Indigenous languages in Latin America

Did you know that there are hundreds of languages in Latin America outside of the romance languages?  Indigenous languages make up more than 500 languages, and include Quechuan, Aymaran, Mayan, Tupí-Guaraní, Cariban, and Mapudungun, among others. In countries like Peru and Bolivia, Quechua and Aymara are widely spoken and even recognized as official languages alongside Spanish. The Mayan languages, including K'iche', Yucatec, and Q'eqchi', are used by millions in Guatemala, southern Mexico, and Belize.

Even though so many continue to speak their native languages, many are become extinct.  Indigenous languages face serious threats due to discrimination, lack of institutional support, and the dominance of colonial languages like Spanish and Portuguese. In Brazil, for example, while over 180 Indigenous languages exist, many are spoken by only a few hundred people. Many people that are community leaders continue to try to revitalize and preserve these languages through bilingual education programs, digital tools, and cultural initiatives.

Countries such as Paraguay, where Guaraní is an official language and widely spoken by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, serve as powerful examples of linguistic coexistence. Linguistic freedom is not just about preservation, it means continue to honor culture that are still present, and maintaining an identity and history that is part of the world original people. 

*reuters

Quechua

Speaking Spanish and Nahuatl