1 00:00:02,940 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: You're listening to AC N A podcast? 2 00:00:10,140 --> 00:00:13,079 Speaker 1: Hi, folks. I'm Teresa Tang. Thanks for joining me. Today. 3 00:00:13,279 --> 00:00:17,259 Speaker 1: I learned something pretty shocking this week, the Linguistic Society 4 00:00:17,270 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 1: of America says every 40 days a language dies. In fact, 5 00:00:22,250 --> 00:00:26,379 Speaker 1: 3000 languages across the world are endangered today. This is 6 00:00:26,389 --> 00:00:35,299 Speaker 1: one of them. That's a group of students saying hello 7 00:00:35,310 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: in the a new language 8 00:00:36,959 --> 00:00:39,979 Speaker 1: it's spoken in northern Japan, but not by very many. 9 00:00:40,150 --> 00:00:43,340 Speaker 1: Today's episode is all about stemming the loss of language. 10 00:00:43,348 --> 00:00:47,299 Speaker 1: Why and how we're focusing on Japan and South Korea 11 00:00:47,310 --> 00:00:50,619 Speaker 1: with Micho Ishida and Yeun Suk. Hi, ladies. Welcome back 12 00:00:50,630 --> 00:00:54,009 Speaker 1: to the podcast. Hi. Thank you for having us. Hi, Teresa. 13 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,009 Speaker 1: You know, people always talk about endangered animals, right? And 14 00:00:58,020 --> 00:01:01,159 Speaker 1: the threats they face. But the idea of having languages 15 00:01:01,169 --> 00:01:04,220 Speaker 1: on the brink of extinction is fascinating to me. And 16 00:01:04,230 --> 00:01:05,540 Speaker 1: terribly unfortunate, 17 00:01:05,769 --> 00:01:07,610 Speaker 1: Mitch. We just heard a bit of the a new 18 00:01:07,620 --> 00:01:10,069 Speaker 1: language off the top there and I did some reading. 19 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,910 Speaker 1: I was so surprised to learn that it doesn't actually 20 00:01:12,919 --> 00:01:15,849 Speaker 1: have roots in any other language. When did you come 21 00:01:15,860 --> 00:01:18,029 Speaker 1: across it for the first time? Did you have any 22 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,870 Speaker 1: idea it existed when you were growing up. Well, yes, 23 00:01:20,879 --> 00:01:25,449 Speaker 1: I did know that Ainu existed, especially the people of Ainu, 24 00:01:25,550 --> 00:01:28,389 Speaker 1: but I didn't really know anyone who was Ainu or 25 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,269 Speaker 1: anyone who came out to say they were Ainu. 26 00:01:31,410 --> 00:01:33,330 Speaker 1: I want to get a sense of just how unique 27 00:01:33,339 --> 00:01:36,628 Speaker 1: the a new language is. So when you hear it, 28 00:01:36,639 --> 00:01:39,050 Speaker 1: does it sound familiar in any way? Are there any 29 00:01:39,059 --> 00:01:42,940 Speaker 1: similarities to Japanese? For example, let me give you an example. 30 00:01:42,949 --> 00:01:45,550 Speaker 1: You know, I think I'm more familiar with the language 31 00:01:45,559 --> 00:01:49,459 Speaker 1: of Okinawa in southern Japan. Their language is different from 32 00:01:49,470 --> 00:01:54,629 Speaker 1: the general Japanese language. Okinawans don't hide their heritage for instance, 33 00:01:54,639 --> 00:01:56,949 Speaker 1: which is linked to the YQ kingdom 34 00:01:57,230 --> 00:02:00,660 Speaker 1: and there are popular Okinawa songs. So in that sense, 35 00:02:00,669 --> 00:02:04,279 Speaker 1: I'm familiar to the sound of Okinawan language, but I 36 00:02:04,290 --> 00:02:07,650 Speaker 1: don't know any popular Ainu songs, for instance, I had 37 00:02:07,660 --> 00:02:10,258 Speaker 1: no sense of what Ainu sounded like until I went 38 00:02:10,270 --> 00:02:14,198 Speaker 1: to Hokkaido to meet those of a new blood recently. 39 00:02:14,580 --> 00:02:19,899 Speaker 1: And I attended several Ainu classes by Ken You Yamamura 40 00:02:19,929 --> 00:02:23,850 Speaker 1: who's 30 years old and who is of a new blood? 