Top model Doutzen Kroes says: “Praat mar Frysk”, 22-11-2007 (A-EL) Top model Doutzen Kroes says: “Praat mar Frysk”, 22-11-2007 (A-EL) Eastermar, Thursday, 22 November 2007 by Onno P. Falkena
She is one of the official faces of L'Oréal and the best paid model in the history of the Netherlands. Now, Frisian born and bred Doutzen Kroes (22) has decided to lend her face to the Frisian language campaign 'Praat mar Frysk' run by the Frisian language institute Afûk. She said, "I want to show people how beautiful Frisian is and that we have every reason to be proud of our language."
Kroes lives in New York, but she texts and e-mails her friends and relatives on a daily basis in Frisian. The new Frisian language campaign starts next week in the Frisian county of Tytsjerksteradiel, Kroes’ home county. She was approached to support the new language campaign by the female Frisian politicians Houkje Rypstra, alderman of Tytsjerksteradiel, and Jannewietske de Vries, the Frisian regional minister for culture.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage Frisians to speak Frisian, especially in domains where Frisian would not necessarily be used. "Frisians should never be ashamed to speak Frisian", Doutzen Kroes told Frisian broadcaster Omrop Fryslân. "They should not bother about their Frisian accent in Dutch either."
According to Kroes people in Holland some still have an unfounded bias about Friesland and Frisian. "Dutch sounds harder, Frisian has a softer, more gentle sound."
Living and travelling abroad most of the time has made Kroes even more conscious of the value of her own background and language. In her case the consciousness probably always was there. Her grandfather Libbe Leistra wrote Frisian novels, she likes reading Frisian books and she passed all Frisian examinations in secondary education. "The difference is that people listen to what I'm saying, because I am famous now. It is the first promotional campaign in favour of the Frisian language in more than a decade.
Doutzen is quite confident about the future of the Frisian language. "It is obvious that the language changes with new words coming in. But the language is alive and kicking. And, if I can be proud of Frisian, many people can." (Eurolang 2007)
Links:
http://www.omropfryslan.nl website of Frisian broadcaster with several stories about new language ambassador Doutzen Kroes
http://www1.omropfryslan.nl/TV_Omrop_Fryslân_op_Ned_2_21-05-06.aspx hyperlink to a 30 minute documentary Omrop Fryslân made about Doutzen Kroes.
Boarne: Eurolang, 22-10-2007 [dig.]
FFU: In goede aksje. Sjoch ek by ‘Wytboek 2007’: Model Doutzen maakt reclame voor het Fries, 21-11-2007 (WB-LC) en by ‘Poadium 2007’: Doutzen Kroes, 24-11-2007 (P-LC).