Foto proprocionada por Onésimo Cruz
In 2019, we've invited several hosts to manage the @ActLenguas (Language Activism) Twitter account and to share their experiences with the revitalization and promotion of their native languages. This profile post is about Onésimo Cruz Mejía (@unanzii65 [1]) and what he plans to discuss during his week as host.
Rising Voices (RV): Please tell us about yourself.
Soy Onésimo Cruz Mejía, soy originario de San Jerónimo Xayacatlan, Puebla y hablante del tu’un savi (mixteco) variante frontera Puebla-Oaxaca, tecnólogo de profesión, miembro de activistas digitales en lenguas indígenas y hemos posicionado lo relativo a nuestras lenguas en espacios virtuales como el Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Youtube, WhatsApp.
I am Onésimo Cruz Mejía, I am originally from San Jerónimo Xayacatlan, Puebla and I am a speaker of Tu'un Savi (Mixteco) variant from the border of Puebla and Oaxaca. I am a technologist by profession, a member of indigenous languages digital activists, and we have positioned our language in vitual spaces such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Youtube, and WhatsApp.
RV: What is the current status of your language on the internet and offline?
En internet la situación de la variante de mi lengua se está fortaleciendo con escritos y comunicación auditiva WhatsApp y Messenger, sin embargo en la vida diaria en la comunidad o en la ciudad sigue a la baja, solo las personas de edad adulta lo hablan y el espacio en que se utiliza es mínimo.
On the internet, the situation of the variant of my language is being strengthened with written and audio communication on WhatsApp and Messenger, however, in daily life in the community or in the city it continues to decrease, only people of adult age speak it and the spaces in which it is used is minimal.
RV: On what topics do you plan to focus during the week that you’ll manage the @ActLenguas Twitter account?
No soy muy experto en twittear pero mi intención es compartir twitts sobre la situación de riesgo de mi lengua y de las que me he dado cuenta que están recuperando, quiero exponer de cómo había en el sexenio pasado programas en lengua y sobre lenguas indígenas conducidos por amigos en la radio gubernamentales y ahora han desaparecido.
I am not much of an expert in tweeting, but my intention is to share tweets about the at-risk situation my language faces, and I have realized that they are recovering, I want to explain how there was in the past six years there were programs in the language and about indigenous languages that were conducted by friends on the governmental radio, but now they have disappeared.
RV: What are the main motivations for your digital activism for your language?
Me motiva mucho ver que muchos jóvenes de pueblos originarios están dando mucho de qué hablar en diferentes ámbitos y en las redes sociales con proyectos muy importantes como el caso de Luis Flores (Lenguas indígenas en la web). Respecto a mi lengua mi sueño es poder ofrecer cursos de aprendizaje de inmersión total y contar con los recursos económicos para hacerlos.
It motivates me a lot to see that many young people from indigenous communities that are giving a lot to talk about in different areas and in social networks with very important projects such as the case of Luis Flores (Indigenous languages on the web). Regarding my language, my dream is to be able to offer total immersion learning courses and also to have the economic resources to do them.