Paper Outline INTRODUCTION
Languages of the Philippines
State of Vitality of Philippine Languages
THE CASE OF THE AYTA MAGBUKUN
Demographics
Language Profiling
REVITALIZING AYTA MAGBUKUN
Bahay-wika
Master Apprentice Language Learning Program
Languages of the
Philippines (KWF 2014)
Languages of the Philippines
2018 PH population – 106.51 million (UN estimates)
PH LDI – 0.842 (0.8 Global LDI)
Ethnologue (2018)– 187 languages and dialects
Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) 2014 – 130 languages (27 with 1 – 8 dialects)
National language – Filipino
Official languages and instructional mediums – Filipino and English
State of Vitality of Philippine Languages
Status of PH Languages STATUS: THREATENED/DYING LANGUAGES
Diminishing population/L1 speakers
World Data—83.8% or 5,028 languages of 6,000 with 100,000 speakers or fewer seriously endangered (Nettle 1999); 10,000 speakers stability threshold (UNESCO)
Ethnologue (2018) : 187 PH languages
175 are indigenous, 8 non-indigenous
41 are institutional, 72 developing, 45 vigorous
14 are in trouble; 11 dying; 4 extinct
Status of PH Languages KWF (2014): 130 PH languages
25 threatened (2015); 35 (2017) (based on 2010 NSO households; field validation)
*Extinct (2017)
Agta Isarog (Camarines Sur) Agta Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon)
8 Ayta languages documented in 2014-2016; 34 more minority and majority languages in 2018 (documentation ongoing)
The decline of linguistic diversity in the world is linked to the world political economy which invades and takes over the territories of indigenous peoples, threatens the ecosystems in which they live, wipes out their traditional means of livelihood, and (at best) turns them into low-caste laborers in the larger society in which they must now live on the margins. (Hinton 1999)
The Case of the Ayta Magbukun
Ayta Magbukun Belongs to the Negrito group of indigenous peoples of the
Philippines; with dark skin, curly hair, small nose and dark brown eyes. (Negritos are found in many parts of north, central and south Luzon, in the Panay Islands and some parts of Mindanao. They are nomadic and are usually driven to live in scattered isolated mountains due to social and economic strain on their culture and way of life.)
Magbukun comes from the word ‘bukod/magbukod’ (‘separate’) to identify themselves as the group that separated from Ayta Ambala (of Zambales).
Documented by KWF in 2015, along with 7 other Negrito groups in other parts of Luzon and Negros Occidental.
Location in 9 towns of
Bataan Province
– Abucay, Bagac, Balanga, Limay,
Mariveles, Morong, Orani, Orion , Samal
9
Language Profiling 383 households -- 50% of total population, young and
old, are passive bilinguals: can understand, but cannot talk in Ayta Magbukun
167 residents sample in Bangcal, Abucay—148 can understand; 167 can speak Tagalog, i.e. bilingual
103 are balanced bilinguals; 8 elderly found dominant in Ayta Magbukun, 26 dominant in Tagalog
Ayta Magbukon – used at home with adults; learned as MT subject in K-3
Tagalog –dominant in daily conversations, reading and writing in school
Language Profiling
Perception and attitude of Ayta Magbukun Elders
are very positive to associate with the language for ethnic identity
have a strong desire to learn the language given the opportunity
are comfortable to discuss traditions and daily routines with those knowledgeable in the language
believe that the language is losing its users because of the absence of reading materials in the language and the lack of opportunity to use it in major domains of their society
Revitalization Effort: BAHAY-WIKA
First Philippine model of a language immersion program in the ancestral domain of the Ayta Magbukun in Bangkal, Abucay, Bataan, engaging elders to transmit their language to pre-school children 2-4 years old for a period of two years
The result of a Filipino cultural value called “maka-Filipinong bayanihan” that engaged the collaboration largely of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) with the Bataan provincial government, the Abucay municipal government, the provincial National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the Bataan Schools Division teachers working with the consultants, and the Ayta Magbukun community
