Tpreserving cultural heritage through language maintenance: semai oral tradition and knowledge transfer / Sharina Saad...[et al.]

Languages are perhaps our most powerful instruments for preserving and
developing heritage and culture. Cultural heritage is seen as the total ways
of living built up by a group of human beings, which is passed down from
one generation to the next, given to them by reasons of their birth. However,
the loss of a language may also risk the loss of culture at large. In Malaysia
the Indigenous communities as well as the Semai, keep their cultural
heritage alive by passing their knowledge, arts, rituals and performances
from one generation to another, speaking and teaching languages, protecting
cultural materials, sacred and significant sites and objects. However,
these activities and teachings, if not preserved will soon die out. The lack of
Indigenous education would continue to set indigenous youth apart from
their own cultures. Therefore the researchers find the significance of educational
instruction to take place in Indigenous languages. Efforts have been
taken by the researchers to preserve, protect and promote Indigenous
culture through cultural education via Indigenous folklores. This is done to
raise the community awareness and education on preserving the Semai
cultures and language heritage. The documentation of Semai language and
folklores is significant because when the Semai language dies out, parts of
a culture of the Semai dies.