Two radio stations linked to the French Pacific’s decolonisation movements want to co-operate to lift the use of indigenous languages.
The heads of Radio Tefana 2 in French Polynesia and Radio Djiido 3 in New Caledonia said this was in line with the United Nations declaring the next 10 years as the decade of vernacular languages.
Tahiti Nui TV quoted a member of Radio Djiido, Kengy Wiwale-Hauata, saying New Caledonia had 30 local languages and they were all honoured on the radio every day.
The two stations plan to expand co-operation in the region, considering partnerships with Wallis and Futuna, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji.
The two stations were set up in the 1980s when the pro-independence movements were led by Oscar Temaru and the late Jean-Marie Tjibaou respectively. Both broadcast on the frequency 97.4FM.
Radio Tefana is threatened with closure because of a US$1 million fine imposed three years ago when Temaru, mayor of Faa’a and a former President of French Polynesia, was handed a suspended prison sentence over the station’s funding arrangement.
The conviction has been appealed but a hearing of the case has been deferred for a fifth time until next year.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report 5 and was authored by APR editor.