REVIVING AN ENDANGERED LANGUAGE

 

REVIVING AN ENDANGERED LANGUAGE

Butuanon or “Binutuanon” is the native language spoken in Butuan City and in some neighboring towns. Legend has it that once upon a time, three distinct tribes lived in the general area of what is now known as Butuan City. All three tribes spoke one form of Binutuanon or another, and were therefore linguistically related, if not also related culturally. The three tribes were the “Lapaknon” (the people of the marshlands), the “Tausug” (the people of the river currents) and the “Kamayo”.

It is said that the “Tausug” people migrated to what is now Sulo, and the “Kamayo” people migrated to what is now Surigao. It is also said that the “Lapaknon” people stayed behind, eventually becoming the modern day “Binutuanon” speaking people today. That would explain why up to now, there are very close similarities between “Tausug”, “Kamayo” and “Binutuanon”.

Today, Cebuano has become the lingua franca of Butuan City, and very few “Binutuanon” speakers remain. Now comes Mr. Aljon Cocon, a young man who is a native speaker of “Binutuanon”. He has started a crusade to revive the language. Having viewed his posted video, I contacted Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) Chairman Arthur Casanova through my Butuanon friend Blas Tabaranza, Jr.  to help Mr. Cocon. Chairman Casanova reported that the orthography for “Binutuanon” was already finalized. Meanwhile, I have also reached out to other Butuanons to help. IKE SENERES/4-16-24

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