Preserving the Biak Language Through Ethnosemantic-Based Micro-Stories for Children

Abstract

The preservation of regional languages is an important effort to maintain cultural identity and transmit local knowledge to younger generations. The Biak language, particularly the Dwar subdialect (BBSD), possesses a rich vocabulary that reflects the social life, traditions, and local wisdom of the Biak community. This community service program aims to assist children in learning and becoming familiar with the Biak language through ethnosemantic-based micro-stories. The micro-story was developed from the lexical meaning of Wairon (boat) into a cultural narrative entitled The Wairon Boat, serving as a medium for preserving the Biak language. The story incorporates eight BBSD lexical items, namely babe oser, fararur kayame, kamasan, kbur, manibob, manimbob, mankarwai, and manwarwor. The program employed a participatory and contextual approach through several stages: needs identification, socialization, lexical introduction, storytelling practice, mentoring, and evaluation. The activities were designed to improve children's vocabulary recognition, understanding of cultural meanings, and awareness of the importance of preserving the Biak language. Through micro-stories, language learning is connected to the experiences and cultural values of the Biak community. This program is expected to serve as an educational medium that supports the intergenerational transmission of the Biak language through the involvement of children and their families.