Dee Antonio, Miss Palau 2023-2024, shares her insights on the importance of the Palauan language, known as "tekoi ar belau," which translates to "words of Palau" or "Palauan words." Dee believes that the way Palauans communicate is unique. "We speak simply, everything is very plain and to the point, but it expresses a lot of our feelings. When we say certain things in a simple way, people usually understand that it means many things," she explains.
Dee emphasises the importance of celebrating their native language. "The way we speak to each other is with so much respect, heart, and passion. I love speaking in our language. It keeps it alive. It always starts at home because we usually speak Palauan in our homes. We understand each other when we're in different places, and we feel so much comfort when we see other Palauans. We don't usually just greet each other in English. As soon as we see another Palauan, we just go up and say 'alii' or introduce ourselves in our native language," she shares.
Palauan culture and history are passed down orally. "Everything we know about our environment today is because we've been speaking our language and naming things in our own way for many years. We've known our way of life and explained it from family to family. We have proverbs that explain many life lessons, names for different kinds of animals, and ways to distinguish what we know, what we eat, what we use as medicine, and what we use for our traditions. It's just part of our life," Dee explains.
When asked about her favorite Palauan proverb, Dee finds it hard to choose but shares her favorite word: "ruhala," which means "my child." "It's just how our adults address every child they see. There's no discrimination between whose child you really are. When we see you and try to check up on you or engage with you, we just say, 'ruhala.' You're automatically my child," she says.
Dee has noticed that the younger generation is speaking less Palauan and more English. "A lot of our youth still understand the language, but it's not practiced as much as I would hope. We don't really speak Palauan regularly among other young Palauan peers. When I speak to my friends, sometimes we speak in English, sometimes in Palauan. It's a mixture of both languages. But other times, when we hear adults speak, we don't really understand certain words or expressions because we're not familiar with bigger words or certain expressions," she observes.
Dee's message is clear: celebrating and preserving the Palauan language is crucial for maintaining their cultural identity and heritage. Through her role as Miss Palau, she hopes to inspire others to value and protect their linguistic and cultural legacy.
