What can we do before Lani language Become Endangered?

What can we do before Lani language Become Endangered?
 By Ap Lani Mendek

Have you ever felt bored when you are listening to a single song? How do you usually react when you do not want to listen to those boring sounds again and again? You can find other songs to listen to. This also applies to the languages we speak. If all people around the world spoke only one language, it would be extremely monotonous. The island of Papua Indonesia has a diversity of indigenous languages. Papua is not as big as other nations. However, it has more than 269 indigenous Papuan languages. Every tribe speaks a different language, each of which is unique. The sad news is that many of these languages are becoming endangered. The Lani language is one of them. This language is spoken by the Lani tribe in the central island of Papua New Guinea. The Lani language is on the way to becoming endangered because parents do not teach Lani to their children, teachers and government prohibit students from speaking Lani in the schools, and the Indonesian government only requires the national language of Indonesian to get jobs. Those elements are reducing Lani language speakers. However, teaching Lani language in school, writing dictionaries, and providing a Lani radio or TV station can help.
The main reason why the Lani language may become extinct is Lani people do not teach the Lani language to their children. Most parents encourage children to learn another language, specifically Indonesian and English because they want their kids to go to school. As a result, those languages replace Lani. Without realizing it, Lani people slowly incorporate Indonesian words into the Lani language over time. The Lani language may become completely replaced by Indonesian, and Lani may become extinct.
Also, teachers and government prohibit students from speaking Lani in the schools. This is another significant factor that makes Lani less spoken. Teachers usually get mad and often tell students to leave the class if the student is caught speaking Lani during class time. In addition, teachers underestimate young people when they speak Lani. My high school teacher told me that I was not good enough to go to school if I only speak the Lani language. In this aspect, other people look down on Lani language and make it less valuable than others.
The Indonesian government requires only the national language of Indonesian to get jobs. Many Lani people learn another language, particularly Indonesian, and find a job. Also, someone does not speak Indonesian, he or she can not have a good career. Therefore, every ani person is forced to learn Indonesian. Consequently, their language becomes weak or less spoken.
Even though those factors are weakening Lani language, teaching Lani language in school is a great way that local people can protect their Lani. Lani people have to think about what is happening about their language and take action to expand Lani. Perhaps Lani people shall create curriculum and teacher training and teach young people in the school. In that way, school children can learn from a young age. They do learn and have a conversation with their parents at home and it is fine. But Lani kids have to learn how to read and write in Lani from their school. Furthermore, Lani speakers could write Lani dictionary in order to keep Lani words in the written. If the language is only spoken, it is easy to lose because every time speakers die or go away, the language also disappears. So, writing a dictionary is a great way to keep the written language. In addition, providing a Lani radio station or TV channel is a possible technique that can bring Lani to the public to show that Lani language has value. In this Lani radio station, Lani speakers can get together and talk in Lani in order for all people to keep listening to Lani.
In summary, as the result of Lani elders not passing Lani language to young people, teachers prohibiting students from speaking Lani and governments allowing only Indonesian, has become Lani weak or vulnerable language. However, teaching Lani in the schools, writing a dictionary and other possible ways of offering Lani language radio or TV stations can preserve Lani language for future generations. Lani people have to help their language because Lani is an important part of Lani culture. Act now before Lani languages become endangered. Hi, for all of Papuan people this idea is not only Lani but also every indigenous language exist in Papua.