The Higa-Onon Language Among the Youth: An Ethnographic Study
Keywords:
Higa-onon Language, Native Language, Indigenous Language, Ethnographic StudyAbstract
Many consider native language speaking an art form. Mindanao has many languages, mostly spoken by the Higa-onon people in Bukidnon. Speaking the native language preserves culture; however, with each succeeding generation, the native language becomes less popular. Preserving the Higa-onon tribe's native language enables more meaningful communication and respect for these ties and the legacy of the culture. The study aimed to examine the Higa-onon youths' conservation of the native language. The study uses an ethnographic design to investigate the perceptions and experiences of six Higa-onon students (five males and one female) in learning the native language. The study used a validated researcher-made questionnaire and followed a semi-structured interview format to gather pertinent data from the respondents, and the data gathered were treated thematically. The study found that studying Higa-onon helps preserve the language and Indigenous culture. The Higa-onon language preserves native stories and community standards. Higa-onon pride comes from language preservation. The language also breaks communication barriers, helps people comprehend local culture, and defines the Higa-onon tribe. Moreover, learning Higa-onon made the participants value the language and realize their culture. Learning Higa-onon is difficult, but determination and community support helped in learning the language..
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