Cia-Cia people of Baubau, Indonesia adopt Hangul

Local women wearing traditional Korean Hanbok (한복) hold signage in the Korean Hangul script, used to document the language of the Cia-Cia ethnic group, during an event in Baubau, Indonesia - Photo AFP

In Baubau, Indonesia, the Cia-Cia language has adopted Hangul (the Korean alphabet) as its script to help preserve its spoken form, since it previously had no standardized written system. The Hangul script was chosen because its syllable-based structure aligns well with the Cia-Cia language, making it easier for community members in Baubau to write and read their language using this writing system.​

Background

Sign name of State Elementary School in City of Baubau with the name written in Indonesian (SD Negeri Karya Baru) and in Korean (까르야 바루 국립 초등학교) - Photo Bagas Hutagalung

• Baubau is a city in Southeast Sulawesi where the Cia-Cia people reside.
• Cia-Cia previously had no established script and had difficulty representing its language with the Latin alphabet used by Indonesia’s national language.
• Hangul’s adoption began in 2009 as part of a cultural exchange between Baubau city and Korean linguists.

How Hangul is Used in Baubau

• Hangul is used to transcribe Cia-Cia, with local teachers receiving formal training in Korea and educational materials developed specifically for this purpose.
• Almost every villager in Baubau has become capable of writing in Hangul, albeit for the purpose of writing Cia-Cia and not Korean.
• Hangul’s syllable-block structure makes it effective for accurately representing Cia-Cia sounds.

Examples

Some examples of Cia-Cia words written in Hangul (as recorded):

Cia-Cia Word (Latin)	Hangul Script	Meaning
Adi	아디	[name]
Sering	세링	often
Pali	빨리	very
Nononto	노논또	—

The table above demonstrates how Cia-Cia words arerendered using Hangul, directly reflecting the syllable sounds.

Cultural Impact

• The use of Hangul has brought positive attention to both Cia-Cia language preservation and the adaptability of the Korean script.​
• There have been concerns over cultural authenticity, yet the approach remains a unique case of script adoption for language revitalization.

References

1. https://www.koreaboo.com/stories/korean-alphabet-hangul-saving-near-extinct-indonesian-dialect/
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dtTBDEXVYY
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cia-Cia_language
4. https://thekoreaninme.com/blogs/learn-korean/hangul-everything-you-need-to-know-about-it/
5. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/indigenous-indonesians-use-korean-letters-to-save-dialect/articleshow/106141067.cms
6. https://www.todayonline.com/world/indigenous-indonesians-use-korean-letters-save-dialect-2329541
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunminjeongeum_Society
8. https://harian.disway.id/read/875665/hangul-di-baubau-jejak-budaya-dan-linguistik-indonesia-korea
9. https://mebusiness.ae/en/news/show/95614
10. https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2023/12/21/using-korean-to-save-dialect

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