South West Papua has a long history of the social life of the people in it. Various tribes that are indigenous to the province have existed since ancient times, even before the area became one of the new provinces in the Republic of Indonesia. Each tribe that lives in South West Papua has its own culture. Generally, the culture that is inherent in a tribe is about dance, singing, and traditional clothing that is still preserved by becoming one of the performances that can attract tourists. In addition, other cultures such as typical foods, typical drinks, and also folklore can also add to the characteristics of a tribe. There is one more culture that is characteristic of the tribes in South West Papua, namely the language used in daily activities. This culture is a special concern for the local government and is assisted by several stakeholders for the preservation process.
Language is one of the most important factors in communication in the socio-cultural environment. However, language is slowly starting to become extinct as the number of native speakers of the existing language decreases. In Indonesia itself, the language used is the first order, namely the unifying language which is the national language and is used by all Indonesian citizens, namely Bahasa. The second language used in formal contexts is a foreign language such as English. Regional languages ​​are the third most used in everyday life. The community, especially the tribes who are the original inhabitants of South West Papua, are worried because they are afraid that in the future, the regional language which is their native language will become extinct because people use more Indonesian and foreign languages ​​in their daily lives.
Efforts to preserve regional languages ​​in South West Papua are the focus of the Directorate General of Culture, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. The local government also fully supports efforts to preserve regional languages. In addition, stakeholders are also involved who are elements of society, especially Indigenous Papuans who live in South West Papua. Tribal chiefs, students, teachers, lecturers, and non-governmental organizations are also involved in one of the efforts to preserve regional languages ​​in South West Papua, namely by compiling a regional language dictionary.
The plan to compile a regional language dictionary has been seriously discussed since the end of 2023. After going through several stages, in August 2024, the plan to compile a regional language dictionary showed progress related to its compilation so that it is expected to be published and accessed by the general public soon. The four regional languages ​​of South West Papua that are compiled in the regional language dictionary are the languages ​​of the Maybrat, Tehit, Moi, and Misool tribes.
The hope of compiling the regional language dictionary of South West Papua is that the language will not become extinct and that there will still be speakers. Although in everyday life people use Bahasa, especially in formal activities, at least people have the knowledge and awareness to continue to preserve existing regional languages. Thus, regional languages ​​will not become extinct and the existence of a regional language dictionary can help people to better understand the regional languages ​​in South West Papua.
