Pujuihii

Pujuihii refers to the language and cultural region of the Puju Archipelago in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is spoken by communities on five main islands and several smaller islets. The language plays a central role in everyday communication, oral storytelling, and ceremonial events.

Linguistically, Pujuihii is an Austronesian language in the Oceanic subgroup, closely related to neighboring island languages. The phonology features a modest consonant inventory, vowel length contrasts, and glottal stops. The writing system uses the Latin alphabet with diacritics to mark vowel length and stress.

There are three recognized dialects: Northern, Central, and Southern. While mutual intelligibility is high, each dialect has distinct vocabulary and some grammatical preferences.

Demographically, estimates from recent fieldwork place the number of native speakers in the low thousands, with steep age gaps indicating ongoing language shift toward the national language in urban centers. In response, community organizations and some island schools offer Pujuihii instruction and language revitalization programs.

The culture of the Puju Archipelago is closely tied to Pujuihii, with traditional songs, chants, and navigational lore transmitted primarily through spoken language. Preservation efforts emphasize oral heritage, documentation of vocabulary, and the development of educational materials.