Reviving the Cia-Cia Language with Korean Script

In Baubau, Indonesia, Cia-Cia children are being taught to write their language in Hangul, bridging cultural gaps while striving to preserve their heritage, amid threats to their linguistic future.

In a vibrant classroom in Baubau, Indonesia, children from the Cia-Cia tribe are eagerly learning to write their indigenous language using Hangul, the Korean script. This groundbreaking educational effort is aimed at preserving the Cia-Cia language, which has traditionally been passed down orally and lacks its own writing system. Once merely spoken by approximately 93,000 individuals, the Cia-Cia language is now being revitalized through these creative lessons.

As the lessons unfold, students attentively mimic their instructor, Deuk-young Jung, who has taught Hangul for over a decade. With paper nameplates adorned with their names in Hangul, the fourth graders take their first steps in transforming their oral language into written form. “Say, ‘ph.’ Hold a piece of paper in front of your mouth and ensure it moves when you pronounce it,” instructs Jung, helping solidify the connection between sound and script.

Indonesia is recognized for its extraordinary linguistic diversity, ranking second in the world with over 700 native languages. On Buton Island, where the Cia-Cia people reside, many local languages and dialects are endangered due to the absence of a written form. Amirul Tamim, a figure of significance in the language preservation movement and former mayor of Baubau, passionately asserts that “language is the wealth of a community, a legacy” and emphasizes that language authenticity cannot be sustained without its written counterpart.

Through this innovative initiative of teaching Hangul, the Cia-Cia tribe is not merely preserving their language; they are also enriching their cultural identity and ensuring their legacy endures.