On February 21, 2024, the world commemorates the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, a milestone in recognizing the richness and diversity of indigenous languages. This significant date, proclaimed by UNESCO and later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, serves as a reminder of the crucial role that mother languages play in preserving cultural heritage and fostering inclusive societies.
To mark this occasion, UNESCO’s International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) has brought together a distinguished group of indigenous researchers from Latin America to share their insights on how higher education can contribute to revitalizing linguistic diversity. These scholars, contributors to the journal Educación Superior y Sociedad (ESS), advocate for multilingual education that promotes the use of indigenous languages and fosters intercultural dialogue.
The Role of Educación Superior y Sociedad in Promoting Indigenous Languages
Educación Superior y Sociedad (ESS) is a multilingual, peer-reviewed academic journal published by UNESCO IESALC. Since 2022, it has embraced linguistic diversity by including articles in indigenous languages, translated into Spanish and Portuguese. This initiative is a testament to UNESCO’s commitment to promoting linguistic inclusion in academic discourse.
One of the leading voices in this initiative is Daniel Mato, a researcher at CONICET and UNTREF in Argentina, and Director of the UNESCO Chair on Higher Education and Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples in Latin America. As the editor of the Spanish-Indigenous and Portuguese-Indigenous language sections of ESS, he underscores the need for higher education institutions to actively support indigenous language revitalization through research and inclusive educational policies.
Indigenous Scholars Leading the Conversation
The journal’s commitment to linguistic diversity is exemplified by a series of groundbreaking articles written in indigenous languages. These contributions highlight the unique epistemologies and cultural knowledge systems of indigenous communities, advocating for a more inclusive academic landscape.
Mayan Knowledge and Education
Vitalino Similox Salazar, from the Kaqchikel Mayan University in Guatemala, was the first to publish an article in an indigenous language in ESS. His work, Science, Philosophy, and Technology of the Maya Peoples: A Paradigm of Education Conducive to Human Fulfillment, Harmony with Nature, and the Cosmos (Vol. 34 No. 2, 2022), written in Kaqchikel Mayan, explores the epistemological frameworks of Mayan peoples. He emphasizes the importance of protecting both natural and cultural life as part of epistemic pluralism.
Interculturality and Racism in Peruvian Universities
In Vol. 35 No. 1 (2023), Vicente Torres Lezama, from the Universidad Nacional de Arte Diego Quispe Tito in Cusco, Peru, discusses the persistence of colonial structures in Peruvian universities. His article, These Indians Never Learn… University, Racism, and Interculturality in Peru, written in Quechua, critiques the exclusion of indigenous knowledge systems and advocates for transforming universities into institutions that embrace cultural diversity and promote interculturality.
Youth and Language Preservation in Mexico
Jazmín Nallely Arguelles Santiago’s article, published in Nahuatl in Vol. 35 No. 2 (2023), examines the role of indigenous youth in preserving indigenous languages and fostering community-based higher education in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her work, Indigenous Languages in Community-Based Higher Education in Oaxaca, Mexico, highlights indigenous students’ experiences and their proposals to integrate indigenous languages into university curricula.
Challenges of Intercultural Management in Bolivia
From Bolivia, Marcia Mandepora Chundary contributes an article in Guaraní in Vol. 36 No. 1 (2024), titled Gaps Between the Discourse and Practice of Interculturality in the UNIBOL Guaraní and Lowland Peoples “Apiaguaiki Tüpa”. She critically analyzes the experiences of Bolivian Indigenous Community, Intercultural, and Productive Universities (UNIBOL), addressing the challenges they face in implementing true intercultural management within academic institutions.
Revitalizing the Mapuche Language in Chile
In Vol. 36 No. 2 (2024), Gabriel Gonzalo Llanquinao Llanquinao presents his research in Mapuzugun, titled Pedagogy in Mapuche Language and Culture. His study at the Catholic University of Temuco, Chile, showcases the co-construction of a pedagogy program dedicated to the Mapuche language and culture, emphasizing the role of universities in language revitalization.
Towards a More Inclusive Academic Future
These scholarly contributions reflect the urgent need for higher education institutions to embrace linguistic diversity. By publishing academic research in indigenous languages, universities not only validate these languages as legitimate means of knowledge production but also empower indigenous communities to reclaim their linguistic heritage.
As the world celebrates the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, initiatives like those led by UNESCO IESALC and ESS demonstrate the power of higher education in preserving and revitalizing indigenous languages. The voices of indigenous scholars are essential in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable academic landscape—one that recognizes the invaluable cultural and linguistic wealth of indigenous peoples worldwide.