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Frisian adventure during participation evening

Ellie Polfliet Visual Recording

I am the live recorder for a citizen participation evening in the municipality of Heerenveen. The beautiful province of Friesland, and the chairperson effortlessly switches to Frisian to welcome the first participants. Suddenly I feel a slight panic rising. Although I was born in Friesland (Dokkum, to be precise), I don't really feel Frisian. My parents are from Groningen, and we moved out of the province when I was five. As a toddler, I spoke Frisian fluently, but there is not a single syllable left of it now. I quickly leaf through my notes. Normally I always write something about the main language, but I can't remember that anything was agreed on this evening. While to my surprise I can follow the informal conversations in Frisian reasonably well, I quickly check with the organizer about the choice of language.


“Basically Dutch”

The organizer explains that the main language is Dutch, but that we can welcome 180 residents, an unprecedented number for a last-minute participation evening. Almost everyone in the room speaks Frisian, and given the emotions surrounding the topic, they will probably switch to their native language if the conversation gets heated. My assignment is to capture the voice of the residents. A crucial contribution to participation sessions, because by visualizing the interaction live, instead of just the presentation, people immediately see that their ideas and concerns are being heard. That not only increases involvement, but also trust in the process.


Preparing for a Frisian challenge

I call in an 'emergency interpreter' from the audience, someone who can help me with the nuances if Frisian is beyond me. At the same time, I trust that somewhere in the registers of my brain there is a hidden Frisian translator who will be ready tonight. In the meantime, the chair does something special. She guides the session in Dutch, but by occasionally weaving short Frisian sentences into her interactions, she creates a sense of familiarity with the audience. As a result, most of the session runs smoothly in Dutch.


The result: a visual report that everyone can hear

While the pros and cons are heard, occasionally in Frisian, I succeed in capturing the essence visually. The visual recording shows a clear overview of the concerns, ideas and solutions that have been brought in by the residents. The alderman can return to her supporters with a powerful and concrete report, and I end the evening satisfied. Apparently that little Frisian translator in my brain was still there, ready to do its job at the right moment. And it reminds me why I love this work so much: making all voices visible, no matter how they sound.


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Over Ellie Polfliet

My name is Ellie Polfliet, representing Visual Recording. As a visual recorder, I assist organizations in simplifying complexity and facilitating change. Through live recording, visual stories and animations, I capture the essence of your message while presenting intricate details in an accessible manner.

 

For further information about my background, please click here.

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