More books needed to teach Kadazandusun language

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KOTA KINABALU: The Kadazandusun language is in need of more reading materials to ensure the continuity and preservation of the language.

Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok, the former UPKO president, who was the guest-of-honour at the Kadazandusun Literary Award Dinner held at the Hakka Hall near here recently, said that there was a problem getting reading materials written in the Kadazandusun language presently.

He said the shortage of good reading materials in the language has also hampered efforts to teach the Kadazandusun language to primary school children at the schools in Sabah.

The Kadazandusun language subject was included as part of the primary school syllabus in 1994, he said.

“We need to have more books written in the language,” he stressed.

He explained the importance of sustaining the language for the future generation and warned that once the language became extinct, the Kadazandusun way of life would be gone too.

“We will ask the government to help us preserve our language,” he said.

Bernard also expressed his support to the Kadazandusun literary award, saying it was a way to preserve the Kadazandusun language and to ensure its longevity.

At the same time, the effort will also provide more reading materials, some of which could be used in the teaching of the Kadazandusun language for school children and others keen on perfecting their command of the language, he said.

He commended Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment for his effort to help preserve the language by allowing a grant of RM25,000 for the publication of the winning literary work.

Masidi had also agreed to increase the grant to RM30,000 for next year’s Kadazandusun Literary Award. A total of 21 entries were received for this year’s award.

Meanwhile, Wailin Ransidin Sambandor from Kampung Sungoi Tuaran was again selected as the winner of the literary award this year with her work “Rombituon ko I ginawo ku” (translated “You are the star in my heart”).

Wailin was the winner of the first Kadazandusun Literary Award held in 2013 with her work”Ginoris miagal Kinabalu”. She brought home RM5,000 cash prize and a certificate. Her winning entry will also be produced into a book.

When interviewed, Wailin said that she was not concentrating on winning the competition when she started work on her second Kadazandusun writing project.

“If that was my aim, it would be very difficult to bring out the creativity,” she said.

She added that it took her four months to finish the novel which has 20,000 words altogether.

The other winners of the literary award were Colestar @ Calista George Kiloh (2nd prize) with her work “Sundung romou ih tumuru” (Although the tears will fall) and Blasius Binjua (3rd prize) with his work “Sumidang mai I tadau” (Basking under the sun).

The consolation winners were Marcus Shapi, Henrietta @ Wendy Rudolf, Noemi Salikup, Jubillah Loinsu, Lydia Ongui, Adelyana Alexander and Christina Omok @ Vinis Omok.