Speaking Regional Languages is Cool
Young people are invited to be proud and feel cool being the preservers of Indonesia's regional languages.
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Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim took a photo with students, teachers, and local government representatives involved in the revitalization of regional languages after the opening of the Festival of Native Language Sprouts in Jakarta on Thursday (May 2, 2024). This festival facilitates students to be interested and proud to use regional languages because this talent is recognized as an achievement.
Speaking regional languages among students is increasingly considered cool. The Mother Tongue Language Shooting Festival from the sub-district, city or district, provincial, to national levels is an opportunity for young people who want to speak regional languages to show off their achievements.
Management recognizes students' talents in regional languages as national talents, just like other fields in arts and culture, English debate, sports, science and research.
Navika Rivalna, a student at Haurpanggung 1 Elementary School (SD) Garut, West Java, did not expect that her hobby of playing borangan, short for bobodoran sorangan, could bring her to Jakarta to witness the peak excitement of the Festival Mother Tongue Tunas (FTBI).
The festival was held by the Language Development and Empowerment Agency of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) in Jakarta on May 1-5, 2024. Navika encouraged students who are interested in and passionate about regional language and art to continue developing it.
"I am very happy to be able to participate in FTBI. This is my first time in Jakarta. I can't wait to visit Monas," said Navika excitedly.
A similar sentiment was conveyed by Asilla Agustina, a student at SD Negeri 007 in East Kalimantan. She never imagined that her routine of speaking the local language at home and at school would lead her to appear in the FTBI's peak event in Jakarta. "I am happy to speak my local language so that I can continue to feel close to my hometown," said Asilla.
Also read: Efforts to get the Young Generation to Love Speaking Regional Languages
Head of the E Language Development and Development Agency, Aminudin Aziz, said that holding FTBI is a medium for giving appreciation to parties who continuously contribute to the revitalization of regional languages program.
As part of a series of Regional Language Revitalization programs, this festival is a forum for disseminating language protection and socializing activities carried out by the Language Agency and local governments . Regional Language Revitalization (RBD) in 2024 has been implemented in all provinces in Indonesia.
The National FTBI event in 2024 was attended by 513 participants, consisting of 238 elementary school students and 275 junior high school students. They came from 168 districts/cities across 25 provinces, accompanied by teachers, supervisors, principals, or educational department officials.
While in Jakarta, they displayed their respective talents in seven types of regional language and literary creations.
The implementation is carried out in stages in the regions, starting from the sub-district level, district or city, to the province, to select children who have outstanding talents in the field and subject competed for. The provincial-level winners are sent to Jakarta to participate in the national festival.
The fields contested include reading and writing in regional scripts, writing short stories, reading and writing poetry, storytelling, speech-giving, traditional songs, and solo comedy.
The event is an effort to promote diversity of local languages, spread the spirit of love and expression of pride towards local languages, as well as a form of appreciation for local language practitioners, especially the younger generation.
"At present, FTBI has entered the national talent management program. The champions will have the pride of their talents being recognized by the government," said Aminudin.
The Ministry of Education and Culture acknowledges that language talents for local languages is a part of the substance of talent and interest development in national talent management. Even the national FTBI competition was categorized as four-star (very good).
The expertise of local language speakers in exploring the unique aspects of their language to produce high-quality language creations is on par with the talents in fields such as science, mathematics, sports, or other art forms.
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Bali's Secretary, Dewa Made Indra (center), along with participants from the Nyurat Lontar Festival and the Ngetik Aksara Bali Festival, attend the opening ceremony of the 6th Bali Language Month on Thursday (2/1/2024) at Taman Budaya Bali, Denpasar, Bali.
The FTBI program for students aims to optimize the development of regional languages. They are also facilitated to learn directly from masters or practitioners whose expertise in the world of creating regional languages and literature is unquestionable.
Also read: The Malang "Walikan" Language, from a Tool of Struggle to Entering the Intellectual World
A number of young talents who are fluent in regional languages have now become sort of regional language ambassadors on social media or in their school environment.
"Students who are interested in regional languages and literature now deserve to promote regional languages as cool," said Aminudin.
