Introduction

The Fordata ethnic group of Indonesia number about 50,000 total. Half of them live in the province of Maluku: southeast, 30 villages; the north archipelago on Fordata, Larat, and Molu-Maru islands; northwest, on the west coast of Yamdena island, and Seira island.

The language is classified as Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Southeast Maluku, Kei-Tanimbar, Kei-Fordata. The Iso code is [frd]. The dialects of Fordata are: Fordata-Larat I, Fordata-Larat II, Molo (Molo-Maru), and Sera (Seira).

The people value their language, but it is spoken less in the villages with the young people. Many also speak Ambonese Malay [abs] and Indonesian [ind]. Fordata is used as a second language by Bugis [bug] and Geser-Gorom [ges]. There are primary and secondary schools in the region which teach Fordata as a subject. Over 50% of the people can read in Indonesian or Ambonese Malay.