Preservation of mother languages emphasized

Kathmandu: President of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, Gelze Lama Sherpa, underscored preserving mother languages to protect the ethnic identity of indigenous communities.

Addressing a programme organized today by the Nepal Magar Association marking the major festival of Maghe Sankranti, one of the major cultural festivals of the Magar community, President Sherpa reiterated the importance of mother languages in promoting ethnic identity, culture and arts among others.

Stating that many Indigenous communities’ mother languages have been disappearing lately, he asserted that the mother language is the major attribute of any Indigenous community. ‘We exist if our mother languages exist,’ he argued, stressing on preservation of the mother language as well as the culture, tradition, and customs of tribal communities.

He also spoke of the need for the Indigenous communities to remain aware of ensuring rights for themselves.

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