
Meyu Changkiri
Over the years, concern for the preservation of indigenous languages has grown due to colonialism, globalization, and cultural assimilation. When a language disappears, an entire cultural and intellectual heritage is lost. Language is more than just a means of communication - it embodies identity, history, and a way of life. The concern gained momentum with organizations like UNESCO, which has long warned about language endangerment. According to UNESCO, approximately 40% of the world's languages are considered endangered, with declining numbers of speakers placing them at risk of extinction. Today, efforts continue through education, technology, and cultural revival programs, recognizing that language preservation is crucial for maintaining indigenous identity, history, and worldviews.
However, the most significant responsibility for preserving indigenous languages falls on parents. The home is the primary space where language is acquired, nurtured, and passed on to the next generation. If parents fail to instill the use of their native language in their children, the language is at risk of fading, regardless of external preservation efforts. While schools and educational institutions can play a supporting role, parents must take ownership of their children's linguistic heritage. If indigenous languages are not spoken and practiced at home, they will struggle to survive in the broader community. Therefore, parents must intentionally teach, speak, and encourage the use of their native language within the family, ensuring that it remains a living, thriving part of their children's identity.
The Foundation for Language Learning
Parents and guardians are the first and most influential teachers in a child’s linguistic journey. The home is where language is learned, practiced, and embraced as part of daily life. When families actively use their native language, children develop fluency naturally while fostering a strong sense of cultural identity. Storytelling, songs, prayers, and casual conversations in the native tongue reinforce linguistic familiarity and emotional connection. Thus, language preservation must start within the home, with parents, grandparents, and extended family members ensuring that indigenous languages are not only spoken but also celebrated.
It is easy to place responsibility on external institutions such as the church or the school when native languages fade, but the primary responsibility lies with parents. In a seminar discussion on this issue, a community leader strongly asserted that Sunday School teachers cannot be blamed for a child's inability to speak their native language. He acknowledged that while religious educators play a role in reinforcing values and moral teachings, language acquisition is primarily shaped at home. He reflected on his own failure to prioritize his language at home and admitted that religious educators could only reinforce what had already been nurtured within the family. If parents do not make a conscious effort to teach their children their mother tongue, they cannot expect pastors, Sunday School teachers, or educators to fulfill that role entirely. The foundation of language learning must be established at home before institutions can support and strengthen it.
The Role of the Church
During a recent seminar on the standardization and preservation of native languages, I was reminded of another crucial aspect - the role of language in the multicultural church. As societies grow increasingly multilingual, the significance of language in the church cannot be overstated. The church serves as a communal space where people come together to worship. In recent times, churches have faced criticism for contributing to linguistic decline. While the church can contribute and provide support to individuals and families, it cannot bear the full responsibility for linguistic preservation. Society cannot expect the church to be the sole custodian of native languages.
Another area of concern is the perception that churches favor dominant languages. Several factors have led to these perceptions. First, as public institutions, churches hold significant influence over communities, making them a focal point for concerns when linguistic shifts occur. Second, in multilingual settings, many churches prioritize widely spoken languages for accessibility and unity, inadvertently reinforcing the dominance of major languages. Third, Christian missionary efforts often translated religious texts into dominant languages, reducing the use of minor languages in Christian communities.
This has been the case among many tribes in Nagaland, where some native languages have declined due to the adoption of more widely spoken dominant languages in church services. For example, among the Ao Nagas, Christian missionaries standardized Chungli as the common medium of communication. As a result, Chungli is predominantly used in religious gatherings among Mongsen, Changki, and Nokphur-speaking groups, often at the expense of their native dialects.
However, while the church may play a role in preserving indigenous languages, it must not become a victim of the colonial mindset by imposing dominant languages at the expense of minority groups. While language preservation is important, the church's primary mission is to build the Kingdom of God, which transcends tribal and linguistic divisions. Any effort to promote a single language over others for the sake of control or exclusion contradicts the essence of the Gospel, which unites believers across linguistic and cultural barriers. The church must be a place of unity where all believers, regardless of their linguistic background, can worship freely without feeling marginalized.
Role of Schools and Educational Institutions
Schools play a crucial role in language preservation by integrating indigenous languages into the curriculum. However, many education systems prioritize dominant languages, often sidelining native tongues. Policymakers and educators should work towards structured bilingual education programs that allow students to learn both their native language and a dominant language without conflict.
Additionally, digital tools such as apps, YouTube, and podcasts can serve as effective mediums for promoting linguistic learning among younger generations. Encouraging pride in one’s linguistic heritage through music, literature, and cultural events is also essential for sustaining language diversity. When children see their native language represented in various aspects of life - education, entertainment, and religious practices - they are more likely to embrace it as an essential part of their identity.
Community Efforts
Beyond families and schools, communities must take an active role in linguistic preservation. Local initiatives such as language promotion programs, community storytelling sessions, and cultural workshops can reinforce the importance of native languages. Elders, who hold deep linguistic and cultural knowledge, should be encouraged to share their stories, songs, and traditions with younger generations. The intergenerational transfer of language remains one of the most effective ways to keep linguistic traditions alive.
Conclusion
The future of indigenous languages ultimately begins at home. Families must bear the primary responsibility for ensuring that native languages are spoken, practiced, and valued. Parents and grandparents are the first teachers of language, and their efforts shape the linguistic identity of future generations. If a language is not spoken at home, no amount of external intervention can fully restore it.
Other institutions - such as churches, schools, and governments - have an important role to play, but they can only support what is first nurtured within families. Churches can create spaces where multiple languages are embraced, schools can integrate native languages into education, and governments can enact policies to protect linguistic heritage. However, these efforts will only be effective if families take the lead in language preservation.
Ultimately, language is not just a means of communication; it is a reflection of identity, cultural roots, and ancestral knowledge. If parents fail to teach their children their native tongue, they risk breaking the chain that connects past generations with the future. Indigenous languages carry stories, wisdom, and traditions that define who we are as a people. It is the collective responsibility of families, communities, religious institutions, and educational systems to work together to safeguard them. By making a concerted effort at home and reinforcing it through various social institutions, we can ensure that indigenous languages continue to thrive for generations to come.