Senate Vice President Jude U. Hofschneider, R-Tinian, said they adopted Tinian Delegation Resolution 17-7 to emphasize the need to teach Chamorro and Refaluwasch at all levels in schools.
The Public School System, he noted, mandates Chamorro and Refaluwasch classes but to students from kindergarten to fifth grade only.
TLR 17-7 which also recognizes the Pacific Islands Bilingual-Bicultural Association, says it is the delegation’s quest to incorporate bilingual classes throughout all grades in the CNMI.
Tinian is hosting the 30th Annual International Pacific Islands Bilingual-Bicultural Association Conference from June 21 to 23.
The resolution encourages people in the CNMI and other Pacific islands to participate in the event.
Hofschneider said it is a must that Chamorro and Refaluwasch should be passed on to the next generations by allowing the languages to be spoken by students at all grade levels.
The native languages, he said, are among the key elements in maintaining the identity of the local people.
“I believe if we don’t do this, the Chamorro and the Refaluwasch languages will go extinct,” he said.
Asked which of the two is the most “endangered,” Hofschneider replied: “Chamorro.”
He quoted Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Melvin O. Faisao as saying last week that “Chamorro is already on the endangered list of UNESCO,” or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Hofschneider said he wants to sit down with Faisao and try to find ways to prevent the extinction of the Chamorro language.
“If we can preserve endangered animal species here, the more that we should be concerned about the endangered language which is the identity of the Chamorro culture,” he said, adding that he applauds the other people in the Pacific for maintaining their own languages and passing them to the next generations.
