Language is one of the most important aspects in any culture because it provides a mean of communication and it is what makes us unique. The Nahuatl, apart from being the largest indigenous population in Mexico, also has the most widely spoken indigenous language as well. There are approximately about 1.4 million people living in Mexico that speak the Nahuatl language, that is the second largest spoken language in Mexico apart from Spanish (Mexican Languages). Among the states with the largest amount of the Nahua speaking population include, Puebla with a 28.9%, Veracruz with a 23.2%, Hidalgo 15.8%, Guerrero 9.8%, San Luis Potosi 9.6%, Mexico 3.3%, Distrito Federal 2.2%, Tlaxcala 1.5%, and Morelos with a 1.2% (El Universal, 2008).
The culture of the Nahua has had to endure a number of changes in their culture because of the Europeanization of the Spanish when they got there in the colonization periods, but their language has been conserved throughout the years. In Mexico there has been a strong emphasis on the conservation of indigenous cultures and that has been possible with a number of legislations that pushed for the protection of these indigenous cultures including the Nahuatl. For example, the constitution that was drafted in 1917, "...had a strong focus on the preserving the languages of Mexico and the country’s multicultural identity" (Mexican Languages). This protected the language of not only the Nahuatl but also of all the other indigenous languages in Mexico. Another most recent of the legislations called, The Law of Linguistic Rights which was passed in 2002, which was created to, "protect the native Mexican languages, and encourage bilingual and intercultural education"(Mexican Languages). This which is important not only because it protects the rights of a minority population but also emphasizes the importance of the education of these languages to people not in the indigenous population.
The teaching of the Nahuatl language has become very popular in Mexico especially at the college level, students are offered the opportunity to learn Nahuatl like any other foreign language. One of the most important and prestigious universities in Mexico is the National Autonomous University of Mexico or UNAM has in their curriculum of foreign languages, the Nahua language, which emphasizes the importance to learn one the largest languages in Mexico and includes the teaching of their literature, music, history, myths and their culture overall. The website of the UNAM also states that since 2009, which is when the university began to offer these studies the amount of people enrolling in the program has increased (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico). The further education of the Nahuatl language and its increased popularity ensures the survival of the language in Mexico.
Ciation:
Medina Lima, Constantino. n.d. “La Persistencia Del Nahuatl En Mexico: Ejemplos De Cuauhtinchan y De La Region Poblana.” Diccionario Tematico CIESAS. Retrieved 2015 (http://www.ciesas.edu.mx/publicaciones/diccionario/diccionario ciesas/temas pdf/medina 74b.pdf).
“Mexican Lanugages .” Don Quijote Spanish Language Learning. Retrieved 2015 (http://www.donquijote.org/culture/mexico/languages/).
Anon. 2008. “Nahuatl, Lengua Indigena Con Mas Hablantes En Mexico: INEGI.” Retrieved 2015 (http://archivo.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/507940.html).
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. n.d. “Cursos De Idiomas Nahuatl.” Centro de Ensenanza de Lenguas Extranjeras. Retrieved 2015 (http://cele.unam.mx/index.php?categoria=2&subcategoria=12#).
With the arrival of the Spanish to Mexico we see the arrival of a more powerful group trying to take over what the spanish considered to be a weaker group which was the Aztecs, which by no means was weak but a powerful and rich empire. This demonstrated ethnocentrism by the spanish because they viewed themselves as more powerful. We can also see their activated ignorance because of their belief that the Aztecs were too ignorant to learn Spanish, they saw them as inferior. In more recent times though, we see a push for people to learn Nahuatl and the inclusion of Nahuatl culture and studies in some of the most important universities in Mexico
ReplyDeleteYazmin,
DeleteThis is not a reflexive comment. You do mention a term that we use in class, and I see you have posted your ethnographic entry, but there so much you could do reflexively with the post. In particular, since you can speak two languages. Also, if you look at the guidelines, you need to write at least 4 paragraphs of your reflexive post. Thank you
From what I learned about the Nahua culture and about their language, I find it remarkable how after so much change and modernization and pressure to assimilate to western culture how they have been able keep their culture and their language alive. With the arrival of the Spanish the Nahua saw it's culture and mostly their language threatened because the Spanish wanted the indigenous peoples to learn Spanish and stop speaking Nahua. The Spanish had the ethnocentric view that they were far superior than the Aztecs. They felt like the Aztecs would never be able to speak their spanish. I believe that the Aztec were not ignorant by any means but they wanted to keep a sense of their culture and themselves alive by not assimilating completely to spanish culture. I can connect this to myself and how I can speak 2 languages both Spanish and English but I don't speak more of one than the other because it's who I am, bilingual.
DeleteIn most societies, the indigenous cultures have always been the marginalized and seperated but the Nahua with it's large population and being the second largest spoken language has a sort of power that allows them to keep their culture alive. I mean having 1.4 million speakers puts their indigenous group and overall culture in an advantage. Their language is also spoken in a large area of Mexico which also helps their culture stay alive.
The laws passed throughout history that protect not only the Nahua language but many other indigenous languages in Mexico also helps in the conservation of their culture. It ensures that the culture stays alive and also helps with the ending of prejudice and discrimination, which is still well present against indigenous cultures in Mexico. The government helps with this by passing these laws that protect the Nahua culture.
From everything that I learned researching the changes throughout history concerning Nahua language, I found most interesting that the language and their culture is taught in many schools but not only high schools but also in higher education. This shows the amount of power that the Nahua culture holds in Mexico. And I believe that this is very important because it ends with stereotypes and labels but not only that also discrimination against the Nahua people because there would be more people learning the language and be a greater understanding between more "modernized" societies and the Nahua. And it would put and an End to activated ignorance and what people think they know about the Nahua. Personally if I would be offered an opportunity to take courses like this I would take them because classes like this create more open minded people.