Director iTaukei Institute of Language & Culture, Emosi Caniogo.

The iTaukei Institute of Language and Culture is concerned about the extinct iTaukei dialect in Fiji.

USP Teaching Assistant, Waisake Raliwalala says research studies carried out by the University of the South Pacific’s Department of Fijian Studies have confirmed a few iTaukei dialects have become extinct.

“It has been a concerned for our department where it is our main role to enhance and to build up on the ability that people have to know their language of origin”

Director iTaukei Institute of Language & Culture, Emosi Caniogo says programs are already in place to revive this.

“One was in Nataleira where we conduct a festival that encourage the community to do presentation in their dialect and in June last year some senior officials did some preliminary with Vosa vaka Vunaqumu in the interior”

Caniogo is also encouraging the iTaukei community to speak and teach the dialect to ensure its survival.

There are more than 300 dialects in Fiji and four are already extinct, which include, Vosa vaka Gonedau, Vosa vaka Nakorotubu, Vosa vakadrekeniwai, Vosa vaka Nalea and Vosa vaka Vunaqumu.