Family roles
The General Chair of Dharma Wanita Persatuan Pusat, Franka Makarim, said that parents, especially mothers, have an important role in creating a home environment that values regional languages. There are many positive benefits felt by children and families in familiarizing the use of regional languages at home.
Franka explained that scientific research proves that children who are fluent in their mother tongue show faster cognitive development and intellectual improvement. In addition, proficiency in regional languages is also closely related to the development of literacy skills and communication abilities.
"Both are foundational skills that need to be developed from an early age. At the same time, communicating in local language can also strengthen familial bonds and togetherness in the household environment," said Franka in the opening of FTBI 2024 in Jakarta on Thursday (May 2, 2024).
Students who are interested in regional languages and literature now have the right to say that regional languages are cool.
Franka acknowledged that in the midst of globalization and rapid technological development, regional languages seem to be losing their place. This is because foreign languages are often considered more important and of higher status.
"This perspective needs to be changed. Local languages need to be continuously preserved and developed as they are an important part of our cultural identity," he said.
Also read: Invite Children to Speak Regional Languages from an Early Age
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The wife of the Governor of Bali who is also the Chairperson of the Family Welfare Empowerment Task Force (PKK) in Bali, Ni Putu Putri Suastini Koster (center), observed the results of documentation and identification activities of lontar manuscripts, traditional stories from Bali and similar works conducted by Balinese language educators.
Preserving local languages through the role of families, as stated by Franka, can be done by habituating the use of local languages at home, teaching local languages through games or songs, and involving children in celebrating major holidays or cultural events.
In addition, conservation efforts can be carried out by teaching local knowledge through folklore, utilizing various media for strengthening regional languages, and encouraging children to express themselves using their local language.
For example, writing poems, short stories, or other works; involving children in community activities that promote local language use; and collaborating with schools in teaching the local language.
Meanwhile, Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, said that the potential of regional languages as cultural expressions needs to continue to be explored and explored in the future.
So far, many regional languages in Indonesia need to be jointly preserved and developed to overcome extinction and preserve local knowledge from one generation to the next.
The Language Office of NTT held a local language revitalization activity by providing training to teachers in Borong, East Manggarai Regency, NTT on Tuesday (23/5/2023).
In addition, strengthening the function and bargaining power of regional languages is necessary. "Last year, we brought Indonesian as the official language of UNESCO's conference. Regional languages can get the same space if we push for the sustainability of the Revitalization of Regional Languages and FTBI," said Nadiem.
Preserving regional languages
Aminudin said that Indonesia, as a country with the second largest linguistic diversity in the world, faces serious challenges in preserving regional languages.
There is a worrying trend of extinction caused by negative attitudes towards local languages among native speakers, an increase in cross-language marriages, globalization, urbanization, and policies that do not always prioritize the preservation of local languages.
These factors threaten the existence of 718 local languages in Indonesia. The latest data shows a significant decline in the vitality of several local languages, meaning the number of languages experiencing decline continues to increase.
The RBD program has been carried out for several decades with a focus on endangered and critical languages. A different approach has been taken since 2021. Revitalization is more focused on languages that still have many speakers, including languages in the safe category.
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A contemporary dance performance with the theme of ethnic diversity opened the Nusantara Regional Language Congress 2016 at Gedung Merdeka, Bandung, West Java on Tuesday (2/8/2016). To date, 139 regional languages in Indonesia are at risk of extinction.
Also read: Deterioration of Regional Languages Overcome
The language policy of RBD uses three models. There is Model A for situations or linguistic environments with the dominance of one specific language within the community, which is approached through a school-based approach.
As for model B for the language environment that allows for parity or competition in the contact of several major languages in this region, it is based on a school and community approach.
Next, there is model C for language environment with a relatively small number of speakers and limited distribution using a community-based, family-based, or community activity center approach.
In the implementation of RBD as stated in the 2021-2024 Target Map, participation has been recorded as increasing from various segments of society, including local governments, schools, communities, the private sector, as well as RBD activists, such as teachers main and colleagues, supervisors, principals, students, writers and academics.
The target number of participants for the Language Agency's strategic plan initially was in the thousands. However, by the end of 2023, the number had reached 9.6 million participants.
