By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Baidoa(Mogadishu24)-Somalia's Southwest State has introduced the teaching of the May language in Baidoa, the administrative capital of the Bay region this week.
This involves fundamental alphabetical instruction, such as writing and reading, students in schools in Baidoa are set to commence learning this new language starting from this term.
It is considered as an important opportunity for students to learn their traditional culture and promote the use of the May language in Somalia.
This new curriculum has gained the support of the communities living in the region, with a particular focus on teachers, administrators, and parents.
Stakeholders stated that the move will emphasize the importance of preserving the distinct cultural and literary aspects of the May language.
This is not the first time the regional administration has attempted to introduce the May language into the learning curriculum; previous attempts faced many obstacles.
They acknowledged the challenges that may lie ahead of formalizing this program, which requires enhanced skills, knowledge, and patience. It also demands political, economic, and awareness-building efforts to establish a written language equivalent to the Maha-tiri dialect.
The regional administration has this time invested in an official script to safeguard the cultural and literary heritage of the May-speaking communities.
In November, the Speaker of the House of People, Adan Mohamed Nur (Madobe), introduced the use of the May dialect in the parliament.
He praised the diverse literature and cultural values in the May language and commended the committee that worked diligently on crafting the Maya script, acknowledging the prolonged struggle to achieve this milestone.
This comes two days after the Prime Minister of the federal government, Hamza Abdi Barre, fired the chairman of the Somali Academy of Science and Arts, Abdulkadir Nur Hussein, aka Mah, and named Ismail Yusuf Osman as an acting chairperson for the Academy following a sensitive issue of the Somali language, May, and Maha-tiri from his office.
The Somali language is divided into two dialects, May and Maha-tiri, with the federal government strongly focusing on Maha-tiri and neglecting the May dialect. The official languages of Somalia in the Constitution are Somali, comprising of May and Maha-tiri and the Arabic language.
Linguists believe that incorporating Maya into the written form will contribute to the Somali language’s vocabulary, literature, and cultural richness, requiring a collective effort to embrace and learn the Maya language.
