TUTING, 5 Mar: The Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies, Rajiv Gandhi University (AITS-RGU), the RIWATCH Centre for Mother Languages (RCML), and the Tribal Health Collaborative, Piramal Foundation (THC-PF) organised a ‘book distribution-cum-outreach programme for promotion and revitalisation of mother language’ at Nyereng village in Tuting circle of Upper Siang district on Monday.
A book titled Dictionary and Grammar of Ashing: A Moribund Language of Arunachal Pradesh, authored by Mechek Sampar Awan, Kaling Dabi, S Simon John, Tame Ramya, Kombong Darang and Tailyang Nampi, was distributed among the native speakers of the Ashing (Adi) language. The book has been published by the Centre for Endangered Languages (CFEL) of the AITS-RGU, in collaboration with the North Eastern Council.
During the programme, AITS-RGU Director Prof S Simon John encouraged the Ashing speakers to “have the pride of speaking your mother
language,” adding that “the vitality of a language solely depends on the native speakers’ attitude towards it.”
Research Institute of World’s Ancient Traditions Cultures and Heritage (RIWATCH) executive director Vijay Swami said that “the RCML has been created not only to document the mother languages but also to promote them.
“Our team is putting all effort to contribute as much as possible in the process of language documentation and promotion of indigenous communities,” he added.
RCML’s coordinator and one of the authors of the aforesaid book, Dr Mechek Sampar Awan, spoke about how a language becomes endangered and how to revitalise and protect it from the endangerment. He urged the native speakers of Ashing (Adi) to “let your children acquire the language in a natural setting by regularly conversing in it.”
THC-PF member Dr Kaling Dabi dwelt on the implications of language extinction, and emphasised the importance of community ownership in preserving one’s language.
RCML research officer Dr Kombong Darang also stressed on the importance of community participation in the process of language documentation. He said that “documentation of language is a two-way process,” as “the researcher and the community members have to coordinate with each other for successful documentation of any language.”
Gommang Tamut donated traditional attires worn by the Ashing (Adi) community for the RIWATCH museum in Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district.
Dugbang Lipir, Tailyang Nampi and native speakers of Ashing (Adi) – Gommang Tamut, Chitut Dawa Danggen, Dongkong Sibo and Nuni Sibo – also spoke.
The programme was attended by the native Ashing speakers from Nyereng and Kugging villages.
“The RCML team later elicited linguistic and cultural data from the native speakers for compiling children’s illustrative pictorial glossaries of the Ashings (Adi),” the RCML informed in a release.
