Concern over erosion of Dusun language

10th June, 2008

TENOM: A group of advocators of the native customary laws have lamented that the trend among the young now not to communicate in their Dusun mother tongue will eventually render the race “extinct”.

The Peribumi society sat down on Sunday to discuss the problem at length and to find a way to ensure the natives in the Interior and their culture do not get swallowed by the sands of time.

They believe that the Dusun race could well disappear 20 years from now because more and more no longer speak the language.

“The young don’t appreciate the Dusun as their mother tongue anymore,” said a member of Peribumi.

It further claimed that the Dusuns as a people are not making great efforts to protect their culture and language from possible extinction.

“A clear example is many young Dusuns cannot even perform the traditional dance,” it purported.

Peribumi therefore plans to organise more cultural and educational programmes to uplift the image of the Dusuns and Muruts in the Interior.