Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) celebratesInternational Mother Language Day with Hon. Dadi Toka

As the world celebrates International Mother Language Day on the 21st of February with the theme “Multilingual education is a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning” – BbP’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) program puts a focus on retaining local languages even as the children start learning English.

Papua New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse country in the world. There are 839 living languages spoken in the country. Languages with statutory recognition are Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu, and Papua New Guinean Sign Language all of which are used as part of the BbP ECE program.

Students at BbP’s Library Learning Centres (LLC) built at Baruni, Pari and Vabukori by Hon. Dadi Toka through the NCD and Motu Koita Assembly, welcomed the Deputy Governor of the NCD and his wife, Meghan, for a special demonstration of what they have learnt in Motu Koitabu languages.

The children greeted the invited guests “Good morning” in Motu: “Daba Namona” and in Koitabu “Vagutumage” and went to their library and did a number counting demonstration in Motu: 1 – Ta, 2 – Rua, 3 – Toi, 4 – Hani, 5 – Ima, 6 – Tauratoi, 7 – Hitu, 8 – Taura Hani, 9 – Taura Hanita, 10 – Gwauta.

At BbP’s Vabukori LLC, which is housed within the Women’s Development Association building, the President of the Association Ms Molly O’Rourke helped to celebrate this special day with the children. She verbally shared traditional calendars with the students on what common activities their people did at certain months of the year. February – men folk make nets for Magani (wallaby) hunting, August – young women get traditional tattoos, etc.

The Hon. Dadi Toka and his team also visited Pari LLC to a warm welcome and Motu “Good morning” greeting from the children. They did a counting demonstration and were told a common Pari legend about a tuna by teacher Maria Haiavu and sang the song “Look at me” in Motu, translated as “Ai tagu”.

According to the UN and international research, multilingual education is important as it helps boost learning in a number of ways. Learning in one’s first language provides solid foundations for education and supports the transfer of skills and knowledge to additional languages.

Hon. Dadi Toka said: “Congratulations to BbP on acknowledging and celebrating International Mother Language Day in our Motu and Koitabu speaking villages in the Nation’s Capital.”

The event was celebrated at all BbP’s LLCs across the country and many languages were demonstrated and celebrated. International Mother Language Day 2024 aims to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive quality education and lifelong learning and of the objectives of the International Decade on Indigenous Languages (2022-2032).