Scattered All Over the Earth

Panska, Hiruko’s homemade language, is a motif that explores the themes of The Stress of Diaspora by mirroring Hiruko’s experiences as a refugee in her language. Hiruko intends for the language to be accessible not only to her, combining the different Scandinavian languages she interacts with, but also to the fully fluent speakers around her. The language grows out of necessity, as she moves from country to country, never staying long enough to assimilate. She depends greatly on Panska, but she finds it helpful only in certain situations: “When I’m talking to government officials, my Panska sounds very fragile. I made this language by gathering threads just strong enough to get my meaning across, but now I was afraid its beauty would be trampled by the sheer force of authority” (114). Her perception of Panska when interacting with authorities who, having power over her, can deny her access to a country and possibly move her, again draws a similarity to her refugee experience. The language is a collection, woven together in fragments, meaning it is passable in conversation. However, with no set rules, it is also at risk of coming undone, just as her time in Scandinavia could end.