41 00:02:24,199 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: I learned how to say the greetings you heard in 42 00:02:26,610 --> 00:02:32,389 Speaker 1: the beginning? I got up. Hello. Hello. You have to 43 00:02:32,399 --> 00:02:35,339 Speaker 1: know that there's a small p as in many a 44 00:02:35,490 --> 00:02:37,169 Speaker 1: words I got up 45 00:02:38,410 --> 00:02:42,660 Speaker 1: and there's a word, s small pieces is a plural 46 00:02:42,669 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 1: form of people going down the river. One word can 47 00:02:45,809 --> 00:02:49,130 Speaker 1: express sometimes a whole sentence. But you know, I really 48 00:02:49,139 --> 00:02:52,339 Speaker 1: couldn't link any of the words to the Japanese language. 49 00:02:52,350 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: So it's really hard. Yeah, definitely unique. Many countries around 50 00:02:56,889 --> 00:02:59,929 Speaker 1: the world are losing languages and South Korea is one 51 00:02:59,940 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: of them. 52 00:03:00,660 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: Yun. So there is a small community on Jeju Island 53 00:03:03,809 --> 00:03:07,220 Speaker 1: that speaks a vanishing language. It's called Jeju. I did 54 00:03:07,229 --> 00:03:10,820 Speaker 1: I say that correctly? Theresa is Jeju all, all meaning 55 00:03:10,830 --> 00:03:14,369 Speaker 1: language in Korean. And yes, I mean, I think, you know, 56 00:03:14,380 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 1: there are lots of people around the world who have 57 00:03:16,809 --> 00:03:19,550 Speaker 1: been to Jeju Island and it is very possible that 58 00:03:19,559 --> 00:03:23,269 Speaker 1: some of them would have heard that Cheju people speaking 59 00:03:23,279 --> 00:03:27,330 Speaker 1: a dialect, a language that's slightly different from the standard Korean. 60 00:03:27,339 --> 00:03:27,638 Speaker 1: But you know, 61 00:03:28,031 --> 00:03:31,401 Speaker 1: Chi Wall is the language that spoken, that was spoken 62 00:03:31,412 --> 00:03:34,472 Speaker 1: by most of the people living in Jeju in the past. 63 00:03:34,662 --> 00:03:37,442 Speaker 1: But you know, as there were more exchanges and more 64 00:03:37,451 --> 00:03:40,921 Speaker 1: people going back and forth from Jeju Island to the mainland. 65 00:03:40,932 --> 00:03:44,082 Speaker 1: Many people in Jeju started to pick up the Korean language. 66 00:03:44,111 --> 00:03:48,022 Speaker 1: And so the original Chi language started to disappear. Now, 67 00:03:48,031 --> 00:03:51,361 Speaker 1: I remember traveling to Jeju Island say about 20 years ago. 68 00:03:51,371 --> 00:03:54,111 Speaker 1: And that time I really did have a difficult time 69 00:03:54,121 --> 00:03:54,712 Speaker 1: trying to understand 70 00:03:54,824 --> 00:03:58,914 Speaker 1: and what the residents there were saying because the vocabularies, 71 00:03:58,923 --> 00:04:01,313 Speaker 1: the grammar, they were all very different to what I 72 00:04:01,324 --> 00:04:04,733 Speaker 1: knew from the standard Korean. These days. You go to 73 00:04:04,904 --> 00:04:06,884 Speaker 1: Jeju Island. I think a lot of people would be 74 00:04:06,893 --> 00:04:09,673 Speaker 1: able to understand what they're saying, but you know, with 75 00:04:09,684 --> 00:04:12,274 Speaker 1: a bit of this Tai dialect. But when you talk 76 00:04:12,283 --> 00:04:15,843 Speaker 1: about the small community there, we're talking about the elderly population, 77 00:04:15,854 --> 00:04:18,794 Speaker 1: you know, like the women divers whose average age is 78 00:04:18,803 --> 00:04:21,794 Speaker 1: say 70 years old and they still speak the 79 00:04:21,906 --> 00:04:25,526 Speaker 1: original Jeju among themselves. Since the younger people there don't 80 00:04:25,536 --> 00:04:28,765 Speaker 1: understand it or speak it anymore. So um Teresa, let's 81 00:04:28,776 --> 00:04:31,545 Speaker 1: listen to what one women diver said to me about 82 00:04:31,555 --> 00:04:36,835 Speaker 1: this dying Jeju language. It's a shame sometimes when we 83 00:04:36,846 --> 00:04:40,164 Speaker 1: talk among ourselves using the very old Jeju language, we 84 00:04:40,175 --> 00:04:43,255 Speaker 1: break out laughing because the old Jeju language has very 85 00:04:43,265 --> 00:04:45,905 Speaker 1: funny words. When we go to Seoul and speak the 86 00:04:45,915 --> 00:04:48,835 Speaker 1: Jeju language, people think we came from overseas. 