This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
On August 9, 2019, the International Day of the World's Indigenous People's was commemorated, coinciding with the International Year of Indigenous Languages. This year-long celebration aimed to raise awareness about the importance of indigenous languages and the need to protect them.
However, in Kenya, the suppression of mother tongues in schools has led to tragic consequences. In a Kericho school, a 14-year-old boy was punished for speaking in his mother tongue, leading to a fight with a prefect that resulted in the prefect's death.
The two brothers involved in the fight pleaded guilty and were convicted of manslaughter, receiving a two-year probation sentence. While the sentence may seem lenient, the incident highlights the far-reaching effects of suppressing mother tongues.
According to a study by Oludamini Ogunnaike, a Nigerian professor from Harvard University's Department of African and African American Studies, the highest proportion of African children unable to speak in their mother tongues comes from Kenya. This is a concerning trend, especially when considering the importance of mother tongues in preserving cultural identity.
Some schools, like the Freedom School in Nakuru, prioritize teaching mother tongues alongside Kiswahili and English. This approach emphasizes a strong African identity and recognizes the value of indigenous languages. However, the prioritization of Kiswahili and English has led to a decline in the use of mother tongues, even in informal settings.
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues estimates that an indigenous language dies every two weeks, with 6,700 languages worldwide at risk of extinction. The classification of indigenous people in Africa as mainly hunter-gatherers and pastoralists by the UN has been debated, with some arguing that this definition restricts the protection of all African mother tongues as indigenous.
As the International Year of Indigenous Languages comes to a close, it remains to be seen whether governments will introduce legislation and policies to boost the speaking and teaching of mother tongues. The suppression of mother tongues has far-reaching consequences, not only for individuals but also for the preservation of cultural identity and the promotion of pluralistic expression.
