

Bo: The death of a language
Feb 18, 2025
Anvita Abbi, a dedicated Indian linguist, recounts her poignant journey with Boa Sr., the last speaker of the Bo language. She shares how Boa, isolated from her community, communicated with birds as her ancestors before forming a bond with Anvita. Together, they cherished and documented ancient songs and tales, emphasizing the heartbreaking loss of one of the world's oldest languages. Abbi highlights the cultural impact of this loss and the importance of preserving linguistic diversity for future generations.
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Tsunami Delay
- Anvita Abbi planned to visit the Andaman Islands in 2004 to study the languages.
- A tsunami and earthquake struck, delaying her trip until 2005.
Tsunami Survival
- The indigenous Andamanese people survived the tsunami by noticing a large wave.
- An elder urged them to flee, saving Boa Senior and others.
Initial Hesitation
- Boa Senior, initially hesitant to speak, lamented forgetting her language.
- She was living in a relief camp after the tsunami, making data collection challenging for Anvita.