wfn.org | The Roots of Taiwan's Cultures: Mother Tongues.

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2635, September 1, 2002
Translated and rewritten by David Alexander

    The Mother Tongue Promotion Committee of the Presbyterian
Church in Taiwan (PCT) and the Aboriginal Language and Culture
Education Association joined to sponsor their first "Ethnic
Mother Tongues Speech Contest last week.  There were fifty
contestants, giving speeches in Hoklo (Taiwanese), Hakka and
Aboriginal languages.  The finals were held on the campus of the
Presbyterian Bible College in the city of Hsin-chu.
    Rev. Hsiao Hok-to, head of the promotion committee, said,
"There are over 5,000 languages existing world-wide. Mother
tongues all are under pressure from outside. At the same time we
can say that they are God's blessing to us."  He told how in the
past, under the Nationalist Party government, education in Taiwan
promoted Mandarin Chinese exclusively.  So many people did not
respect or use their mother tongues.  "But today is different.
The past is past. Promotion of our mother tongues is a way of
protecting our cultural roots.  This is a task and a mission for
families."

For More Information: Mother Tongue Promotion Committee:
yasala@ms2.pct.org.tw

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Chinese.
Visit our web site: www.pctpress.com.tw