THE WHISTLING* LANGUAGE OF KUSKOY

High up in the mountains in the northern part of Turkey, about 400 people live in the village of Kuskoy. Because of the high mountains, it is very difficult to get from one place to another, so the people of this area have a special language to send messages over large distances. They communicate by whistling in different ways. For example, this allows them to call for help, to invite people to a wedding and even to tell jokes. Their language is called the Whistling Language.(lines 1–5)
The Whistling Language has been passed on from parents to children for many generations. But today, especially with the popularity of cellphones, the language is in danger of extinction. Also, many people leave the village and stop using the language. The United Nations has declared the Kuskoy Whistling Language an endangered language in need of protection.(lines 6–11)
In order to protect the language, the people of Kuskoy have a "Whistling Language and Art Festival" in the village every year. People who come to the festival take courses and listen to conversations in the Whistling Language. The village authorities have also started teaching the language in the local school. Kanir Bendek, who learned the language from her grandfather, also gives whistling language classes at the community center. "Knowing the language makes me feel connected to my family's traditions," she explains. "Teaching the language helps keep it alive. I also plan to teach it to my own children so it will be passed on to future generations."(lines 12–21)
Some researchers claim that whistling languages were once the form of communication in many places, before the use of spoken language. Around the world today there are still several communities in Mexico, Greece, and the Canary Islands, which use similar endangered whistling languages. Although they all need protection, there are reasons to believe the communities will be able to keep their special languages alive.(lines 22–26)