87 00:04:49,450 --> 00:04:52,178 Speaker 1: So y you mentioned most of these women who speak 88 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 1: Cheo are 70 that means time is running out, right? 89 00:04:56,170 --> 00:04:59,500 Speaker 1: The language itself also just doesn't have the same currency 90 00:04:59,510 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: it once had. I think how hard is it to preserve? 91 00:05:03,299 --> 00:05:06,519 Speaker 1: Well. Yes, definitely. And it is very difficult because as 92 00:05:06,529 --> 00:05:08,149 Speaker 1: you said, you know, many of those who speak the 93 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,669 Speaker 1: language now are people in the elderly people living in 94 00:05:11,959 --> 00:05:14,118 Speaker 1: Jeju Island. And there's not that many of them left 95 00:05:14,130 --> 00:05:16,500 Speaker 1: on Jeju Island now. And so, you know, while I 96 00:05:16,510 --> 00:05:19,078 Speaker 1: was doing this story, I got a sense that, you know, 97 00:05:19,089 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: even the Che government or the people living there didn't 98 00:05:22,209 --> 00:05:23,919 Speaker 1: realize the importance 99 00:05:24,096 --> 00:05:27,515 Speaker 1: of preserving this language. And it was really only after 100 00:05:27,615 --> 00:05:32,715 Speaker 1: UNESCO in 2010 designated Cheju as critically endangered. That the 101 00:05:32,966 --> 00:05:35,235 Speaker 1: Cheju government and the people there started to think, hey, 102 00:05:35,246 --> 00:05:37,414 Speaker 1: maybe it's time for us to try and preserve this 103 00:05:37,425 --> 00:05:41,045 Speaker 1: language before it gets lost. So now if you go 104 00:05:41,055 --> 00:05:43,905 Speaker 1: around Jeju Island, you'll be running into a lot of 105 00:05:43,915 --> 00:05:44,776 Speaker 1: the writing 106 00:05:45,092 --> 00:05:48,221 Speaker 1: in language that we used in the old days. And 107 00:05:48,231 --> 00:05:51,101 Speaker 1: that's no longer used here in South Korea. And what 108 00:05:51,111 --> 00:05:53,592 Speaker 1: they're trying to do is to raise the awareness of 109 00:05:53,601 --> 00:05:56,842 Speaker 1: the language to the Jeju resonant. But also to the 110 00:05:56,851 --> 00:06:00,832 Speaker 1: average South Koreans who don't realize this too. And many 111 00:06:00,842 --> 00:06:03,890 Speaker 1: there now are starting to realize and be aware that 112 00:06:03,902 --> 00:06:05,551 Speaker 1: their language could be disappearing. 113 00:06:05,829 --> 00:06:07,970 Speaker 1: And in fact, you know, when we were there doing 114 00:06:07,980 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: the story, I met a group of people from the 115 00:06:10,190 --> 00:06:14,690 Speaker 1: Teju Dialect Institute who actually go around the elderly communities 116 00:06:14,700 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: there to hear stories from them about, you know, everyday 117 00:06:17,850 --> 00:06:20,209 Speaker 1: things about how they lived in the past, but also 118 00:06:20,220 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: like how they celebrated the traditional Korean holidays because apparently 119 00:06:24,290 --> 00:06:27,670 Speaker 1: culture is very related to the language. So let's listen 120 00:06:27,678 --> 00:06:30,940 Speaker 1: to what one director Kang Yongbo of the Cheech Dialect 121 00:06:30,950 --> 00:06:32,089 Speaker 1: Institute told me 122 00:06:35,529 --> 00:06:39,140 Speaker 2: when society changes. So does the language like in the 123 00:06:39,149 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: Ha New society, Children used to watch, he return from 124 00:06:42,769 --> 00:06:44,869 Speaker 2: the sea and they will be fed some of the 125 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:49,290 Speaker 2: catch like seaweed and conch. But that does not happen anymore. 