Cia-Cia Language Embraces Modernity Through Korean Script

The Cia-Cia tribe in Indonesia is teaching its children to write their indigenous language, which lacks a script, using Hangul, the Korean alphabet. This effort aims to preserve the Cia-Cia language and maintain the tribe’s cultural heritage.

In a lively classroom in Baubau, Indonesia, fourth graders are learning to write their indigenous Cia-Cia language using Hangul, the Korean writing system. This novel approach comes as a response to the lack of a script for the Cia-Cia language, which has been passed down orally for generations and is currently spoken by around 93,000 people in the Cia-Cia tribe, located on Buton Island.

The classroom buzzes with excitement as instructor Deuk-young Jung guides her students through the process of rendering letters from the Hangul alphabet in their notebooks. They are not learning Korean; they are utilizing this unique script as a functional means to document and learn their own language. This initiative reflects broader efforts to combat the decline of numerous local languages in Indonesia, a nation known for its vast linguistic diversity, boasting over 700 native languages and countless dialects.

Cia-Cia is among those languages facing risk due to the absence of a written form. Amirul Tamim, a former mayor of Baubau and an advocate for language preservation, emphasizes the cultural significance of maintaining one’s language. He asserts, "Language is the wealth of a community," highlighting that without a written form, its authenticity and civilization context may fade.

This adoption of Hangul is a notable example of cultural resilience—an intersection of modern education techniques with traditional heritage, aimed at securing a linguistic pathway for future generations within the Cia-Cia tribe. The integration of this alphabet aims to provide a sense of identity and continuity in an increasingly globalized world.