Play
Pause
Voice of Ogiek
Spoken in Kenya (notably the Mau Forest region , Mt. Elgon and around northern Tanzania (Akiek).
Overview
The ogiek/okiek/akiek language is primarily spoken by the Ogiek people inhabiting forested regions of the Mau Forest Complex and around Mount Elgon. The Kenya 2009 census listed them at around 79,000 speakers.
Sample Audio
Transcript: Habari, unaendeleaje? (Hello, how are you doing?)
Writing system
Because Ogiek varieties are under-documented and widely assimilated into other languages, writing practices are still being standardized through community-led and researcher-supported efforts. Most current materials use a Latin alphabet with practical choices like ny, ng’ and occasional vowel doubling to mark length; tone is typically left unmarked outside linguistic work. Where community groups develop orthography guides, the priority is usability for local readers while remaining consistent enough for dictionaries, literacy materials, and digital search.
What’s Here Now
Urban Dialogue
Transcript: Habari, unaendeleaje? (Hello, how are you doing?)
Market Talk
Transcript: Habari, unaendeleaje? (Hello, how are you doing?)
Community Radio
Transcript: Habari, unaendeleaje? (Hello, how are you doing?)
Why It Matters
for AI
The Ogiek language has limited digital presence; contributing well-curated recordings supports AI systems that reflect local voices, improving access to learning, communication, and cultural preservation.
Speech Recognition
Speech recognition data helps machines understand how Ogiek speakers sound in real life, improving voice assistants, transcription tools, and language preservation systems.
Translation
Translation datasets enable AI to learn how Ogiek words and meanings connect across languages, supporting accurate communication, education, and cultural exchange.
Information Access
Information access datasets help AI provide Ogiek speakers with relevant content, resources, and services in their language, promoting inclusivity and bridging digital gaps.
Ogiek Datasets
Ogiek Corpus v1.0
Version: 1.0
Size: 2GB
License: CC-BY 4.0
DOI: 10.1234/swahili.001
Ogiek Corpus v1.0
Version: 1.0
Size: 2GB
License: CC-BY 4.0
DOI: 10.1234/swahili.001