Ndengeleko is a so far unstudied Eastern Bantu language facing a rapid decline in intergenerational transmission. This paper gives a case study of a fate shared by many coastal Tanzanian languages in a multilingual setting dominated by Swahili. Questionnaires and interviews have been used in this first survey on the Ndengeleko language situation. The author puts emphasis on the low attitudes towards this language and culture and the implications this has for language endangerment as well as for the self-esteem of a people. Reference is made to the UNESCO factors for assessing language vitality.