DC calls for preservation of community languages

MWANZA: UKEREWE District Commissioner Christopher Ngubiagai has called on researchers, scholars and cultural stakeholders to strengthen efforts to preserve community languages, describing them as vital carriers of history, indigenous knowledge and cultural identity.

Speaking at an academic symposium in Ukerewe District, Mwanza Region, recently, Mr Ngubiagai said the district possessed rich historical, cultural and social knowledge that needed to be properly documented and safeguarded for present and future generations.

He said languages should not be viewed merely as tools for communication, but as foundations of community identity and important channels through which values, traditions and knowledge are passed from elders to younger generations.

“Language is more than just words; it is the identity of a people,” he said, explaining that community languages reflected people’s philosophies, beliefs, customs, wisdom and experiences accumulated over generations.

According to him, local languages also preserve traditional child-rearing practices, community worldviews and indigenous ways of transmitting knowledge, making their protection essential to maintaining cultural continuity.

Mr Ngubiagai warned that losing a community language could mean losing important aspects of its heritage, including traditional knowledge and experiences that shape its identity.

He urged researchers to recognise Ukerewe not simply as a venue for academic discussions, but as a valuable repository of knowledge requiring deeper investigation, documentation and preservation.

**ALSO READ: **Why Tanzania’s ‘ndugu’ can become the most powerful language of peace and diplomacy today

The DC stressed that development initiatives should complement efforts to protect local languages and cultural practices, calling for closer cooperation between government leaders, academics and other stakeholders.

“Community development must go hand in hand with the preservation of our language and culture,” he said, adding that progress should not come at the expense of the community’s identity.

Mr Ngubiagai commended the symposium organisers and participants for creating a platform to discuss language preservation.

He particularly acknowledged Dr Roberto Abawa for contributing to initiatives aimed at safeguarding the community’s cultural heritage.

He assured participants that the district leadership would continue working with relevant stakeholders to support programmes promoting local languages and cultural traditions.

He said such initiatives would help ensure that Ukerewe’s history, customs and indigenous knowledge remained accessible to younger generations instead of gradually disappearing.

Mr Ngubiagai emphasised that protecting cultural heritage required collective responsibility, urging communities, researchers and public institutions to contribute actively to preservation efforts.

The post DC calls for preservation of community languages appeared first on Daily News.