Notes to broadcasters
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This program is about a traditional method of grinding grain used in Nepal. Other program ideas about indigenous food processing include:
- Experimenting with local fruits to make jams and jellies.
- How to add value to food crops before marketing them.
- Local people develop labour-saving methods of processing foods.
- Customary ways to store grains, fruits and vegetables, or roots and tubers in our community.
- Tools used to extract oil from oilseed crops.
This story takes place outdoors, so there are plenty of opportunities to use sound effects to set your scene. You may also want to announce the name of your sound effects person at the end of the program, along with the name of the host, actors, and any other technical people who worked on the show. There are several places in this script where the announcer needs to fill in some information about your radio station, so make sure that he or she is prepared before going on the air!
Script
Announcer:
Your regular station announcer.
Announcer:
Hello, and welcome to(name of show or segment). I am your host,(host’s name). Today’s show is about understanding and respecting local knowledge and practices.
For example think about the tools you use to process food. These tools often work well because they are based on years of experimentation by local people. In Nepal, farmers use a hand-operated hand mill, called a‘Janto‘ in the local language. TheJantois used for grinding grains such as wheat, maize, and millet and is easy to use. All you need are two large stones for grinding, and … and a hole … (voice trails off as if it’s hard to explain). Well, let me see – perhaps I should let my friend Pima explain it. She’s using theJantoright now, outside her home.
MUSIC(Theme music fades in over announcer’s voice, plays for about 10 seconds, and fades out again.)
SOUND EFFECTS(Sounds of nature – birds, wind and a soft rain.)
SOUND EFFECTS (Sound of two stones grinding.)
Pima:
Humming softly to herself as she works.
SOUND EFFECTS(Footsteps approaching. Footsteps stop.)
SOUND EFFECTS: (The sound of the two stones grinding stops.)
Pima:
Why hello, Soyang! It’s been a while since I last saw you. But you look tired. Are you not well?
Soyang:
(Sounding tired) Hello, Pima. I am very tired – I’ve just walked to the mill and back – my legs and feet are sore. The line-up was so long, all the women waiting for their turn at the mill. And then the walk back. I thought maybe I could rest here for a while.
Pima:
Yes, of course. Come and sit under this tree with me, where it’s cool and dry.
SOUND EFFECTS(The two women sitting down.)
Soyang: Aaah.
It feels good to get off my feet. I cannot stay long, though.
Pima:
That’s fine. I hope you don’t mind if I continue my work while we talk. I also decided to grind my grains into flour today, but with my hand mill.
SOUND EFFECTS(Sound of two stones grinding together starts again, and continues in background.)
Soyang
(
speaking above the sound of the grinding) I must say it has been a long time since I’ve seen one of those hand mills. My mother used to use one. She had a special name for it.
Pima:
It is called a ‘
Janto‘. I use it to grind my grains.
Soyang:
It looks so simple. How does it work?
Pima:
See here? I have two large, circular and flat grinding stones. One sits on top of the other. I put the grain in this hole in the top stone.
Soyang:
I see there’s also a handle on the top stone. How do you use that?
Pima:
I use this handle to move the top stone around in a circular motion. The grain moves between the stones and gets ground into flour. The flour collects on the ground next to the bottom stone.
Soyang:
On days like this, I wish I had a hand mill like that. To be able to grind flour
without walking all the way to the mill in the mud would be a blessing!
Pima:
It is more work than modern mills, though.
Soyang:
But less expensive. And it doesn’t seem to need any water or fuel.
Pima:
Yes, that’s true. It doesn’t need fuel or water. But I can only grind a small amount of flour at a time, just enough for a day or so. That’s okay too, because I always have fresh flour! And the insects and rats don’t have time to find it! (laughing)
Soyang:
And I just thought of something else. If I had my own hand mill, I could make flour each morning, for days like today when the air is damp and my bones are aching. I can always go to the mill other times if I need to.
Pima:
That’s what I do. Although, to tell you the truth, Soyang, I almost always grind my own flour. Because I can use it year-round, I don’t have to worry about traveling in bad weather. Even on nice days I don’t always want to wait in long line-ups.
Soyang:
Just to have a choice is nice, though, whether to do the work at home, or go to the mill to grind my grain.
SOUND EFFECTS(A clap of thunder.)
Soyang:
Well, I should go before the rain starts again. But I am going to think about making a Janto. If I have any questions, can I stop by?
Pima:
Of course. And Soyang, take care of yourself.
Soyang:
Thank you, Pima.
SOUND EFFECTS (Footsteps fade away.)
SOUND EFFECTS(Stones grinding together.)
Soyang:
Humming gently to herself.
MUSIC (Fade up theme music, hold for five seconds, fade down and continue under announcer’s voice.)
Announcer:
You have been listening to(name show or segment) If you would like to share ideas you have about milling or grinding grain with other listeners, please contact us here at(give radio station contact information). The part of Pima was played by (give actor’s name). The part of Soyang was played by (give actor’s name). I am your host (host’s name).
Acknowledgements
Contributed by Krystyn Tully, Toronto, Canada and based on information contributed by Ms Padam Bhandari, Network Partner, Nepal.
Reviewed by: Theivendaram Vigneswaran, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
