Náhuatl and Mayan Language Renaissance Occurring in Mexico

Summary

Mexico is home to 68 officially recognized Indigenous languages, spoken by nearly 7 million people, including Mayan and Náhuatl. Yet, despite their historical significance, many of these languages are in decline. Urbanization, globalization, and the dominance of Spanish and English are slowly but surely pushing them to the brink.To preserve Mexico’s rich linguistic heritage, Mexican authorities have kick-started an initiative to offer Indigenous language classes, and, in some cases, fully bilingual curriculums. In Yucatán, efforts to teach the Maya language in schools are gaining momentum as 35,000 students from 75 municipalities now have the option to study Yucatec-Maya, beginning as early as grade school. Náhuatl and Mayan Language RenaissanceThe broader initiative includes efforts to preserve and revitalize Indigenous culture by recognizing the importance of Mexico’s Prehispanic heritage and how it connects with its cultural and historical significance.The Mexican government’s commitment to this cause is reflected in the General Law of Linguistic Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which recognizes Indigenous languages as having equal validity with Spanish.In Mexico City, 78 schools will begin offering Náhuatl language classes in the next few weeks. Although Náhuatl is the most widely spoken Indigenous language on the entire American continent, it shows signs of quickly vanishing, especially among younger generations. Classical age Maya stelae of Yaxilan depict two nobles in conversation. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine“Náhuatl has since time immemorial been the language of the people of the valley of Mexico, but it’s not just a tongue of the past. It must be preserved as a living language into the future as part of our nation’s heritage,” said Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada.Across the country, similar initiatives are underway to promote the use of Indigenous languages like Zapotec and Mixtec, which have been spoken for centuries but now face th...