Over the years, some among the Kadazandusun community have voiced worry about what appears to them to be a slow demise of their mother tongue.
To them, one of the signs of concern was how many Kadazandusun youths were more at ease in using Bahasa Melayu or English while being only able to speak a smattering of their community’s language.
Over the years, the community has organised various initiatives to get youths to learn Kadazandusun, notably introducing the language as a subject in schools.
Educator and mother of two Lillian Mathurin Daim decided to do her part in the effort by coming up with a freely accessible online book to teach some commonly used Kadazandusun words and phrases.
The book called “Kanau, Moboos Kadazan” or Come On, Let’s Speak Kadazan, is available here.
The book not only features Kadazandusun words and phrases but also recordings of how they are spoken, with proper intonation.
At the end of each chapter, readers can take a “test” to assess their proficiency.
For Lillian, a native of the southwestern Papar district, the book was the outcome of a three-month effort.
“This ebook is intended particularly for the younger Kadazandusun generation with the purpose of making the language more engaging, interactive, and entertaining to them,” said Lillian, a teacher of 15 years who is currently working at the Taylor’s International School in Kuala Lumpur.
“I hope that this book will reach out to them, as well as anyone else who is interested in the Kadazandusun language. This is the first time I’ve published an ebook in Kadazan, but hopefully not the last,” she told FMT.
The e-book is also an extension of her search for new methods to reinvent learning. “I love inspiring educators to use technology to enhance their classrooms. I am a staunch supporter of changes in teaching and learning” she said.
Response to the book has been positive and encouraging after word about it spread via social media.
She hopes to produce additional ebooks in Kadazan, most likely for different audiences or contexts, as well as ways of attracting a larger audience to learn Kadazan.
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