Penampang: The Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF) will be organising the first Murut Language Seminar to kick-start a three-year pilot project to introduce the teaching of the Murut Language in primary schools in Tenom. The four-day seminar, part of an early phase of the pilot project funded by the Finnish Government through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland, will take place at the Perkasa Hotel Tenom beginning tomorrow (Monday).
It will gather Murut-speaking teachers and representatives from the local Murut communities as well as experts from related fields, who will discuss on topics related to the Murut language, the teaching of the language and Murut oral tradition, among others.
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Announcing this here Saturday, KLF CEO Rita Lasimbang said the project is consulted by Finland-based linguists couple, Richard and Dr Kielo Brewis, who specialise in Timugon Murut and had worked closely with the Timugon Murut community in Tenom since 1983.
The couple's active involvement and works in the community led to the completion and publication of the first Timugon Murut-Malay Dictionary in 2004, which was launched by Tan Sri Bernard Dompok who was then Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.
She said the seminar will be officially launched by First Secretary of the Finland Embassy to Kuala Lumpur, Henna Knuuttila, in the opening ceremony to be held at the Murut Cultural Centre in Tenom on March 14, at 7.30pm.
Among the topics of discussion to be covered the following day include "Language" involving the presentation of a working paper on the Murut orthography and dialect by Richard himself; to be followed by "Heritage in Print" where Rita will present a paper on the role of KLF as publisher of mother tongue reading materials.
The Wednesday session will cover the topics "Education", involving the presentation of two papers, on the objectives and way forward of the Murut Language teaching by Murut Language Centre (MLC) Chairman, Lucas Umbul, and on the teaching materials and teacher training by Evelyn Annol, followed by the topic of "Oral Tradition" with a paper presented by Dr Kielo on the Murut oral tradition as sources for teaching the Murut language.
Dompok, who is now Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, will officiate the closing of the seminar at 7.30pm the same day.
Meanwhile, Rita said the registration for all seminar participants will be tomorrow (Monday), from 2pm to 5pm. She urged the participants to wear batik with Borneo motifs or traditional attire for the official opening ceremony. For additional information about the seminar, contact klf6392g@yahoo.com or 088-724852.
