glikarius Lyngdoh did strike a nerve with the common man and pulled their heartstrings.
The song portrays a primary school teacher who could only afford a second-hand shirt and slippers though he is honourably addressed as “sir”. He takes the role of a parent in feeding kids, wiping their noses, and cleaning their wastes at school. He even eats left over meals sometimes. The heart really shrinks in sympathy as the video shows how the LP school teacher, with all the burden of his own life crushing down on him, takes time to sing nursery rhymes and baby-dance with his little pupils.
People think he’s a stingy fellow when they see him walking home from the market or see him carrying his own supplies, but little do they know that he cannot afford it. His meagre salary has no time to spend in his pocket even for a day as he has to distribute it to the monthly debts he owes for the monthly rations.
This video song underlines the great wrongs that is being done to LP school teachers and calls for society to rectify it. Please remember us LP school teachers, is the fervent plea.
