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Interview with

Kaisanan Ahuan

Rare Language Specialist - Taokas (Austronesian)

Name: Kaisanan Ahuan
Nationality or Ethnicity: Taokas
Where do you live?: Taiwan
Representative of rare language: Taokas
Family Language: Austronesian

Member since:

2020-12-21

1. What’s your story? How did you get exposed to this rare language?

My name is Kaisanan Ahuan. I live in Taiwan and I am an indigenous people. Due to situation of colonization and policy, my ethnic group (Taokas) has not been recognized as indigenous people in national law. In my community, people who can speak Taokas language almost disappeared. So I visited teacher and elders to learn my mother tongue, hope to save my own language.


2. How would you describe the efforts being made, at the civil, social, and governmental languages, to preserve this language?

Because the Taokas nation still does not have legal indigenous status, we cannot learn the Taokas language at school, so we have been teaching it by ourselves. In 2019 we published the Taokas dictionary. 


3. How often do you get the chance to use this language in your daily life?

Usually during the ceremony, Taokas language was frequently spoken. But in daily life, people usually use simple words.


4. Are you satisfied with the response of students in your department and your university to the available offerings in your language?

I'm not satisfied. Because many people don’t even know about it.


5. What is your message to young people who wish to learn this language?

Don't forget who you are, bravely learn your traditional culture and mother tongue, and be proud of being an aboriginal. Cherish every opportunity to speak your mother tongue.

The International Association of Hyperpolyglots - HYPIA. (c) 2025

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