126 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,570 Speaker 2: And so the word ko which came from that cultural 127 00:06:52,579 --> 00:06:55,799 Speaker 2: act no longer exists. And that is what is concerning 128 00:06:56,589 --> 00:07:00,369 Speaker 1: Michio. A lot of these threatened languages are completely oral 129 00:07:00,380 --> 00:07:03,969 Speaker 1: I knew is completely oral. There's no written component. What 130 00:07:03,980 --> 00:07:06,329 Speaker 1: other challenges did you find stand in the way of 131 00:07:06,339 --> 00:07:07,328 Speaker 1: its preservation? 132 00:07:08,230 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: Well, many of those of Ainu descendant, they did not 133 00:07:11,929 --> 00:07:14,899 Speaker 1: want to be open about their heritage and many still 134 00:07:14,910 --> 00:07:20,220 Speaker 1: don't wish to. There's a history of discrimination, their culture, 135 00:07:20,230 --> 00:07:24,790 Speaker 1: history was undermined those in their sixties and seventies told 136 00:07:24,799 --> 00:07:27,980 Speaker 1: me that even though they knew their Ainu connection, they 137 00:07:27,989 --> 00:07:30,899 Speaker 1: were not encouraged to speak in the Ainu language. 138 00:07:31,329 --> 00:07:36,369 Speaker 1: Now, the area I visited in Hokkaido, Shira traditionally had 139 00:07:36,380 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: a large Ainu community and still does have. So they 140 00:07:39,890 --> 00:07:42,850 Speaker 1: claim they are more open about their heritage and they 141 00:07:42,859 --> 00:07:46,119 Speaker 1: have some recordings of the past and they have recordings 142 00:07:46,130 --> 00:07:49,769 Speaker 1: of their grandparents for instance. So they have at least 143 00:07:49,779 --> 00:07:53,679 Speaker 1: heard what the Ainu language is like while in other 144 00:07:53,690 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: parts of Hokkaido. Uh there are many people who may 145 00:07:56,752 --> 00:08:00,352 Speaker 1: have heard what the language is like at all. I 146 00:08:00,363 --> 00:08:02,572 Speaker 1: spoke to one of the leading members of the National 147 00:08:02,803 --> 00:08:07,513 Speaker 1: Au Museum and Park which opened in 2020 in Shira Town. 148 00:08:07,632 --> 00:08:11,453 Speaker 1: It's a 64 year old Miyuki Muraki and MS Muraki 149 00:08:11,743 --> 00:08:17,472 Speaker 1: explains the opportunity to speak, it was taken away but 150 00:08:17,483 --> 00:08:22,173 Speaker 1: it was not banned. Other practices were banned, tattoos were banned, 151 00:08:22,325 --> 00:08:26,415 Speaker 1: men were banned from wearing big earrings. Japan's position is 152 00:08:26,425 --> 00:08:31,966 Speaker 1: that there is just one Japanese culture, one language and history. Mitchell, 153 00:08:31,996 --> 00:08:35,635 Speaker 1: your report talks about that historical discrimination against a new 154 00:08:35,645 --> 00:08:39,026 Speaker 1: people which some say may have driven them to stop 155 00:08:39,035 --> 00:08:42,745 Speaker 1: speaking it altogether. Why then is the revival of this 156 00:08:42,755 --> 00:08:46,226 Speaker 1: language important? You talk to people who are studying the language? 157 00:08:46,236 --> 00:08:47,785 Speaker 1: Why do they even bother doing it? 158 00:08:48,479 --> 00:08:51,500 Speaker 1: Well, you know those who were studying Ainu who were 159 00:08:51,510 --> 00:08:55,229 Speaker 1: not of Ainu blood lived in Hokkaido but had never 160 00:08:55,239 --> 00:08:58,559 Speaker 1: heard of the Ainu language. They were actually curious to 161 00:08:58,570 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: learn and thought it was relevant to them because they 162 00:09:01,409 --> 00:09:05,739 Speaker 1: lived in Hokkaido. They were only aware that 80% of cities, 163 00:09:05,750 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: towns and villages names actually derived from the Ainu language 164 00:09:09,650 --> 00:09:13,340 Speaker 1: in Hokkaido. Uh This includes like the cities of Sapporo, 165 00:09:13,510 --> 00:09:15,609 Speaker 1: it's the capital of Hokkaido ski 166 00:09:16,317 --> 00:09:22,166 Speaker 1: world famous and they are Ainu names now reviving the 167 00:09:22,177 --> 00:09:25,035 Speaker 1: language is significant. Let's put it this way that a 168 00:09:25,046 --> 00:09:27,976 Speaker 1: loss of language would mean a loss of tradition, culture, 169 00:09:27,986 --> 00:09:32,526 Speaker 1: knowledge and the possible measure to unveil human history. There 170 00:09:32,535 --> 00:09:36,117 Speaker 1: is still a lot of mystery about the Ainu people. 