LANGUAGE OF THE WAVES

Language of the waves – or baong goya' in Bajo language – is a unique, rare, and endangered knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation by indigenous Bajo people in Indonesia. This 'language' is formed from the intensity of various ocean waves which are influenced by wind, currents, air temperature, and water temperature. This 'language' is only understood by wave linguists among the indigenous Bajo people.

The language of the waves conveys messages of survival and urgency, including about the spread of certain fish species in the local sea. This makes it easier for about 300,000 Bajo people to determine the right strategy and equipment to catch the fish effectively and efficiently.

In addition, the language of the waves predicts the coming of rain, storms, earthquakes, and even tsunamis. Thanks to this knowledge, the local Bajo indigenous people have always been spared from such deadly disasters that often hit their settlements. They had fled before such a disaster arrived. Then they returned to their homes when the disaster had passed.

The language of the waves is currently threatened with extinction mainly because the number of wave linguists left is only two people over 80 years old. At the same time, the new generation of indigenous Bajo people are not interested in learning this 'language'.

To preserve the language of the waves, we are trying our best to document it in the form of videos, photos, and sound recordings.