Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) A group of indigenous teachers in Taipei has been running a language program since last year to keep native languages alive among indigenous people who live in the cities, with good results so far, the group said Saturday.
"The objectives of the association are to promote the indigenous cultures of all 13 tribes and to teaching native languages to urban students of indigenous descent, " said Pu Cheng-chan, president of the Taipei Indigenous Languages Teachers Association (TILTA) on the sidelines of an indigenous culture festival held at the Songshan Tobacco Factory.
TILTA was established last year and now has 42 teachers who come from 13 Taiwanese tribes, most of whom are teaching native languages in Taipei City, Pu said.
Teachers have two-hour weekly classes in churches, schools, village offices and even apartments. TILTA has had more than 700 students, ranging from elementary school children to university students, participating in the free programs.
Upah Yuki, an Atayal from Jianshih township in Hsinchu County, has been teaching an Atayal class of 15 students in the Neihu and Nangang areas for the past year.
Pu, a Tsuo from Alishan, Chiayi County, said the group launched the initiative to complement the "Language Nest" program run by the Indigenous Peoples Commission of the Taipei city government.
"I'm happy to see that most of the indigenous students in Taipei City are learning their native languages and that most parents are encouraging their children to do so, " Pu said.
In general, Taiwan's indigenous people are happy to see the government's efforts in preserving indigenous cultures, said Upah.
Upah, who has changed his name from his Chinese name back to his traditional tribal name, said it is the right move for Sanmin township in Kaohsiung County to adopt the new indigenous name of Namasiya township last week to honor its Tsou tribal history.
The move, he said, shows that the government is implementing the "New Partnership between the Indigenous Peoples and the Government of Taiwan" treaty that was signed by President Chen Shui-bian in 1999 and reaffirmed in 2002.