171 00:09:36,226 --> 00:09:39,486 Speaker 1: So of course, the Ainu language and scholars are not 172 00:09:39,497 --> 00:09:42,856 Speaker 1: even clear about their roots also, that's the case about 173 00:09:42,953 --> 00:09:47,013 Speaker 1: the Japanese and Ainu were said to have lived not 174 00:09:47,023 --> 00:09:50,473 Speaker 1: only in Hokkaido but also in the Tohoku area or 175 00:09:50,484 --> 00:09:55,424 Speaker 1: Northeastern Honshu area of Japan, which is now a Moi 176 00:09:55,504 --> 00:09:59,494 Speaker 1: and Akita Prefectures. And they are also said to have 177 00:09:59,504 --> 00:10:03,684 Speaker 1: lived in what's now the Corals and parts of Sakhalin 178 00:10:03,693 --> 00:10:07,143 Speaker 1: in Russia. And in the past century, historians say that 179 00:10:07,153 --> 00:10:10,093 Speaker 1: they led a life being pushed by the Russians 180 00:10:10,301 --> 00:10:14,471 Speaker 1: and the Japanese people. The Ainu people were under pressure 181 00:10:14,481 --> 00:10:18,491 Speaker 1: to denounce their tradition here in Japan. And with that 182 00:10:18,500 --> 00:10:22,091 Speaker 1: many hit their Ainu identity. So there's a lot that 183 00:10:22,101 --> 00:10:26,471 Speaker 1: has been lost already. And an extension of the Ainu 184 00:10:26,530 --> 00:10:30,351 Speaker 1: language will be a major blow. So in 2007, the 185 00:10:30,361 --> 00:10:34,010 Speaker 1: United Nations declared the rights of the indigenous people and 186 00:10:34,020 --> 00:10:37,330 Speaker 1: the Japanese government came under pressure to recognize them. 187 00:10:37,619 --> 00:10:41,049 Speaker 1: And following that, the government passed a resolution to recognize 188 00:10:41,059 --> 00:10:44,419 Speaker 1: the Ainu as indigenous people of Japan. So it's just 189 00:10:44,429 --> 00:10:49,309 Speaker 1: really recent. And in 2014, the Shinzo Abe government approved 190 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:53,609 Speaker 1: a new facility to promote ethnic harmony in Shira Town. 191 00:10:53,619 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: And OK, Kaido where I visited and that became the 192 00:10:56,409 --> 00:11:00,080 Speaker 1: Ainu National Museum and Park or in short called up Poi, 193 00:11:00,289 --> 00:11:02,630 Speaker 1: meaning let's sing in Ainu. 194 00:11:03,030 --> 00:11:06,919 Speaker 1: And on the back of such political environment, the preservation 195 00:11:06,929 --> 00:11:11,609 Speaker 1: of Ainu culture and language became a government interest. And 196 00:11:11,619 --> 00:11:15,549 Speaker 1: this is a complete reversal of what the major government 197 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,979 Speaker 1: of the late 18 hundreds was doing, forcing the Ainu 198 00:11:19,059 --> 00:11:23,229 Speaker 1: people to become integrated with the Japanese society, pressuring them 199 00:11:23,239 --> 00:11:26,479 Speaker 1: to leave their centuries of practice important to them. 200 00:11:26,710 --> 00:11:30,729 Speaker 1: And this also discouraged them to speak the Ainu language. Yeah, 201 00:11:30,739 --> 00:11:33,330 Speaker 1: it sounds like efforts to protect it have really galvanized. 