Native to Indonesia Extinct (date missing) Glottolog seru1245 | Region Seram Island ISO 639-3 srw | |
Language family Austronesian
Malayo-Polynesian (MP)
Nuclear MP
(Central–Eastern)
Timor–Babar
Southwest Maluku
Teun–Nila–Serua
Serua | ||
Serua is an extinct Austronesian language originally spoken on Serua Island in Maluku, Indonesia. Speakers were relocated to Seram due to volcanic activity on Serua.
Language speakers are settled in the village of Waipia, north of Masohi in central Seram, on the road to Makariki. Families from Serua bear the names Kilay, Pormes, Tutkey.
Words in common parlance include
Callora - raw fish dish similar to Peruvian Cevice Wauka - to whisper Kek am liu - Crazy No ko me - How are you? Mel melle taro'a - All is well
Examples of local sayings
Wauka wauke Tiki lowati Sapi lowati Timorei Timotei Wateo
A song used to heave canoes from the sea to the beach. Equivalent to "heave ho me hearties"
Sources: Personal experience from 25 years ago
References
Serua language Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA