Conceptualising a Framework for Language and Cultural Revival Based on The Bidayuh Community in Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

The Bidayuhs, an indigenous community in Sarawak, Malaysia, are experiencing heavy language shift. Many young Bidayuhs, who have moved to bigger cities for higher education and better job opportunities, have shifted to speak dominant languages. This situation has resulted in the Bidayuh language being spoken less. Parents in mixed marriag- es have also chosen those languages as their family language, abandoning the transmission of Bidayuh to their children. Furthermore, Bidayuh does not have a standardised orthography due to its high diversity. All these factors result in it becoming threatened. Various methodological practices have been taken for revitalisation purposes. This study compiles and categorises them according to three levels: (i) schools, (ii) community, and (iii) society. The practices include the development of a unified orthography for vowels, the establishment of Bidayuh medium preschools, the formation of a Bidayuh music band that uses traditional musical instruments, and film documentary and mural paint- ing of the last ring ladies from the Bi’embhan subethnic group. By conceptualising a framework based on these prac- tices, this study hopes to inspire global communities to prioritise language and cultural revival for the mental and physical wellbeing of those involved.