#StoriesThatInspire. Meet 10 activists who use digital media to strengthen and promote Mayan languages ​​in Mexico.

Photo by José Raúl Sánchez Pérez, used with his permission.

Learn about the inspiring story of one of the grantees selected for the 2024 Mayan Language Digital Activism Fellowship organized by Rising Voices. In this personal essay, the author shares about his experience in activism and the project through which he seeks to promote his native language, within his community and in digital spaces.

My name is José Raúl Sánchez Pérez, I am 22 years old. I have a degree in language and culture with a specialty in teaching, and I speak the Ch’ol language. I am originally from the Panhuitz Tianija ejido (communal land) in the municipality of Tila, Chiapas, Mexico, named this way because it is a community that is at a high altitude. “Panhuitz” translates into Spanish as “on the hill” and Tianija is the name of a river that runs through its land.

In the community of Panhuitz, everyone speaks the Ch’ol language: children, adults and seniors, because it is our mother tongue. What stands out most about my community is its peaceful, humble and very united people. At every party we support each other, and both men and women help prepare the food. The men are in charge of washing the leaves for the tamales, making the fire, arranging the tamales in the pot and waiting for them to cook. The women are in charge of bringing the dough, making the tamales and the tortillas. Everyone supports each other for everything.

Panhuitz Tianiaj communal land. Photo by José Raúl Sánchez Pérez, shared with his permission.

My community is full of vegetation and domestic and wild animals, and you can also appreciate beautiful landscapes and birdsong in the mornings and at dusk. Clay crafts are made using a special soil or mud and small crystalline stones known as “bax,” which are used to make mortars, griddles, jugs, plates and glasses.

A window to the Ch’ol worldview

The Ch'ol language is not simply a means of communication, it is the vehicle of a rich cultural tradition and ancestral knowledge. It is a window to the worldview of its speakers. Values, legends, ritual practices, and knowledge about nature that have been shared over centuries are transmitted through words and grammatical structures. The language represents an invaluable cultural treasure that contains the identity, history and worldview of an ancestral Indigenous community, which is why I care about preserving and speaking my language with pride.

Within my community, workshops have helped a lot in strengthening the language. For example, reading and writing classes focus on grammar and vocabulary, conversation workshops become spaces for oral practice of Ch'ol about everyday topics. In addition, intergenerational exchange is promoted, as it brings together youth and older people to share stories and traditions, reinforcing language learning. These workshops not only teach the language, but also strengthen the sense of identity and cultural pride among youth.

These activities have inspired me to work for the preservation of my language. I began my activism by making videos for teaching the Ch’ol language, sharing vocabulary such as everyday sentences and the names of fruits and animals. I also recorded oral stories, songs, and traditional practices. I have also participated in translations into the Ch’ol language of stories, riddles, and tongue twisters. With this work I seek to preserve and share the knowledge of my community beyond geographical borders.

Photo: Aprendamos La Lengua CH'ol-Cholero de Corazón Tila (Let's learn the Ch'ol-Cholero language from the heart of Tila) YouTube channel

To continue strengthening and preserving my language, I am part of the Digital Activism Program for Mayan Languages of the Rising Voices with the project “Let's Learn the Ch'ol Language” which consists of a series of workshops aimed at children and adolescents in the community so that they can learn about grammar and expand their vocabulary in the Ch'ol language. The priority is to be able to instill in children the importance of continuing to practice and strengthen their language and the knowledge that exists in it. This project aims to ensure that the history of the community prevails through childhood, because when a language becomes extinct, the history of an entire people dies.

Using digital media to revalue the Ch’ol language

The use of digital media to strengthen the Ch'ol language has become a vital strategy for its preservation and promotion, especially to ease access to linguistic resources that allow speakers and learners to connect with their language in an interactive and creative way.

The creation of content in Ch'ol, such as videos, podcasts and publications, not only enriches the cultural heritage, but also motivates new generations to use and value their language. In addition, these digital tools encourage the creation of online communities, where traditions are shared, oral stories are documented and support networks are established, thus contributing to the revitalization and visibility of the Ch'ol language in an increasingly digital world.

Photo by Dr. Alberto Mariano Gutiérrez, shared with his permission.

Some of the challenges for Indigenous languages ​​are globalization and the influence of dominant languages ​​such as Spanish, which has led to less intergenerational transmission of Ch’ol. Another challenge is schools, which often lack bilingual programs or teaching materials in the native language, which means that children do not have the opportunity to learn and use their native language in formal educational contexts. Added to this situation is the fact that the parents’ interest in teaching their children the Ch’ol language has decreased and they choose to teach them Spanish as a first language, for fear of exclusion or discrimination for their language.

The preservation of Ch’ol is a crucial task to ensure that the cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples continues to be an active part of global heritage and history. Strengthening and preserving languages ​​is an effort that requires concerted action and a deep respect for the linguistic and cultural diversity that defines our shared humanity. I therefore hope that by creating workshops and videos I can have a greater impact on the new generations and make them aware of the cultural value of Indigenous languages.