A Workshop on Abui Ortography was organized in April 2024 as a continuation of OCSEAN Linguistic Workshops in Indonesia. Adolfina Moybeka with the team of researchers from Tribuana University in collaboration with Universitas Kristen Artha Wacana University.
Like many other regional languages in Indonesia, the Abui language faces significant challenges in terms of preservation and development. Though there are numbers of studies done but the decline in the number of native speakers and limited teaching materials in Abui are some of the obstacles that need to be addressed promptly. In this context, training in orthography and the preparation of teaching materials in the Abui language becomes highly relevant and urgent to conduct.
Map of Abui on the Alor Archipelago. Figure 1 from Saad et al 2019 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/gjgl.846)
The Wokshop on Abui Language Orthography and the Preparation of Teaching Materials in Abui is organized with the primary aim of enhancing participants' skills in writing and preparing teaching materials in the Abui language. This training is expected to make a tangible contribution to the efforts of preserving the Abui language and supporting the educational process in areas that use this language. Additionally, this activity aims to strengthen local cultural identity and foster pride in the cultural heritage that is owned.
Poster for the Workshop
This involves various parties, including primary and secondary school teachers in Alor Regency, Elders representatives of the Abui-speaking community, Tribuana University students. The training is designed so that participants can acquire practical knowledge and skills that can be directly applied in the context of learning and everyday use.
We hope that through this training, participants will not only gain a deep understanding of orthography and the preparation of teaching materials in the Abui language but also be motivated to continue preserving and developing this language. The preservation of regional languages like Abui is a shared responsibility, and through this activity, we can take concrete steps to ensure the continuity and vitality of this language in the future.
Benidiktus Delpada sharing about the Orthography of Abui Language
Adolfina Moybeka sharing about preparing teaching materials.
Group of participants constructing teaching material. First group (OC group); Novi, Kete
Group of participants constructing teaching material. Second group (SE group); Devi Donuhulu, Ema Atalani,
Group of participants constructing teaching material. Second group (AN group); Zet La’a, Elvi Padafani, Matilda Lanata, Waksi Maufani,
Participants at the end of the workshop
As the result, this training successfully enhanced participants' motivation and awareness about the importance of preserving the Abui language. Some of the positive impacts noted are firstly, commitment to Preserving the Abui Language. Participants showed a stronger commitment to preserving the Abui language through its use in education and daily life. Secondly, a network of collaboration was formed among participants from various backgrounds, including teachers, native speakers, and academics, who can collaborate on future projects related to the preservation of the Abui language.
References:
Saad, G., Klamer, M. & Moro, F., (2019) “Identifying agents of change: Simplification of possessive marking in Abui-Malay bilinguals”, Glossa: a journal of general linguistics 4(1): 57. doi: https://doi.org/10.5334/gjgl.846
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 873207.
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