How are Semaq Beri using mobile phones to preserve their language?

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The Semaq Beri community is leveraging mobile phones to record and share their songs and stories as a method to preserve their native language.

The Semaq Beri people, predominantly residing in Pahang and Terengganu, are utilizing mobile technology to document and disseminate cultural expressions, thereby safeguarding their linguistic heritage. This initiative is part of a broader global effort by Google Earth's Voyager tour, titled 'Celebrating Indigenous Languages,' which aims to draw attention to and support the preservation of indigenous languages worldwide. The Semaq Beri language, spoken by approximately 5,300 individuals, faces a serious risk of extinction as it is not formally taught in schools.
Digital Recording and Sharing of Cultural Content

Community members are actively using mobile phones to capture audio and visual recordings of their traditional songs and narratives. These recordings serve as a vital tool for transmitting the language across generations, ensuring its continuity. This modern approach complements the traditional oral methods of language transmission.
Feature on Google Earth's Voyager Tour

The Semaq Beri community's efforts are highlighted on Google Earth's 'Celebrating Indigenous Languages' tour. This feature introduces users to matriarch Yebet Saman, who possesses extensive knowledge of the local forest and its traditional plants. Through the tour, users can hear Yebet speaking the Semaq Beri language, including greetings and an introduction to her dialect.
Preservation of Traditional Songs and Stories

The Voyager tour also includes a traditional Semaq Beri song known as Beladoi, which translates to "coming together for merriment." This song, traditionally sung during community gatherings called sewangs or when seeking ancestral guidance, embodies the community's aspirations for peace, harmony, and happiness. The inclusion of such cultural elements underscores the multifaceted approach to language preservation.
Global Initiative for Indigenous Languages

Google Earth's 'Celebrating Indigenous Languages' tour showcases over 50 indigenous languages and cultures from diverse communities across the globe. The platform allows users to explore these languages by clicking on designated locations, which then present information about an indigenous person, their language, and audio recordings of native speakers. This initiative, launched in conjunction with the United Nations' International Year of Indigenous Languages in 2019, acknowledges the critical threat to many of the world's 7,000 indigenous languages, with an estimated four out of ten at risk of disappearing.

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How are Semaq Beri using mobile phones to preserve their language?

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