Tombulu language

The Tombulu language is unique among the Minahasan languages in its pronunciation of the letter l. In the other four Minahasan languages the letter "l" is pronounced as is, but in Tombulu it is pronounced like the "th" of the English language.

For example: kulo meaning "white" would be pronounced as kutho

The Lord's Prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power,

the glory Forever, Amin.

Penginaléi Ama’ nai:

Ama nai im wana sorga,

Loozen nai un ngaranNu

Maye mo ung kakolanoanmu

Mamualimoma un paazmu ti kaayahaan mo ti sorga

Wehape nikai inendo kenu kanen nai takaz maawez

Wo ampunganne un sumala nai

Tanu nikai mahampung wia setou simala wia nikai

Wo tiakkan ipah wali nikai wana an pema'waa

Ta'an izoula wia nikai witu kalewo'a

Pahpaan niko uman simaka kakolanoan,

Wo ung kawasa,

wo ung kawangunan takaz kauze-uze na, Ulit

The Tombulu language is in critical need of revitalization. It is not being spoken as a first language in highly populated areas such as Tomohon, Pineleng, and Tanawangko. Traditionally Tombulu-speaking villages such as Woloan, Tara-Tara, Lolah, and Lemoh are not as so today. The Board of Education of the Indonesian government has not offered any help either to the Tombulu language or any other local languages that are in decline. It is responsible for the removal of the Muatan Lokal from the daily curriculum of all grade schools across the nation in the past few years. Muatan Lokal, if available, is a daily class which most provinces in Indonesia use to teach their new generation the local languages.

Tombulu is still spoken in villages such as Kayawu, Rurukan, Kumelembuai, Pinaras, Suluan, Kembes, Tombuluan, Rumengkor, Kali, Tondangow, Sawangan, and Rambunan all the way to the kids. Once in every month, it is used in sermons in its local churches.

At the beginning of 2013, an Indonesian-Tombulu dictionary was first released. A New Testament version of the Bible in Tombulu language was released in November 2018. [4]