2014 National Nezahualcóyotl award winner and Maya writer Sol Ceh Moo. SPECIAL TO THE NEWS
The News
Maya writer Sol Ceh Moo called on speakers of native languages to talk and write in their indigenous language.
If you speak one of the many indigenous languages of Mexico you should be proud of the heritage and pass it to the next generation, she said. Ceh Moo is from Yucatán.
There should be a declaration, pronouncement or law that allows for the teaching of all of the indigenous languages in Mexico at every educational level, the winner of the 2014 National Nezahualcóyotl award said.
“We should begin with the languages that have the most speakers, then we need to reinforce the other languages,” she said.
“I speak one of the most important languages spoken in Mexico, Maya. I denied it and tried to hide it. I tried to be like everyone else, but it is important to know who we are, where we come from and be proud of that.”
One of the biggest obstacles that indigenous languages face is the shame speakers feel about speaking in their own language, Ceh Moo said. They don’t identify with their language and their heritage.
The social oppression that many indigenous parents have suffered must be stopped, Ceh Moo said. They should be made to feel valued so they can pass on the language and oral heritage to their children and grandchildren.
“It is an absolute must that the language arise and gain strength in the home,” she said.
Ceh Moo believes that regardless of age, all indigenous people should have the opportunity to learn their language.
“Many have forgotten who they are and have distanced themselves from their traditions and culture. They have lost the feeling of belonging,” she said. “The world view of the original inhabitants of this country is in the language.”
Every person living in the country forms Mexico. It’s a single culture, with no distinctions between people. It’s only the languages that are different, but the way of living and feeling for the land is very similar.
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