Pekanbaru, December 1, 2024 – The Language Development and Fostering Agency, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), through the Riau Provincial Language Center held the 2024 Mother Language Shoots Festival (FTBI) in Pekanbaru on November 28-30, 2024. The FTBI activities, which are packaged in the form of a variety of contemporary festivals and competitions, aim to arouse positive interest among the younger generation in regional languages, especially Riau Malay.
The event attracted 246 participants, consisting of elementary and junior high school students from Dumai City, Indragiri Hulu Regency, Kampar Regency, and the Meranti Islands Regency. The competition included seven categories: public speaking, stand-up comedy, storytelling, poetry recital, poetry reading, writing Arabic-Malay script, and short story writing.
Imam Budi Utomo, Head of the Center for Language and Literature Development and Protection, expressed his gratitude to all parties who have supported the revitalization of regional languages in Riau Province. The Riau Provincial Language Center has synergized and collaborated with district and city department heads to advance regional languages in Riau Province and realize the first FTBI (Language Language Center) in the province.
Imam hopes that in the coming year, the involvement of districts and cities in the regional language revitalization program in Riau province will increase, thereby increasing the number of districts and cities participating in the FTBI at the Riau Provincial Level.
"Although there will be winners in each competition, I believe all participants in the Riau Province FTBI are already champions. Let's keep up the spirit of preserving regional languages through our respective interests," said Imam.
Ledia Hanifa A., a member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), emphasized the importance of preserving language as a national treasure and taking pride in one's mother tongue as a cultural identity. Ledia explained that the mother tongue preservation program created or packaged within the FTBI event deserves collective support.
Commission X has consistently supported language preservation programs involving various stakeholders. "We are proud of the Language Agency and the Riau Provincial Language Center. We appreciate the FTBI's activities as a manifestation of the regional language preservation program. In fact, I also received news that the Riau Provincial Language Center has compiled 45 bilingual children's storybooks by 2024 to support regional language preservation," said Ledia.
The Secretary of the Riau Malay Customary Institution (LAM), Datuk Afrizal Alang, appreciated the efforts of the Riau Provincial Language Center in preserving the Riau Malay language through the FTBI program. "According to the cultural map, Riau has a variety of dialects and isolects spread across the region. In the future, the cultural map can be used as a reference in language preservation efforts. Because language is culture. Therefore, by preserving the language, we are helping to preserve the culture," said Datuk Alang.
The Head of the Riau Provincial Language Center, Toha Machsum, stated that the 2024 FTBI (Language Forum for Language Development) aims to protect regional languages, namely Riau Malay. FTBI also serves as a forum for student appreciation after completing learning activities aimed at revitalizing regional languages. Furthermore, FTBI serves as a reflection of the entire series of regional language revitalization efforts that have been carried out, from preparation (coordination meetings), preparation of teaching materials, technical guidance for lead teachers, dissemination of the lead teachers to other teachers or colleagues, monitoring and evaluation, to activity reporting.
Marhalim Zaini, one of the judges and a native Riau writer, expressed his gratitude to the Language Agency and Language Center for organizing the Riau Province FTBI event. This was the first time the FTBI event had been held in Riau Province, and the participants' enthusiasm for the regional language competition was evident. This was demonstrated by the fluency of elementary and junior high school participants in their native languages in the various competitions they participated in.
Marhalim explained that this program at least raises awareness of the importance of regional languages in the context of artistic and cultural creativity, as it is the most effective way to explore native languages. He believes activities like this must continue to encourage the younger generation to learn and preserve their native languages.
One of the storytelling competition participants, Asila Putri Gustiara, an elementary school student from Indragiri Hulu Regency, expressed her delight at participating in the 2024 FTBI, organized by the Riau Provincial Language Center, and hopes to advance to the national level, representing Riau Province. Asila also expressed her gratitude to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education for his support of FTBI activities and urged the continuation of competitions like this in the years to come.
Rifky Abdi Ansyah Manurung, a poetry competition participant and a junior high school student from Dumai Regency, expressed difficulty reciting Malay poetry when he first prepared for the competition. After studying for a long time, Rifky finally felt happy because he was able to express himself well through the Malay poetry he presented. Rifky expressed that activities like this are very good for the younger generation in Riau Province to preserve Riau Malay. "It's time for the younger generation to preserve their respective regional languages because regional languages are our identity," said Rifky.
