Cia-Cia tribe visits Seoul

A delegation from an Indonesian tribe that adopted the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, as its writing system arrived in Seoul yesterday for a six-day visit meant to give them a glimpse of Korean culture and history.

Nine people from the Cia-Cia tribe in Bau-Bau City, located on Buton Island in Southeast Sulawesi, came here on invitation from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Hunminjeongeum Society.

Among them are Bau-Bau Mayor Amirul Tamim, tribal chief Nurdin, teachers and students.

"Thank you for inviting us. Since we adopted Hangeul, it has been well-received by local people," Tamim told reporters at Incheon International Airport.

During their stay here, they are scheduled to visit the Story of King Sejong, an exhibition hall at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul showcasing achievements of the king credited with inventing the Korean alphabet.



They will also visit other tourist attractions in the city such as Gyeongbok Palace and Insa-dong, experience traditional Korean food, houses and clothes, and watch a variety of cultural performances, city officials said.

The HS, a group of Korean linguists studying Hangeul and other writing systems, has laid the groundwork for the tribe to use Hangeul to express their spoken aboriginal language, which is on the verge of extinction.

The tribe decided to adopt Hangeul in July 2008. Work soon began and the textbooks were completed in July. Primary and secondary school students are currently learning their spoken language through Hangeul.

The HS will sign an agreement with the delegation on the establishment of the Korea Center.

The center, which is expected to open next spring on the island, will teach Hangeul and Korean to local people and document the Cia-Cia`s culture, history and folktales.

Seoul City will also sign a memorandum of understanding on increasing exchanges in areas of culture and arts with Bau-Bau City.

Under the MOU, Seoul plans to invite Bau-Bau City`s folk art troupe to perform here and invite city officials to participate in a special educational program, which Seoul has run for foreign officials.

The Cia-Cia people, whose population is at about 80,000, is a minority group on Buton Island. Bau-Bau City is the largest administrative city on the island, in which some 60,000 Cia-Cia people reside.

(sshluck@heraldm.com

By Song Sang-ho