KUALA LUMPUR: There are133 languages used in Malaysia and almost 80 per cent of them are indigenous languages spoken by the Orang Asli.
The indigenous languages in Peninsular Malaysia are spoken by the Jahai, Jahut, Jakun, Semai, Mah Meri, Temiar and Temuan; in Sabah by the Kadazan, Dusun, Bajau and Murut; and in Sarawak, the Iban, Bidayuh and Melanau.
In conjunction with Unesco’s International Year of Indigenous Languages 2019, University Malaya’s Faculty of Languages and Linguistics and the Centre for Malaysian Indigenous Studies (CMIS), jointly organised an exhibition of Indigenous Languages of Malaysia themed "Voices of the People".
Dean of UM's Research Centre Prof Dr Ainin Sulaiman, in officiating the event, said the exhibition was part of community engagement.
"I have met the director general of Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) with my deputy to discuss how UM researchers can help address some of the main concerns of Orang Asli communities."
Prof Dr Stefanie Pillai, lecturer at UM's Faculty of Languages and Linguistics said: “Sadly, this linguistic richness in Malaysia is threatened.”
She said 80 per cent of indigenous languages were classified as being in trouble because of a lack of transmission from one generation to the next.
Stefanie pointed out that around eight indigenous languages would soon disappear entirely as there was only a handful of elderly people who still used them.
She said languages carry much of our cultural makeup, and to lose it could mean losing a sense of who we were and where we come from.
She said the exhibition will create awareness about what our indigenous languages are and make people aware that are a part of the linguistic landscape in Malaysia.
“By sharing the voices of some of our indigenous groups, we hope to break down stereotypes that people have and we hope to encourage people to use and be proud of their heritage languages and their related cultural knowledge and practices,” she said.
Stefanie said the loss of a language has serious implications as indigenous knowledge and culture may also be lost alon with the language, and people may also lose a sense of who they were and their cultura identity.
Earlier in her address Dr Welyne Jehom, director of CMIS, said the exhibition hoped to create awareness of the linguistic and cultural diversity of the indigenous people in Malaysia through curated audio and video recordings featuring stories from different indigenous communities.
Jehom said a range of activities including performances, talks, workshops, and arts and craft by indigenous communities would be carried out during the three and a half week long exhibition.
Meanwhile, a group of students from SK Runchang, Pahang, who were all from the Jakun tribe performed two dances at the exhibition. The group known as Rentak Kesemo performed a contemporary version of a traditional dance and another dance which depicts the life of an Orang Asli community.
The exhibition, which is open to the public until Oct 13, also aims to share research and community engagement projects carried out by researchers at UM.
Visitors can watch and listen to recordings of stories by different indigenous groups in Malaysia. Interactive sessions with indigenous people in Malaysia on topics such as physical displacement, education, health and social well-being will also be highlighted during the exhibition through short films and panel sessions.
The exhibitioalso features an outdoor research garden for visitors.