202 00:11:33,340 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 1: And I think it's because there's a recognition that this 203 00:11:35,570 --> 00:11:38,409 Speaker 1: language is a treasure, right? And you don't want that 204 00:11:38,419 --> 00:11:43,159 Speaker 1: to disappear. Yun Suk earlier, we heard Michio attempt speaking Ainu. 205 00:11:43,260 --> 00:11:46,309 Speaker 1: You tried learning a bit of Jeju. How did that go? 206 00:11:46,869 --> 00:11:48,969 Speaker 1: I did but it was a disaster and I don't 207 00:11:48,979 --> 00:11:51,189 Speaker 1: think I am even going to try to say a 208 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: few of their words because it is very different from 209 00:11:53,650 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: the Korean that I know and that I speak here 210 00:11:56,289 --> 00:11:59,229 Speaker 1: in the capital Seoul. But, you know, just touching on 211 00:11:59,239 --> 00:12:02,869 Speaker 1: what Michie said, there was no discrimination and no discrimination 212 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:06,059 Speaker 1: even now for people speaking Tao. But I think it 213 00:12:06,070 --> 00:12:08,569 Speaker 1: was something that the TAJ people sort of like brought 214 00:12:08,580 --> 00:12:10,608 Speaker 1: it on their own because they just felt that, 215 00:12:10,719 --> 00:12:12,598 Speaker 1: you know, a lot of the young people would go 216 00:12:12,609 --> 00:12:16,979 Speaker 1: to the capital Seoul after high school or so to study. 217 00:12:16,989 --> 00:12:19,260 Speaker 1: And many felt that they just felt as if they 218 00:12:19,270 --> 00:12:21,580 Speaker 1: were from the countryside and they didn't want to let 219 00:12:21,590 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: people know that they were from tech. And so they 220 00:12:23,690 --> 00:12:27,260 Speaker 1: stopped speaking with the vocab or the grammar. And I 221 00:12:27,270 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 1: think that was unfortunately, that was the reason why a 222 00:12:30,530 --> 00:12:33,539 Speaker 1: lot of young people now don't speak it. But, you know, 223 00:12:33,549 --> 00:12:34,319 Speaker 1: talking about me 224 00:12:34,570 --> 00:12:37,530 Speaker 1: trying to learn the language. Yes, it was very difficult. 225 00:12:37,539 --> 00:12:41,150 Speaker 1: I had this grandmother at this um little grocery store 226 00:12:41,159 --> 00:12:43,010 Speaker 1: trying to teach me and I think she gave up 227 00:12:43,020 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 1: after a while. But, you know, it was very difficult. 228 00:12:46,799 --> 00:12:49,419 Speaker 1: So you talk about those young people when we think 229 00:12:49,429 --> 00:12:52,059 Speaker 1: about the next generation, what sort of efforts are they 230 00:12:52,070 --> 00:12:55,159 Speaker 1: putting in, you know, in schools, social media is, of course, 231 00:12:55,169 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 1: a big thing is that playing a role in keeping 232 00:12:57,330 --> 00:12:58,309 Speaker 1: the tradition alive. 233 00:12:58,929 --> 00:13:01,939 Speaker 1: Well, yes, it is now that the government, you know, 234 00:13:01,950 --> 00:13:04,069 Speaker 1: feels that they need to do something to try and 235 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,468 Speaker 1: preserve this. There are efforts being made by the schools 236 00:13:07,479 --> 00:13:10,250 Speaker 1: and even the social media to try to do what 237 00:13:10,260 --> 00:13:12,799 Speaker 1: they can to do this. And so the Chi government 238 00:13:12,809 --> 00:13:16,330 Speaker 1: has made it compulsory for Che elementary schools to teach 239 00:13:16,340 --> 00:13:19,780 Speaker 1: at least 11 hours a year of chi language and 240 00:13:19,789 --> 00:13:22,819 Speaker 1: the culture. Now you may say, you know, 11 hours 241 00:13:22,830 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 1: might be nothing. And in a way, you know, it is, 242 00:13:25,210 --> 00:13:27,130 Speaker 1: I mean, it's very difficult for them to learn a 243 00:13:27,140 --> 00:13:27,299 Speaker 1: lot 244 00:13:27,427 --> 00:13:30,968 Speaker 1: language in 11 hours. But what they're doing is it's 245 00:13:30,977 --> 00:13:33,288 Speaker 1: like how when we went to school, we would have 246 00:13:33,297 --> 00:13:38,177 Speaker 1: say French classes or Spanish classes. But in Teju elementary schools, 247 00:13:38,187 --> 00:13:42,117 Speaker 1: they don't have a special class catered to the Teju language, 248 00:13:42,218 --> 00:13:46,187 Speaker 1: but it is naturally just included incorporated into the normal 