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FROM 22.9.22

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Saterland Frisians

The Saterland Frisians watch over a special treasure in the form of their language. Saterland Frisian is a dialect of the otherwise extinct East Frisian. The community of Seelterlound/Saterland, the “smallest language island in Europe”, consists of four villages with 13,000 inhabitants. Almost all the work done to nurture the language and culture is voluntary. Saterland Frisian is an optional school subject in the community. Apart from this, the language is scarcely present in public life. Families speak it in private and enthusiasts in associations.

Volunteering for the Saterland

For decades now, the overwhelming majority of the work of preserving and passing on the Saterland Frisian language and culture has been done by volunteers and associations. Although such dedication on the part of individual Saterland Frisians to the cause of their language and culture has brought some successes, the few who are actively involved find themselves constantly at the limits of their capacities. Experiences from other minorities indicate that professional involvement is also needed if work is to be successful in the long term. Accordingly, and for the first time in history, a part-time Saterland Frisian official has been employed since 2021. A major priority for those involved with Saterland Frisian at present is to establish a professional Saterland Frisian Language Institute.

Follow this link to the website of the Saterland Frisian official, Henk Wolf:
https://henkwolf.nl/category/saterland/