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{{w|Reddit}} user u/eriksealander, referred to '''Erik Sealander''' throughout the rest of the article, is a language teacher, is controversially considered the father of the first native speakers of Toki Pona. In an interview with {{tok|[[Aronora]]}}, he stated that he started teaching his children Toki Pona as he is a language enthusiast and for the benefits of {{w|multilingualism}} at a young age. His children are also multilingual in both English and Arabic.<ref>{{cite YouTube|id=iZ2zBQbqKB8|title=INTERVIEW {{!}} The First Toki Pona Natives|author={{tok|jan Alonola}}|channel=Aronora|handle=Aronora|date=2020-11-29|access-date=2024-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{tok|jan Alonola}} (5 April 2021). "{{tok|toki tawa jan Elike (mama pi jan lili pi toki pona)}}". In [https://liputenpo.org/lipu-tenpo-nanpa-soweli/ {{tp|lipu tenpo nanpa soweli}}] (in Toki Pona). {{tp|lipu tenpo}}.</ref>
Sealander has stated that his older daughter, called {{tok|jan Lililan}}, can understand the basics of Toki Pona, answering prompts and producing speech. The first
However, these claims has come into scrutiny by others. In 2023, after meeting in person with both Sealander and his family, {{tok|jan Kekan San}} noted that the children did not speak Toki Pona to him and could not answer questions when prompted, only .<ref name="kekan2023" /> He later on went to call this "at best stretching the truth and at worst a hoax".<ref name="olipija2023">{{cite web|url=https://lukapona.blogspot.com/2023/02/native-speakers-pi-toki-ponali-lon-ala.html|title=Native Speakers {{tok|pi toki pona li lon ala lon}}?|website=lukapona.blogpost.com|author={{tok|jan Olipija}}|date=2023-02-12|access-date=2024-01-21}}</ref> In a blog post, {{tok|jan Olijpija}} suggested that the children may have learnt Toki Pona, but failed to maintain it as they grew up. She compared this example to children in Wales learning {{w|Welsh language|Welsh}}, where because of the lack of prestige of the language, speakers tend to have insufficient skills in it.<ref name="olipija2023" />
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