Thursday, June 29, 2017

Indzi Naye! ինձի Նայէ

"ինձի Նայէ," Medzmama would say whenever she was trying to get our attention. "Indzi naye!" (Translated into Spanish = Mira)
Marash Girl loved the expression:  "ինձի Նայէ!" "Look at me!"

And so rather than shouting at her grandchildren to stop whatever they were doing that could have caused damage to themselves or to their surroundings, Marash Girl would simply call out, ""Indzi Naye!" But why would they stop what they were doing to look at her? Because it began as a game. Marash Girl would tell her grandchildren to dance and play and sing, but whenever (and it could be never or instantly) she commanded them to look at her, "Indzi nayé", they would stay in whatever position they found themselves at the moment of the command and look at her, often bursting out into laughter. Kind of like the kids' game of statue, but for them, a game that lasted the whole day, the whole week, the whole year. And the game worked. Rather than ignoring her, or crying, the children would giggle and hold stock still, statue-like, staring at Marash Girl, in whatever position they happened to have found themselves when they heard the command, ""Indzi nayé"!"

A lot better than scolding and tears, right?

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