Insights and Challenges in Digitalization of a Secret Sign Language of the Penan on Borneo Island

Abstract

Oroo’ is a very unique forest sign language of the nomadic Penan in Malaysian Borneo. The Penan would leave messages in the jungle for each other by shaping natural objects into language tokens and arranging these symbols in specific ways—much like words in a sentence. With settlement, the language is being lost as it is not being used by the younger generation. With the partnership of Long Lamai community, in 2013, we launched the project of Oroo’ language digitalization to revitalize the unique sign language. By applying community-based participatory approach, we developed multiple digital solutions and applications to sustain the language. The new digital tools foster interest in Oroo’ language, however, it is difficult to resist dilution. In this chapter, we share the insights and challenges in the design and development of Oroo’ digitalization project. The chapter also reports the results of a survey of 80 Penan adults’ opinions about the Oroo language’s status in contemporary society and the attitude of community members to foster the language. Wider implications for information and communication technologies’ projects for indigenous language revitalization are discussed consisting of knowledge exchange, collaborative responses within specific contexts, and considerations for supporting community development and transformative learning.