The next generation of Mayan language activists met for a two-day conference and cultural celebration in San Cristobal de las Casas (Jovel is the preferred designation used by local Indigenous language communities), Chiapas, Mexico. I was privileged to attend the Activismo Digital de Lenguas Mayenses Summit January 19-20, 2024 as a representative of the Mayan Languages Preservation Project. With eyes and ears wide open, I endeavored to learn about current activism in the southern region of Mexico and the amazing young voices that are dedicated to revitalizing and maintaining their ancestral languages.
Situated high in the mountainous region, Jovel is a true jewel of natural beauty and has long been a place of importance in Indigenous cultural and linguistic activism. Day one of the conference featured a series of discussions from disparate groups to showcase what they were doing in their communities to promote education and revitalization of their respective languages. Speakers were engaged in discussion about collaboration in small groups in their communities and the importance of using their language to create content that is available to use in primary and secondary schools. One of the more important topics was a roundtable discussion featuring ongoing efforts to use technology and the internet to make language revitalization fun and engaging for youth. In doing so, the activists make language “fun and modern” and showcase the range that each language has in everyday life.
One of the unique features of the ADLM summit included presentation of activist work in each of the respective Mayan languages. Principal among the languages represented were Yukatek Mayan (colloquially referred to simply as Mayan), Tzeltal, and Tzotzil. Audience members were able to use headphones where the presentations were simultaneously interpreted into Spanish. In providing speakers the ability and respect that they deserve to present their projects in their native language, the ADLM Summit is a wonderful example of activism in practice.
A heart-felt thank you to all the organizers and presenters of the 2024 ADLM Summit and for showcasing the incredible work that is being done to promote revitalization, preservation, and language activism in the region. The work continues with growing momentum. Based on what the summit offered to the world, we celebrate upward trajectory of the work and the growing influence within each of these linguistic communities.
Winston K. Scott, Ph.D.
Director, The Mayan Languages Digitization and Preservation Project