Culture: indigenous languages dissappearing in Cameroon
By Stephen TADAHA
According to the National Institute of Statistics, of the 250 local languages spoken by the approximately 30 million inhabitants of Cameroon, 4% of the languages in the country have become extinct since 1950.
7% of the languages are under threat while others, 10%, are neglected.
It is on this basis that the Ministry of Secondary Education in 2007 introduced the teaching of national languages and culture in schools.
As Cameroon joined the international community to observe the 25th International Day of the mother tongue on Wednesday February 21, 2024 under the theme “Multilingual Education, a pillar of intergenerational learning”, students of GBHS Babadjou showcased their anxiety to raise awareness on the rich cultural heritage a country like Cameroon enjoys. The students showcased their talents through sketches, poems, riddles, fashion parades, traditional dances all in the mother tongue and to the satisfaction of many.
“I am satisfied with the celebration of the mother tongue here at GBHS Babadjou where students from different backgrounds had to express themselves in their mother tongue. I really cherish the courage in them and their anxiety to preserve this cultural identity,” Che Martin, Discipline Master of GBHS Babadjou told CNA. He adds that the mother tongue is not only a means of communication but an identity.
“The mother tongue is not only a communication tool but a cultural identity. It brings out the cultural values of the people and sells them out to neighboring communities. So I really encourage my students to be speakers of their mother languages.”
Mother Language Day is part of a broader initiative to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by peoples of the world as adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007.
