Peruvian Web Users Take the #LanguageChallenge · Global Voices
Patricia Carolina Saucedo Añez

International Mother Language Day was celebrated on February 21, as a commemoration of the right every nation has to keep its own language, a key element of cultural identification. In Peru, there are 47 native languages, spoken by about 4 million people.
To mark the occasion, the Office of Indigenous Language of the Vice Ministry of Interculturality of the Ministry of Culture invited Peruvians to participate in the #LanguageChallenge:
¡Participar en el #RetoDeLasLenguas es muy fácil!…te enseñamos —►http://t.co/MvBit5WRlb pic.twitter.com/j9NASVS4uf
— Ministerio Cultura (@MinCulturaPe) febrero 19, 2015
It's very easy to participate in the #LanguageChallenge!!… We show you how.
The blog La Mula reported what the second edition of the Challenge of Languages was about:
Este sábado 21 de febrero se celebra el Día Internacional de la Lengua Materna y la Dirección de Lenguas Indígenas del Viceministerio de Interculturalidad ha lanzado la campaña Reto de las Lenguas (#RetoDeLasLenguas). En realidad, es un desafío creado el año pasado en las redes sociales de diversos países. Quien lo acepta debe grabar un video en una lengua indígena y retar a otra persona a que haga lo mismo. A la fecha han participado hablantes de lenguas indígenas norteamericanas y europeas, pero aún es poca la participación de lenguas sudamericanas.
On Saturday, February 21, we celebrate International Mother Language Day and the Office of Indigenous Language of the Vice Ministry of Interculturality [of the Ministry of Culture] has launched the campaign the Language Challenge. It's really a challenge created last year on social networks from various countries. If you accept it, you have to record a video in an indigenous language and challenge another person to do the same thing. Until now, indigenous speakers from many North American and European communities have taken part, but we still have a small participation of South American languages.
On Twitter, various users rose to the challenge, such as Quechua speakers Qorich'aska Qespi Puma and Jorge Alejandro Vargas:
Excelente video de #Retodelaslenguas de Qorich'aska Qespi Puma y Jorge Alejandro Vargas. Ahora esperemos que… http://t.co/rPCNZ8yhHa
— Cusco en Positivo (@CuscoenPositivo) febrero 20, 2015
Excellent video from #Retodelaslenguas by Qorich'aska Qespi Puma and Jorge Alejandro Vargas. Now, let's hope that…
This video shows Culina, spoken in Peru and Brazil Amazon regions:
Otro #Retodelaslenguas del Perú! El bastante sexy Nehemías Pino hablando en culina! tenemos 47 idiomas!… http://t.co/We5FozNljQ
— Jorge Vargas Prado (@jorgicha) February 20, 2015
Another Language Challenge from Peru! The so-sexy Nehemías Pino speaking Culina! We have 47 languages!
There is even a video with sign language:
Mensaje en lengua de señas peruana por el #retodelaslenguas reto a los modelos lingüísticos del C. Beethoven http://t.co/UPdMmj37Zn
— Susana Stiglich (@sustiwa) febrero 20, 2015
Message in Peruvian sign language for the Language Challenge, I challenge linguistic models from C. Beethoven.
Another video from Cusco:
A video from abroad by a speaker and academic of Shawi, an Amazonian language:
To follow the challenge, which is still going on, follow the hashtag #Retodelaslenguas on Twitter.