The following is a list of winners of the 2024 Riau Provincial FTBI.
a. The winners of the Elementary School Speech Reading Competition are (1) Rizki Adrian (SDN 9 Selatpanjang Timur); (2) Jihan Chantika Putri (UPT SDN 003 Batu Belah); (3) Cindy Naura Amanda (SDN 003 Pangkalan Sesai); (4) Nurzilawati (SDN 14 Banglas).
b. The winners of the Speech Reading competition at the junior high school level are (1) Restu (UPT SMPN 2 Kampar); (2) Salwa Altakiya Andinastyo (SMPN 2 Dumai); (3) Dila Rahayu (SMPN 2 Tebing Tinggi); (4) Kurniawan (SMPN 1 Tasik Putri Puyu).
c. The winners of the elementary school level single comedy competition are (1) Al Hafif Purba (SDN 003 Kuala Cenaku); (2) Annur Wansah (SDN 026 Sukajadi); (3) Kasih Humairoh (SDN 003 Pangkalan Sesai); (4) Reza Oktaviano (SDN 017 Purnama).
d. The winners of the Junior High School level Single Comedy Competition are (1) Dwi Aulia Mumtaza (SMPPN 4 Dumai); (2) Rebita Farah Fadhiati (SMPIT Permata); (3) Muhammad Aza Baim (SMPPN 15 Dumai); (4) Arif Hariyanto (SMPPN 1 Tasik Putri Puyu).
e. The winners of the Elementary School Storytelling Competition are (1) Zainul Bani (UPT SDN 002 Langgini); (2) Hikmah Sasmita (UPT SDN 005 Bukit Ranah); (3) Defi Aprilio (SDN 019 Bumi Ayu); (4) Aulia Mutiara Hadi (UPT SDN 002 Kuok).
f. The winners of the junior high school level storytelling competition are (1) Ririn Ardiyani (SMPN 9 Dumai); (2) Melisa Afinza (SMPN 1 Rakit Kulim); (3) Andi Alya Shabiqa (SMPN Binsus Dumai); (4) Ahmad Fikri (UPT SMPN 1 Bangkinang).
g. The winners of the elementary school level poetry singing competition are (1) Nur Sabila Azzahra (SDN 1 Selatpanjang City); (2) M. Riski Aditiya (SDN 9 East Selatpanjang); (3) Syah Maulana (SDN 003 Pangkalan Sesai); (4) Syakhirah Agustina (SDS Islam Al Hikmah).
h. The winners of the Poetry Singing Competition at the junior high school level are (1) Muhammad Iswandi Syafitra (SMPIT Permata Selatpanjang); (2) Sofina Ayatul Husna (SMPPN 14 Dumai); (3) Asyifa Suktus Fatahillah (SMPPN 15 Dumai); (4) Ayunda Fitri (SMPPN 1 Tasik Putri Puyu).
i. The winners of the elementary school poetry reading competition are (1) Aidila Fitri (SDN 003 Pangkalan Sesai); (2) Azzahra Nur Syaireen (SDN 9 Selatpanjang Timur); (3) Athifah Putri Nafilah (SDN 001 Airmolek); (4) M. Zulfadhillah Hanzelo Franzeria (SDN 019 Kampung Dagang).
j. The winners of the Poetry Reading Competition at the junior high school level are (1) Rifky Abdi Ansyah (SMPN 5 Dumai); (2) Athifa Zahra Tabina (SMPN 2 Dumai): (3) Safitri Ning Cahyani (SMPN 2 Seberida): (4) Sucita Ramadani Damanik (SMPN 15 Dumai).
k. The winners of the Arabic Malay Script Writing Competition at elementary school level are (1) Vania Nafisa Putri (SDN 001 Bintan); (2) Asyifa Khanza (SDN 003 Pangkalan Sesai); (3) Suci Chaerunnisa (SDN 017 Purnama); (4) Rudi Saputra (SDN 002 Bagan Besar).
l. The winners of the Malay Arabic Script Writing Competition at the junior high school level are (1) Novira Nurlaily (SMPPN 4 Dumai); (2) Balqis Halwa (SMPPN 9 Dumai); (3) Sofiah Nadhiro (SMPPN Dumai); (4) Ulfah Ulima Syahda (SMPIT Permata).
m. The winners of the Short Story Writing Competition at the elementary school level are (1) Siti Aisyah Peranginangin (SDN 002 Bagan Besar); (2) Nazhifa Eliska (UPT SDN 016 Bukit Ranah); (3) Khaira Kanzul Arsy (SDN 007 Sidomulyo); (4) Tisya Kamila (UPT SDN 001 Air Tiris).
n. The winners of the Short Story Writing Competition at the junior high school level are (1) Angelia (Kasih Maitreya Junior High School); (2) Ammara Fayyaza (Dumai 2 Junior High School); (3) Qanita Hilwa (Darul Fikri Boarding School); (4) Iffah Amanda Syam (Rengat 2 Junior High School).
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