Indigenous Language Digital Activism

Case Studies

Firefox en Quechua Chanka

The “Lliwllapaq runasimi” (Quechua for all) initiative is a free software localization project, focused on the content in the Quechua Chanka language on to the Firefox Browser from the Mozilla Foundation. The project's coordinator is Shara Huaman Julluni, a native speaker of Quecha spoken in the Abancay province in the Apurímac departament of Peru.

Zapotec 3.0

The Zapotec 3.0 initiative includes various personal projects of Rodrigo Perez, including the localization of free software, the creation of digital content in the Zapotec language (Tecno-etnias, the Virtual Museum of Zapotec), as well as training activities.

Vikipetã (Wikipedia in Guaraní)

Vikipetã, or Wikipedia in Guarani, began in 2005 and has 3,091 entries about Guarani culture and other topics. Its contributors are mostly Paraguayan and work individually without central organization.

Yolitia

Yolitia es una revista electrónica mexicana, el nombre significa “renacer” en lengua Náhuatl. La iniciativa busca publicar textos en diferentes variantes del Náhuatl y en otras lenguas indígenas de México. La revista cuenta con un Comité Editorial integrado por 13 hablantes de distintos idiomas mesoamericanos.

Vamos a Aprender Mixteco (Let's Learn Mixtec)

“Let's Learn Mixtec” is an app developed through a collaboration between a developer company Mauvo, the Digital Citizen Laboratory, which is a training program of the Spanish Cultural Center in Mexico, and the Telefónica Foundation. Its development started as digital support for the re-intepretation of the book “Let's Learn Mixtec” by the writer Donato García.

Quechua.memes

The Quechua Memes initiative's goal is to share oral and written Quechua in social media through jokes, as a way to contribute towards the revitalization of customs in both a reflective and humorous manner to raise awareness about the language and culture.

Kimeltuwe

An online space for the teaching and learning of the Mapuche language (Mapudungun or Mapuzungun), which first started as the @frasemapuzungun Twitter account, a collaboration between the Mapuche primary schoolteacher, Víctor Carilaf in collaboration with the Chilean illustrator Fiestóforo.

Wayuunaiki Para el Mundo

Wayuunaiki Para el Mundo (Wayuunaiki for the World) was created in 2015 as space to teach the language of the Wayuu people, using a YouTube channel to share online videos for those interested to learn conversational wayuunaiki.

Maya Tz'utujil

La iniciativa Maya Tz’utujil es un espacio en Facebook, twitter y en Wordpress para la enseñanza, el aprendizaje y la difusión de la lengua Tz’utujil que tiene como principal referencia geográfica el área nacional de Guatemala y cuenta con varios asociados/colaboradores que se han vinculado de lleno a la iniciativa digital.

Kichwa.net

Kichwa.net or Kichwasun “we continue to speak Kichwa” is a collective project based in Otavalo, Ecuador that has the objective of revitalizing and raising awareness of the Kichwa language in the region through activities utilizing digital media, such as websites, YouTube, Facebook and through in-person workshops.

Yadiko Jitómagaro

The Yadiko Ukuri: jitómagaro uai initiative is an online space focused on the preservation and sharing of contemporary communal documentation in the Minika language. The project is taking place in Puerto Milán in the municipality of La Chorrera, located in the Colombian Amazon