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