Saving Nigeria's Kam Language: A Community-Led Approach

• The Kam Language Project, led by linguist Dr. Jakob Lesage and a 14-member local team, successfully documented the endangered Kam (Nyingwom) language in Taraba State, Nigeria.
• Between 2016 and 2026, the team produced a grammar reference, a digital dictionary, over 300 audiovisual recordings, and a dedicated website.
• This project utilized a "decentralized" fieldwork model, empowering local speakers to lead the documentation process, from recording oral histories to transcribing culturally significant knowledge.

Background and Context

• Kam is spoken in 29 villages in the Bali Local Government Area with an estimated 8,000–11,000 speakers.
• Prior to 2016, the language lacked any standardized orthography, written literature, or scientific study.
• The language is currently considered stable but vulnerable due to urbanization, economic shifts, and the increased usage of Hausa in professional and urban contexts.

Decentralized Methodology

• Instead of traditional academic "parachute" research, Dr. Lesage trained community members to use recording equipment, conduct interviews, and handle transcription.
• The team consisted of 14 collaborators who determined the cultural importance of the material being preserved.
• The model ensures that the community retains ownership of their linguistic heritage and that research workflows remain functional even when foreign researchers cannot travel to the region.

Overcoming Operational Challenges

• COVID-19 travel restrictions forced a shift to remote training and documentation, validating the decentralized model.
• Equipment delivery and logistics were managed through local partners and travelers, while unreliable internet access in villages was mitigated by routing uploads through the state capital, Jalingo.
• The lack of a prior writing system was addressed by prioritizing the intuition of native speakers over externally imposed orthography.