In brief
In the efforts to preserve the Cia-Cia language, which has been transmitted orally for centuries, children in Baubau, Indonesia, are learning to write their mother tongue using the Korean script, Hangul. This innovative method began at Hendea Elementary School, where around 40 students enthusiastically participate in classes dedicated to this new approach.
The Cia-Cia language, spoken by approximately 93,000 people in the Cia-Cia tribe on Buton Island, has traditionally lacked a written form. The decision to teach students to write Cia-Cia in Hangul arises from the need to protect the endangered language amidst Indonesia's linguistic diversity, which is home to over 700 native languages. Teachers like Deuk-young Jung have spearheaded this initiative, emphasizing the importance of language as a community's legacy. Amirul Tamim, a former mayor of Baubau, stresses that a language without an alphabet loses its authenticity. The use of Hangul not only provides the Cia-Cia children with writing skills but also ensures that their cultural heritage endures in the face of potential extinction. As students passionately etch the unique lines and circles of Hangul in their notebooks, a new chapter begins for Cia-Cia language preservation.
