DOCUMENTING & REVITALIZING ALTA, A NEGRITO PHILIPPINE LANGUAGe

WHAT

1. Document the alta language

To document Northern Alta language by recording and filming the speakers in their daily life. The recordings, videos, photos and other materials will be stored and accessible on the ELAR archive. 

To encourage the use and transmission of the language to the children generation by creating materials such as a grammar and a dictionnary (glossary) of the language.

WHERE

Within the Northern Alta communities of the Philippines, in Aurora Province, Luzon Island, Philippines. The project will be based at Diketi community and Diteki Elementary school, but fieldwork and materials will also cover the communities of Dianed and Decoliat.

HOW

By living with the communities while learning the language, recording audios, videos

WHY

1. Because the Alta speakers realize that their language will disappear soon if they do not transmit it to their children

2. Because Alta language is spoken by Negritos, the first inhabitants of the Philippines. Their language and culture are important to the understanding of human prehistory.

WHEN

From September 2012 to May 2019

Learn more about the negrito Languages