Itanagar, Aug 2: In a significant step toward preserving Arunachal Pradesh’s endangered languages and oral traditions, the RIWATCH Centre for Mother Languages (RCML) has successfully concluded an intensive field study among the Sajolang (Miji), Aka (Hrusso), and Sherdukpen communities. The research, conducted from July 14 to 31, 2025, spanned Bichom and West Kameng districts.
The field study focused on documenting the rich oral heritage of these indigenous communities, including folk tales, oral histories, and vital linguistic data. RCML researchers worked in close collaboration with community elders, tradition bearers, folklorists, and native speakers to gather endangered narratives that are at risk of disappearing.
This initiative is part of RCML’s broader mission to promote, document, and revitalize indigenous languages across the region. A key outcome of the study will be the publication of illustrated folktale books, designed to encourage reading habits among children and youth, while facilitating the intergenerational transmission of these stories.
Beyond documentation, the initiative aims to empower local communities through educational and preservation efforts grounded in community participation. RCML emphasized its commitment to ongoing collaboration with the communities to ensure that these oral traditions continue to thrive.
RIWATCH extended its heartfelt appreciation to the Aka Shotuko-Kunu (ASK), the All Sherdukpen Blu (ASB), the Tukpen Village Council, the Shergaon Village Council, the Sajolang Indigenous Faith & Culture Preservation Society, the Sajolang Elite Society, and the respected elders from all communities for their invaluable support and hospitality.
“The success of this field study would not have been possible without the trust, cooperation, and enthusiastic involvement of these communities,” RCML stated, adding that their participation has laid a strong foundation for sustained cultural and linguistic revival in the region.
