Documentation and Description of Mawes, An Endangered and Undocumented Language of Papua

This project seeks to enhance the international profile of Udayana University by conducting pioneering linguistic fieldwork on Mawes, an endangered language spoken in Papua, Indonesia, and by building capacity among Udayana researchers and the local Mawes community. Mawes, a language isolate with approximately 863 speakers, remains one of the least documented languages globally, with only a basic wordlist and minimal structural information available. The project aims to provide the first detailed description of Mawes, contribute to understanding the linguistic diversity of Papua, and address the critical need for language documentation in the region.  Key activities include training Udayana staff and students in language documentation methods, field data collection in Mawes-speaking communities, and empowering local speakers to assist with transcription, translation, and analysis using tools like ELAN and SIL Flex. The data will be archived and made accessible through platforms such as PARADISEC and WALS. Deliverables include a video-audio corpus of Mawes, scholarly articles, MA theses, and presentations at international conferences.  Through this collaboration, the project also aims to strengthen ties between Udayana University and Palacký University Olomouc, fostering long-term research partnerships. This initiative represents a vital step toward preserving Papua’s linguistic heritage and advancing the global understanding of human linguistic diversity.