By Ayta Magbukun Elders
PROGRAM LAUNCHING
BW
Opening Ritual
27 September 2018
Bangkal, Abucay, Bataan
Bahay-wika Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
BW Klasrum
BW Elders and Children
Bahay-wika Start of class: 10 September 2018, Monday, Bangkal,
Abucay, Bataan
2 classes—2-3 yrs old (13 kids); 3 ½-4 yrs old (11 kids)
3 teachers (2 regular, 1 alternate); 12 elders (1 elder handles 3 kids)
Session schedule: 5 hours each day, for five days a week
Elder profile: L1 Ayta Magbukun, 41-80 yrs old
Children profile: pure and mix parental marriage; no Ayta Magbukon knowledge
Bahay-Wika classroom materials and kitchen facilities
Bahay-wika Curriculum Content and Objectives
Linguistic and cognitive development for early literacy
--listening, speaking, reading, writing
Physical and motor development
--fine and gross motor skills, health and hygiene routine
Socio-emotional, human relations development
--the self and relations with others
Creative and aesthetic appreciation development
--music, dance, visual arts, movements
Rest time
Identifying body parts
Bahay-wika Approach: Direct use of the target language
Typical Daily Classroom Schedule
A.M. --Greetings, Praying, Dancing, Singing, Counting, Manipulative plays, Eating, Tidying up, Poetry Reciting, Instruction giving, Vocabulary building, Weather forecasting
P.M. –Outdoor playing, Singing with actions, Poetry reciting, Resting and napping, Eating, Tidying up, Vocabulary building, Chanting, Story-telling, Thanksgiving prayer
Ayta Magbukun elders in teaching session
Master Apprentice Language LearningProgram Second component of the Philippine language
revitalization program engaging elders to transmit their language to young adults of the Ayta Magbukun community for a period of two years
No. of elders: 3, no. of apprentices : 6 (Master-Apprentice ratio is 1 elder to two apprentices)
Session Schedule: 3 hours each day, for five days a week
Method: Direct use of target language ; no translation
Master Apprentice
Students and elders
Master Apprentice (MALLP)
Objective: language functions: greeting, introducing, describing, narrating, explaining
Curriculum content: Language and cultural knowledge and relationship with others at home and in the community
Self-introduction and knowing others
Family and home
Community and environment
Cultural traditions and way of life
BAHAY-WIKA and MALLP Goals
At best to slow down the process of language loss, if not to totally halt the process
Attenuate the negative attitude toward the language and ethnic group
Raise people’s awareness for appreciation and respect for linguistic and ethnic heritage
Foster people’s sense of pride, self-esteem, identity and ethnicity
On Revitalization Efforts (Fishman 1991)
It is the people of the community and not outsiders (linguists, educators, government officers, language activists) who must do the job.
Conflicts within the community (e.g., regarding the writing system, standardization and intactness of the language) hinder revitalization efforts.
Writing systems and publications provide indigenous languages with status and to bring sense of pride and self esteem to the people.
Partial acquisition of the language is far better than no acquisition at all.
Stable bilingualism will hinder language shift and facilitate language maintenance.
Factors for Success/Failure
Government support
Parental involvement
Community support
Writing system: The existence of many writing systems may create an unfortunate situation when members suffer fractional struggles over which one should prevail. (Hinton 2001)
Hopes and Prayers for Ayta Magbukun Revitalization
Sustainability of the MAKA-FILIPINONG BAYANIHAN by the:
BATAAN PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
ABUCAY MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
PROVINCIAL NCIP
DEPED BATAAN SCHOOLS DIVISION
AYTA MAGBUKUN COMMUNITY
Habok hako’y nang malatung
‘Sabik ko nang marating ‘
Ti pag-unlar
‘Ang pag-unlad’
Aong into ha kabangor
‘Na nasa dulo’
Aong abagat.
‘Ng ulan.’
Ayta Magbukun