The Cia-Cia language in Baubau City, Southeast Sulawesi, has adopted the Korean Hangeul script for its writing system. This innovation introduces a remarkable solution for preserving a language that previously existed only in spoken form.
From Oral Tradition to Written Language
Until the 2000s, Cia-Cia was a purely oral language used by its 93,000 speakers. In August 2009, Baubau’s mayor decided to adapt the Hangeul script for the Cia-Cia language. This decision stemmed from the lack of an official writing system for the language, as noted in the publication Korean Script in the Regional Cia-Cia Language by Mikka Wildha Nurrochsyam on the Jendela Kemdikbud website. Historically, the Cia-Cia people had minimal written tradition. The only form of writing, called kutika, consisted of symbolic carvings on wooden boards or paper, often preserved by community elders.
The Origin of Hangeul’s Adoption
According to Nurrochsyam, the decision to use Hangeul began during the 9th International Manuscript Symposium held from August 5 to 8, 2005. During a city tour, linguist Chun Taihyun, Chairman of the Hunminjeonggeum Society of Korea, noticed the similarities between local sounds and the Korean language. Taihyun proposed using Hangeul to document the Cia-Cia language, which was facing the threat of extinction. The mayor of Baubau responded positively, implementing policies to integrate Hangeul into the language and cultural preservation efforts. The goal of this initiative was to enable proper documentation of Cia-Cia’s language, literature, folklore, history, and cultural heritage.
Implementation and Integration
Since the policy’s implementation, street signs in the Sorawolio District have been written using the Korean script. Additionally, the Baubau government introduced Hangeul-based Cia-Cia learning materials into the local school curriculum, starting with two elementary schools in Sorawolio and Bugi districts.
Why Adopt Another Culture’s Writing System?
As noted in Scripts in the Archipelago: Encyclopedia Series by Ridwan Maulana, traditional scripts are ideal for preserving their respective languages. However, creating a new script can be costly and complex. For languages without an established writing system, adopting an existing one is a practical and effective alternative. This approach not only promotes literacy but also provides indigenous communities with greater access to education and opportunities to share ideas and information.
Key Elements in Developing a Writing System
According to UNESCO’s Writing Unwritten Languages A Guide to the Process, the development of a writing system involves several critical factors:
1. Social Relationships, engaging in dialogue and negotiation within and outside the community.
2. Political Context, lobbying, negotiating, and aligning with governmental regulations and competing interests.
3. Cultural Wealth, recognizing, validating, and raising awareness of local history, oral literature, and traditional knowledge.
4. Linguistic Structure, analyzing and comparing sound systems and grammatical structures. These processes involve consensus-building, decision-making, and developing a writing system tailored to the language’s social and linguistic reality.
A Collaborative Solution By adopting Hangeul, the Cia-Cia language gains a functional writing system, fostering cultural preservation and community development. This collaboration exemplifies a successful partnership between Indonesia and South Korea in preserving regional heritage while addressing modern challenges.
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