249 00:13:46,197 --> 00:13:49,107 Speaker 1: classes that they carry out. Now say, for example, the 250 00:13:49,117 --> 00:13:52,408 Speaker 1: story telling class and there the teacher would be using 251 00:13:52,418 --> 00:13:55,898 Speaker 1: vocabularies and games to get the Children interest 252 00:13:56,046 --> 00:13:59,736 Speaker 1: in this language and the culture. And the principal of 253 00:13:59,745 --> 00:14:02,535 Speaker 1: one school that we went to the Xin TJ elementary 254 00:14:02,546 --> 00:14:05,765 Speaker 1: school was saying that, you know, students can get frustrated 255 00:14:05,776 --> 00:14:09,135 Speaker 1: and bored with just learning the t language. And so 256 00:14:09,145 --> 00:14:12,745 Speaker 1: she decided to use this way of teaching. Also, we 257 00:14:12,755 --> 00:14:15,426 Speaker 1: met this one youtuber who was in his twenties and 258 00:14:15,434 --> 00:14:18,535 Speaker 1: apparently he was doing other contents before, didn't get too 259 00:14:18,546 --> 00:14:22,166 Speaker 1: many people interested. And so he switched to, to Cheol 260 00:14:22,466 --> 00:14:24,435 Speaker 1: where he goes around and meet the, 261 00:14:24,564 --> 00:14:27,664 Speaker 1: hopefully people say in a shop or, or anywhere out 262 00:14:27,674 --> 00:14:29,684 Speaker 1: in the streets, he would talk to them and then 263 00:14:29,693 --> 00:14:32,044 Speaker 1: he would put that video content up. And he was 264 00:14:32,054 --> 00:14:35,283 Speaker 1: surprised that there was just so much interest in especially 265 00:14:35,294 --> 00:14:39,223 Speaker 1: the young people about the j language, the the culture. 266 00:14:39,234 --> 00:14:43,924 Speaker 1: And right now, he has more than 276,000 viewers. And so, 267 00:14:44,023 --> 00:14:46,754 Speaker 1: you know, he too admits, I must say that he 268 00:14:46,763 --> 00:14:49,523 Speaker 1: too admits that when he goes around and speaks to 269 00:14:49,533 --> 00:14:52,463 Speaker 1: the elderly people, he has a very difficult time understanding 270 00:14:52,473 --> 00:14:53,023 Speaker 1: them too. 271 00:14:53,132 --> 00:14:56,872 Speaker 1: But, but it just shows how much interest there is, unfortunately, 272 00:14:56,882 --> 00:14:59,101 Speaker 1: that are a bit too late. But perhaps, you know, 273 00:14:59,202 --> 00:15:01,710 Speaker 1: with the young people getting a bit interested in it, 274 00:15:01,721 --> 00:15:04,192 Speaker 1: there's just a little bit of hope for the language. 275 00:15:04,851 --> 00:15:07,781 Speaker 1: So hearing you speak and Michio speak about these languages, 276 00:15:07,791 --> 00:15:11,322 Speaker 1: I get a sense of optimism of hope. What's your 277 00:15:11,331 --> 00:15:14,681 Speaker 1: sense though, of the future of Ainu and Jitu Mitch? 278 00:15:14,692 --> 00:15:17,211 Speaker 1: Do you think all these efforts are just prolonging the 279 00:15:17,221 --> 00:15:21,002 Speaker 1: inevitable or will these languages survive to the next generation 280 00:15:21,012 --> 00:15:21,590 Speaker 1: and beyond? 281 00:15:22,229 --> 00:15:25,039 Speaker 1: Well, the good news is that at least the Japanese 282 00:15:25,049 --> 00:15:28,530 Speaker 1: government is setting aside a huge budget to operate, for instance, 283 00:15:28,539 --> 00:15:32,210 Speaker 1: the National Ainu Museum and Park or Opo which opened 284 00:15:32,219 --> 00:15:33,169 Speaker 1: in 2020. 285 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:37,119 Speaker 1: And on the back of the encouragement of the Japanese government, 286 00:15:37,130 --> 00:15:41,570 Speaker 1: there is a momentum among scholars here, especially at universities 287 00:15:41,580 --> 00:15:45,169 Speaker 1: and institutes in Hokkaido to revive the Ainu language and 288 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:49,049 Speaker 1: attempts at the local level such as commuter buses running 289 00:15:49,059 --> 00:15:53,020 Speaker 1: announcements in the Ainu language on express trains for instance. 