Video summary
The video features a poetry slam performance by Mom Sal Lumtur at Tetso College, where the poet recites an original piece titled "A Mountain Song." Addressing judges, faculty, and fellow competitors with warmth, Lumtur introduces the poem as a personal exploration of identity, heritage, and the tension between one's current self and their aspirational future. The performance sets a reflective tone, inviting the audience to consider the deep connections between human life and the natural world while questioning the definitions of culture and belonging.
The poem itself weaves vivid imagery of nature with profound emotional introspection, describing mountains echoing sky melodies and rivers naming hills. It portrays mothers as figures of unwavering strength who embrace their children even in harsh conditions, while also depicting women working in fields who sing songs that blend themes of bondage and divinity. Through these scenes, the poet highlights the duality of existence, contrasting the beauty of sapphire skies with hidden lies, and illustrating the desire to unite with nature rather than simply exist within it.
A central theme of the recitation is the struggle between accepting one's inherited identity and striving for a higher purpose. Lumtur expresses a complex relationship with their heritage, acknowledging that it keeps them alive and moving forward, yet simultaneously voicing a wish not to be entirely defined by it. This internal conflict is explored through images of widows weaving memories into their being and children playing in harmony, suggesting that true identity involves both remembering the past and reaching toward an idealized future where one leads rather than just follows.
In conclusion, the poem serves as a powerful declaration of self-discovery, emphasizing that knowing who one truly is must precede understanding one's culture. The poet affirms their status as a daughter of the sun, sky, and land, yet insists on the necessity of defining oneself beyond these labels. The performance ends with gratitude to the audience, leaving a lasting impression of a journey toward authenticity where the speaker seeks to be more than just a product of their environment, but an active participant in shaping their own destiny.
Read the full video transcript
Wishing you all a very warm good
morning. My name is Mom Sal Lumtur
and I would like to address our judges,
my dear colleagues, faculty,
non-faculty, and all of my dear
competitors.
Today, I will be reciting a poem
originally written by me.
The title of the poem is a mountain's
song. I hope you enjoy my poem.
The mountain echoes the melodies of the
sky. Each hill has a name that the river
cried. Far beyond the seven seas and
endless dreams, mothers hold their child
in warm embrace. The ones that could
fight any battle without fail. She
becomes a valor for her children to
hold, even when it gets unbearably cold.
A gentle sunshine hits the
laboring retiree. Each grain has a name
that the land embodies. Woman in the
field chanting softly a cheerful song of
bondage and divinity.
It is not who I am, but who I yearn to
be. One with the nature and one that
leads. My voice echoes through the
hollow meadows,
but my voice goes unheard. Silhouette of
an old widow weaving.
The memories becomes a part of me. It is
just me and who I want to be.
Sapphire skies and hidden lies.
I wish to know who I am before I know my
culture.
It is not who I am, but who I wish to
be. Children run around in perfect
harmony. Choir singing
and playing of the clavier. A memory, a
beauty that lives within. It is not just
who I am, but who I wish to be. One with
the sky and one with the land. I am a
daughter of the sun, the sky, and the
land, but who I am, I wish to know. My
heritage is what keeps me alive. It is
what keeps me going, and I wish to never
be part of it.
I wish to never depart of it. Thank you.