Language is one of the most important parts of any culture, and Papuan culture is no exception. Papuan languages, including the Abun language, are a way in which indigenous Papuans build relationships and create a sense of community.
Speaking of which, Abun is the language of the locals in Abun district, Tambrauw, West Papua. While Abun is one of many Papuan languages, it interestingly shares very little in common with the other vernaculars in its vicinity.
To better understand the language, we have put together a list of interesting facts about Abun. Let us take a look at what makes it special.
- It is a Vernacular of the Abun People
As the name suggests, the Abun people inhabit several villages in the Abun district, Tambrauw. They come from different clans, some of which are Yeblow, Yerin, and Yesian. The district is a mountainous area, and locals refer to it as the Ndokdar Mountains.
Each clan appoints a leader called Yekwesu. The appointment considers the wealth and competence of an individual, although anyone can volunteer. Some of the desirable qualities of a Yekwesu are courage, wisdom, generosity, and leadership.
The Abun people grow bananas for their livelihood. Their daily routine comprises going to the fields at 8 o’clock local time and returning home late in the evening. According to a census by the Joshua Project in January 2022, there are currently around 4,300 Abun people in West Papua.
- It is an Isolate
As previously mentioned, Abun shares very little in common with the local languages of other West Papuan native speakers. For example, the Maybrat language, despite being a neighboring language, does not share any linguistic ties with Abun.
This makes Abun a language isolate. Popular examples of isolates from other parts of the world include Korean and Basque.
According to Lyle Campbell, a lecturer in Linguistics at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, this could be because Abun’s relatives may simply have been lost. On the other hand, these relatives may diverge into small families of other West Papuan languages.
Scholars came to this conclusion after comparing the pronouns in Abun with the languages of the surrounding groups.
- It Has Four Dialects
Despite being vernacular, native speakers of Abun have different pronunciations depending on who is speaking. This culminated in the formation of four different dialects. They are two dialects of Abun Ji, one of Abun Tat, and one of Abun Ye.
Interestingly, even though these dialects have roots in the same language, native speakers of certain dialects may not understand other Abun dialects. This is the case with Abun Tat speakers against Abun Ji.
For example, while the Karon Pantai with the Abun Ji dialect use “go” to describe “hair”, the Jembun refers to it as “usugo” and the Senopi as “mauwyan”. This difference in pronunciation may stem from geographic isolation as the Abun people inhabit different villages, separating them from one another.
- More Similar to Chinese
And that similarity lies in the tone. As in Chinese, the notes in Abun determine the meaning of a word. To compare them to English, these tones show whether you mean to ask questions or to intimidate the other person.
There are three tones in Abun: the high tone, mid tone, and low tone. As you can see below, each note has a pitch variation that gives a word its meaning.
For example, in high pitch, “ʃúr” means “flow”. Repeat the same word in a neutral tone and it will change to a “flood” instead. Finally, “ʃúr” refers to the “big river” when the pitch falls.
By now, you have probably got an idea of what makes the Abun language special. Like any other language in the world, this language is also an integral part of the cultural identity of its speakers. Through learning this vernacular, you can deepen your connections to and understanding of the Abun people.
