The first online resource for the Panau language of Matukar village in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. Future plans include expanding the number of entries and adding Tok Pisin search functions.
There are currently about 430 speakers of Matukar (Harrison, 2009). Although this number includes both young children and experienced elders, the effects of the spreading of English and the dominance of Tok Pisin, the national pidgin, puts Matukar at risk for extinction. However, through local language revitalization efforts and projects such as the Matukar Talking Dictionary, it is hoped that Matukar will become popularized among younger generations.
The Matukar Talking Dictionary was compiled in 2009-2011 by Danielle Barth, Gregory D. S. Anderson, and K. David Harrison. It includes basic vocabulary, verb paradigms, and sentence structures in Matukar with corresponding translations in English and Tok Pisin. The accompanying sound files were recorded in Matukar village and feature expert speakers Kadagoi Rawad and Joe Mowab along with John Agid. Because Matukar is situated in a rural part of coastal Papua New Guinea, ambient sound noises, including those of insects, livestock, and birds, may be heard.