290 00:15:53,030 --> 00:15:57,119 Speaker 1: And there are schools attempting to revive the Ainu language too, 291 00:15:57,130 --> 00:16:00,419 Speaker 1: but it's not like what Yu has been telling us about, 292 00:16:00,429 --> 00:16:02,690 Speaker 1: you know, the attempts there in South Korea, 293 00:16:02,780 --> 00:16:05,530 Speaker 1: it's more like just having fun with the Ainu language 294 00:16:05,539 --> 00:16:08,109 Speaker 1: once in a while, it's not compulsory or anything of 295 00:16:08,119 --> 00:16:11,409 Speaker 1: that sort. Having said all that. There are still many 296 00:16:11,419 --> 00:16:15,700 Speaker 1: of those who hide their Ainu identity, their parents, grandparents 297 00:16:15,780 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: who don't want to talk about their identity, their a 298 00:16:19,070 --> 00:16:21,359 Speaker 1: new blood. And you know, in fact, there is no 299 00:16:21,369 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: requirement in Japan for national registration to indicate your a 300 00:16:25,909 --> 00:16:28,270 Speaker 1: new blood. So we don't know, we don't know how 301 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,359 Speaker 1: many people of a new blood there are in Japan. 302 00:16:31,369 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: There could be many 303 00:16:32,159 --> 00:16:35,260 Speaker 1: more than some people imagine. There could be much less 304 00:16:35,270 --> 00:16:37,070 Speaker 1: but we don't know. But you know what we know 305 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,619 Speaker 1: is that they are Japanese, they are Japanese nationals. So 306 00:16:40,630 --> 00:16:42,500 Speaker 1: for now we have to wait and see if more 307 00:16:42,510 --> 00:16:44,820 Speaker 1: who hide their roots will be willing to come out 308 00:16:45,030 --> 00:16:48,210 Speaker 1: and not face discrimination and that's really important that they 309 00:16:48,219 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: will not face discrimination anymore in this country. Well, you know, 310 00:16:51,770 --> 00:16:54,919 Speaker 1: I think some part of the wall, the words, some 311 00:16:54,929 --> 00:16:58,539 Speaker 1: of the vocabulary they will be around since it's widely 312 00:16:58,549 --> 00:17:01,460 Speaker 1: spoken by the young population even now, 313 00:17:01,539 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: you know, they speak with a standard Korean, plus the 314 00:17:04,069 --> 00:17:07,290 Speaker 1: Tao dialect a bit with the F caps and words. 315 00:17:07,410 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: But definitely, I think the original Teju that spoken by 316 00:17:11,449 --> 00:17:15,979 Speaker 1: the elderly population there will soon disappear together with the 317 00:17:15,989 --> 00:17:19,129 Speaker 1: elderly population. And in fact, the director of the Taj 318 00:17:19,410 --> 00:17:22,239 Speaker 1: Language Institute, Kang Yong Bong was telling me that they 319 00:17:22,250 --> 00:17:25,679 Speaker 1: were really just trying to delay this process of the 320 00:17:25,939 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: Teju or dying out um because it's going to be 321 00:17:28,569 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: impossible to preserve it for good. 322 00:17:31,209 --> 00:17:35,448 Speaker 1: Well, ladies, really interesting reports and our listeners, a reminder 323 00:17:35,459 --> 00:17:38,790 Speaker 1: you can watch Mio and Yun stories on youtube as 324 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,869 Speaker 1: well as on CN A dot Asia. Thank you very 325 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,729 Speaker 1: much to you both. Thank you the TV episodes of 326 00:17:44,739 --> 00:17:48,199 Speaker 1: CN A correspondent air every Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. Singapore 327 00:17:48,209 --> 00:17:51,150 Speaker 1: Hong Kong time. Thanks very much for listening today. This 328 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,689 Speaker 1: episode was brought to you by Faiz Sa N Clara 329 00:17:54,790 --> 00:17:58,189 Speaker 1: and Kristina Robert Craig Dale and myself, Teresa Tang. See 330 00:17:58,199 --> 00:17:58,979 Speaker 1: you next week.