Efforts to Preserve the Pedawa Language in Buleleng

Coinciding with the commemoration of National Education Day, Sekolah Adat Manik Empul in Pedawa Village, Banjar Subdistrict, held activities to revitalise the Pedawa language and oral literature on Saturday (2/5/2026).

This programme is not the first of its kind. Sekolah Adat Manik Empul has consistently carried out revitalisation efforts, either independently or in collaboration with the Bali Provincial Language Centre.

A variety of activities were conducted using an educational and interactive approach. These included mesatua (storytelling), banyolan or jokes in the Pedawa language, poetry readings, and speeches (pidarta). The activities were designed to revive oral traditions that are increasingly rarely used in everyday life.

The Head of Sekolah Adat Manik Empul, Wayan Sadnyana, stated that this revitalisation has two main objectives. First, to strengthen the position of the Pedawa language as part of the Balinese language dialect. Second, to rediscover the local wisdom stored in the unique Pedawa terms.

“Many local terms are rich in meaning, but they are starting to be rarely understood by the younger generation. This is what we aim to bridge,” said Sadnyana.

Technically, the activities were centred at the Wantilan of Pedawa Customary Village and held every weekend throughout May. Participants spanned generations, from primary school students, junior high, high school, university students, to the general public.

According to Sadnyana, involving various age groups is key to ensuring that knowledge transfer continues and the Pedawa language does not become extinct.

“This is not just about learning the language, but also about strengthening cultural identity and community togetherness,” he emphasised.

Through these activities, Sekolah Adat Manik Empul hopes that the Pedawa language will not only survive but also come alive and develop as a highly valuable cultural heritage.